I’m excited to partner with Estée Lauder and Refinery 29 to share 5 steps to my nightly skincare routine. I didn’t realize how important taking care of your skin was until I really hit my mid to late 20s. Embarrassingly, I wouldn’t even wash my face every night before I went to bed. Sometimes I would use a toner to clean off my face but it wasn’t like a true clean and I definitely wasn’t hydrating enough. Once I hit my late 20s and noticed wrinkles 😢 I started researching more and realized there is so much I hadn’t been doing. Even now I feel like I’m still learning so much and constantly researching to see how to take care of my skin best. A lot of you have asked about the steps to taking care of your skin. If you’re a young reader, start now! Take care of your skin before you even see issues and you’re healthy glow will last a lot longer. If you’re already starting to see changes in your skin and you want to know how to make it better, it’s not too late! Start now. 🙂

1. Wash. Use a cleanser specifically designed for facial cleansing. Body washes are a lot harsher on your skin and will strip away your natural oils; using hand soap can dry your skin out and leave it dull. This one has a really light, foamy texture and your skin feels really soft and fresh after you rinse it off. Massage the soap in circular motions around your face. You can use your hands to rinse it off, but it’s better to use a washcloth to help exfoliate and really get all the makeup off. I’ve noticed when I just use my fingertips I still have excess makeup leftover. If you don’t like washcloths you can use an exfoliating facial brush. Whatever you use, use small circular motions to get a great clean without being too rough on your skin.

2. Night Repair Serum. After you cleanse, apply a night serum. Your body always does it’s best work while you are asleep, even when it comes to the skin. You want to use your best skincare products at night to get the most benefit from them. I love this one by Estée Lauder – it instantly leaves my skin feeling so smooth and hydrated.

3. Eye Attention. The skin around your eyes is a lot thinner and more fragile so it starts to show signs of aging sooner than the rest of the face. Between late nights working on the blog or early mornings with the kids, I’m always searching for good eye creams. This one has a really silky gel consistency and I love how bright it leaves the skin around the eyes. Tap the serum gently with your ring finger and let it soak in around the eyes  – don’t rub! You want to be extra gentle with the skin around your eyes.

4. Anti-aging Product. Everyone knows the importance of an anti-aging cream so it’s really just a matter of finding one that you like. I’m obsessed with plant stem cell extract in my skincare products. This one leaves your skin really bright and radiant. Don’t just use it at night – it’s a great morning pick me up to give you an instant glow.

5. Moisturize. After you have washed, applied your serum and creams, seal it in with a hydrating moisturizer. You want to apply your skincare products from thinnest consistency to thickest, which will seal in the rest of the serums and moisturizers you apply prior.

BONUS: Face Masks. For some extra TLC, I love a good face and sheet mask. You would apply the face mask after you wash your face and before you apply your serums and creams. I do one once or twice a week, especially after traveling.  This one has a double dose of hyaluronic acid which really helps seal moisture into your skin to keep it soft and plump.

I hope this helps answer some basic skincare questions. Please let me know if you have any more! I am going to be sharing more on how to use some of my favorite products so feel free to ask anything!

XX, Christine+