After traveling from NYC to DC for a whirlwind homecoming weekend, my skin was seriously suffering as a result of the change in water, train air, and a hearty dose of unhealthy eating and drinking (looking at you, Tombs chicken tenders and vodka lemonades).
As of late, skincare has become almost more important to me than makeup, so I was upset to see a major blemish on my forehead the entire weekend, especially after enjoying a clear complexion for the past few weeks. There wasn’t much I could do in the moment, but I’m devoting this week to reviving my skin now that the weekend shenanigans have ceased. To do so, I’ve turned to a few of my new favorites.
I’ve heard people raving about Drunk Elephant skincare for a while now, but because I was (and still am) in a pretty intense love affair with the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum and Pure Truth Youth Activating Oil, I never bothered to branch out. However, the DE product that stood out to me as far as uniqueness was the T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial, so I decided to give it a go. The product claims to improve skin texture and help you work towards a clearer, brighter, smoother complexion, and it's one of those rare gems where you see some of the results right away. After using this, my skin always looks fresh and feels soft—it really does resemble baby skin! The only other time I've seen my skin look this different immediately after applying a product or treatment would be when I've had professional facials done, so I love this as an at-home option. I like the results so much, I often have to stop myself from using it more than the recommended once weekly application!
Jumping on the K-Beauty bandwagon, I've been turning to this Super Volcanic Clay Mousse Mask from Innisfree to detox my skin and clear my pores. I'm normally a big fan of charcoal masks for purifying and tightening my pores, so when I heard this mask's unique approach of using Jeju volcanic clusters to target oil and dirt, I was excited to give it a shot. I like that this dries down, but still feels comfortable on the skin, and I can use it every few days without feeling irritated or dried-out. Plus, the mousse formula makes it fun and easy to apply!
When I first heard about Riddle Oil, the perfume that works with your body's pheromones to give off an attractive scent, I was super eager to try out the products and find my new favorite signature scent. Unfortunately, I haven't noticed any of the magic others have included in their Riddle-Oil-changed-my-life posts, but I do like the smell and the products themselves, so I'll still continue to use them. I've been enjoying slathering the Body Oil on post-shower, but for my face i use the Relief Serum, specifically because it claims to help skin battle the effects of the menstrual cycle. My acne is typically hormonal, so a skin-clearing serum that targets this kind of breakout is right up my alley, and I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing some great results.
The Hydrate Skin Smoothie from BioClarity has been a go-to moisturizer of mine for a while now, so it's no surprise that I'm using it during this period of not-so-great skin. This moisturizer includes Floralux and is ideal for acne-prone and sensitive skin, and I honestly feel better about applying makeup on my face when I know I've got this on underneath to give my skin a treat. Another reason I love it? It absorbs into the skin super-fast, which cuts down on my wait-time in a lengthy skincare routine like this one! If you're not a fan of mixing and matching brands and products in your routine, the BioClarity 3-piece Clear Skin System is an easy and effective option I strongly recommend!
The final product I'm relying on to get me back to great skin is the Allies of Skin Promise Keeper Blemish Facial. For some reason, the navy packaging on this guy really draws me in, but the product itself is also a winner in my book. I love to use an overnight treatment to really feel like I'm helping my skin—even while I sleep—and this is a great option to do just that. Not only does this product work to clear skin, but also to eliminate oil, lighten acne scars, and brighten over time. Some overnight treatments can feel heavy and sticky, but this one blends in like a basic moisturizer, which makes me even more likely to put it on before passing out.
All of these products were sent to me for consideration, but the opinions are my own. As always, I only include the stuff that I'm really using—and loving—at the moment, and I'm lucky to have the opportunity to try out so many new things! Safe to say these babies will be in heavy rotation for the next few days as I work to get my skin back to normal. Once that happens, I'll be able to test out even more newbies and give some thoughts on those!