For me, skincare is my self-care ritual to pause and reconnect with myself and tune back into my body before the day starts and after long, busy days. But it’s also very sentimental for me as a tradition my grandmother passed on to me that I grew up watching her do as a girl and doing with her.
Today I’m sharing 10 products that I use on a daily basis that I’ve personally witnessed result in clean, clear, and glowing skin that just feels so good and refreshing. I’ve included my own experience along with the product descriptions below each photo so you can get a better feel of how it works! So if you’re thinking of adding to your skincare regimen here could be a few places to start:
1. Dr Dennis Gross Professional All-in-One Facial Cleanser with Toner, 16 Ounce
I love this bottle because one pump in the morning and at night goes a long way. This is my go-to cleanser when I wake up to start the day with a fresh face and at night to wash off any makeup or environmental debris from the day. I always feel super refreshed and clean afterward!
Product Description: Refresh your complexion with this gentle but effective cleanser. NYC dermatologist, Dr. Dennis Gross, formulated a face wash and toner in one to give his patients the most effective and balanced cleanse. This efficient cleanser dissolves dirt, oil, makeup, pollutants, and other impurities, while preserving skin with potent antioxidants, plumping hydrators, and soothing botanicals that leave skin feeling rejuvenated and soft—never tight or dry. The clean-rinsing formula is suitable for all skin types.
2. Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment
I use this exfoliant once a week in the shower on my face and neck, which is typically recommended for sensitive skin since it can be pretty invigorating. It’s great for cleansing pores and removing any dead skin cells while softening your skin!
Product Description: Clinically formulated to visibly transform texture and pores in two minutes, Kate’s signature Super Facial exfoliates dull, dry surface skin cells to reveal smoother, radiant, pore perfected skin in just two minutes!
3. Dime Beauty Hyaluronic Acid Serum
I always feel like hyaluronic acid is a cool deep breath for my face. A few times a week I’ll also throw on a hyaluronic moisturizing mask to let it settle into my skin and I feel like a new woman ready to take on the day, ha! I love how instantly hydrating this serum. Every time my skin just soaks it up, which shows me how important it is to stay hydrated!
Product Description: This replenishing serum captures the simplistic beauty of clean skincare. Concentrated Hyaluronic Acid instantly quenches thirsty skin upon application, boosting bounce and delivering intense hydration where it’s needed most. Formulated with the purest form of water-soluble Hyaluronic Acid, this serum has the unique ability to provide lasting hydration by continuously drawing hydration to skin’s surface and locking it in.
4. Dr. Dennis Gross C + Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum
I’ve been loving @drdennisgross‘s Vitamin C + Collagen Serum, especially after learning about all of the dermatologist-recommended benefits of Vitamin C for the skin:
• Vitamin C can help with the natural production of your own collagen, which are the fibers that strengthen and firm your skin.
• It gives you an almost instant glow
• Its antioxidants can help offset daily environmental factors like UV damage and exposure to air pollution
• It aids in your skins natural healing and regeneration process
Product Description: Vegan, Paraben-Free, and Cruelty-Free Formula. This weightless, fast-absorbing gel-serum is power-packed with collagen amino acids plus our proprietary vitamin C (3-O C technology) and energy complex. Fuel cells for increased collagen production and accelerated repair to improve imperfections like dullness, dark spots, rough texture, and expression lines.
5. REN Clean Skincare Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic
As you can see this bottle is at least halfway gone already and that’s because I use it religiously in the morning and before bed. I don’t know what kind of sorcery is in this, but I see immediate results in brighter and more hydrated looking skin the moment I apply it. I love dousing myself in this, with a fresh face on no-makeup days. It’s also nice and light to dab on before a workout. I’ve literally had strangers in public or at a gym class comment on my skin after absorbing this up.
Product Description: Gentle enough for daily use, this vegan, cruelty-free favorite leaves skin smooth, renewed, and luminous. Like a face exfoliator and resurfacing toner in one, this fast-acting formula promotes natural cell turnover to help even tone, diminish the appearance of pores, and unveil a lit-from-within glow. Ready, set, get lit!
6. Meaningful Beauty Dark Spot Correcting Treatment Skin Lightener
I’ve always been prone to have dark circles around my eyes, in part from wearing glasses my whole life that leaves impressions. So this is a dark-spot correcting eye cream that I dab on my fingers and massage around my eyes in the AM and PM. It may take some time to see results so I’d try it out for a while!
Product Description: Made with alpha hydroxy acid, an effective skin care ingredient to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, as well as Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Pro-Vitamin B5 to smooth dull, rough, damaged and uneven skin. Also contains Broad Spectrum SPF 15 to help protect skin against sun’s damaging rays and improve the texture and appearance of skin.
7. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Moisturizer Lotion with SPF 15 Sunscreen
After letting the rest of the above products settle in I always finish with a moisturizing face lotion. I love Neutrogena as an affordable and reputable brand at your local drug store that I’ve used since I was a teenager. My priority in a face lotion is always SPF protection before I walk out of the house to help protect from any damaging sun-rays. (Yes, us melanated women need protection too!)
Product Description: Pure cocoa butter & vitamin E. Provides 24-hour moisture. Proven to heal dry, sun exposure, and eczema prone skin. Smoothes marks, scars and tones skin. Paraben & phthalate free.
8. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E
Cocoa butter is grandma’s old school magic. Growing up you put cocoa butter on anythang you hear me- knees, lips, hair, you name it. It’s a popular culture in the black community, but you know what they say, black don’t…you get it. I was taught growing up that Cocoa butter helps even skin tones, especially with blending out scars over time, and even though it can feel a bit sticky you know it’s gonna get the job done for moisturizing and restoring your skin and it has long-lasting coverage. Oh, it also makes you extra shiny. I typically cover my whole face in this before bed or if I’m staying home with a clean face.
Product Description: Pure cocoa butter & vitamin E. Provides 24-hour moisture. Proven to heal dry, sun exposure, and eczema prone skin. Smoothes marks, scars and tones skin. Paraben & phthalate free.
9. True Botanicals Moisture Lock Overnight Mask
I love this overnight moisturizing mask because it feels very light and locks in the rest of my facial for the night. Naturally, we have water loss overnight called transepidermal water loss which can lead to a lack of hydration in your sleep. So this is another way to maintain that moisture and wake up with more vibrant skin that feels good!
Product Description: Awake to softer, more supple skin. This rich yet lightweight night mask is formulated for all skin types and is clinically proven to dramatically boost hydration. Free of the pore-clogging waxes found in traditional night creams, this potent problem solver dramatically boosts skin’s hydration levels.
10. Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen (Lavender Lemon, Canister)
Lastly, I throw a scoop of this hair, skin, and nails beauty collagen from @VitalProteins in my water bottle every morning. That’s the other thing, drinking lots of water is also going to keep your skin rejuvenated. I keep room temperature water next to my bed to replenish in the morning (room temperature is more beneficial for digestion). Many times what’s going on with our skin is the outcome of what’s going on inside our bodies- so what we eat, hormonal changes, etc., can be internal factors that are pushing their way toward the most outer barrier of our bodies: our skin. I’ve always seen skin as a frontline messenger of our bodies and that’s one way to think of it on the journey of taking care of yourself.
The other great thing is, Vital Proteins has a bunch of other flavors or flavorless if you prefer and you can pour a scoop of this into your latte, smoothie, water, tea. I’ve done all of the above. So this is more of the internal side of my skincare routine.
Product Description: Packed with 15g of bovine-based collagen, 120mg of hyaluronic acid to help maintain skin’s moisture levels, and 2B CFU Probiotics, Beauty Collagen helps support healthy hair, skin, nails and joints – with an extra emphasis on beauty benefits.
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Would you like to see more tips and recommendations like this? Do you have a go-to skincare regimen or product? Sharing is caring! Let’s chat in the comments below!
Your friend,
