My Weekly Skincare Routine

  Hi guys!

  In my previous post, I mentioned how oily skin can be a proverbial pain in the arse (pardon my French!). So in today's post I am going to present my weekly skincare routine.

   Before I start, I would like to mention that there are several steps to follow and yes, some people might say "ain't nobody got time for that!". But please keep in mind that, despite the fact that...well, it does take some time, I usually like to multitask, not just sit on the couch, waiting for the mud mask to dry up and...you know, waiting for my life to pass? So splash that cream/mask/toner on your face, grab some popcorn, watch a movie, do some laundry...I dunno! Whatever floats your goat!
 So, are you ready? Here we go!


  STEP 1 - MAKEUP REMOVAL

  For this, I usually have 2 products: micellar water which I use to remove mascara and lipstick and a creamy cleanser to wash the rest of my face. Of course, you can use any other products that you find effective.

  STEP 2 - FACIAL SCRUB

  Remember that yummy coffee scrub? Yeah, I like to gently massage my face with it and leave it for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, you can pass by the living room and revive the clown childhood traumas of your boyfriend/husband/roomate/cat.  After that, just rinse it off with warm water.

  STEP 3 - STEAMING

  After you got your face squeaky clean, consider steaming. It is a great way to open up your pores. There are some special gadgets on the market but I prefer the old fashioned way, that is to boil some water and add some lavender & mint tea (you can also use chamomille tea or green tea). Lean over the bowl with hot tea, keep your face about 30 centimeters above and drape a clean towel over your head to keep in the steam. Wait for about 10-15 minutes, you can take your phone inside your towel tent so you can check your Instagram page.  If you can't handle the heat, you can skip the part with the towel, although it won't be as effective.

  STEP 4 - BLACKHEAD EXTRACTION

  Now, a lot of people will say that you shouldn't try to extract your blackheads by yourself and that you should go to an expert. I am not going to argue here, you can do that too. Just be sure to go to a recommended dermatologist that really knows what he or she is doing. I didn't, some years ago I went to the first "specialist" I could find and I ended up looking like Frankestein's wife.
  I normally extract my blackheads at home, I just find it more easy and comfortable and, to be honest...your girl's cheap! So, sometimes I use pore strips, q-tips or this instrument right here:

  I do the extraction in the most hygienic way, so my freeshly cleaned pores won't get inflamed. So no touching the dirty phone, remote control or potato chips while doing this procedure.


  STEP 5 - MUD MASK

  Apply the mud mask after getting rid of those nasty blackheads. Mud masks help clean the pores completely and absorb the sebuum. There are all sorts of amazing mud masks out there, you can try several brands and see which one fits you best. I have a ton of them, all kinds of masks I mean (Sephora, let me live in your shop!)
Leave it on until it dries. You will notice some small dots, that's the sebuum that came out from your pores and got absorbed by the mud mask. Wash your face with cold water.


  STEP 6 - TONER

  Splash some toner on your face, gently massage until your skin has absorbed all of it. I love the feeling!


  STEP 7 - SHEET MASK

  Again, there are a lot of sheet masks available. I found one based on rice, it really hydrates my face and leaves it extra soft and smooth. Follow the instructions on the package (it normally take about 15-20 min) and walk around the house like a cute little mummy. After taking it off, massage the rest of the juice until it is absorbed completely.


  STEP 8 - TEA ICE CUBES

  This is something that I have recently discovered and I actually use it daily. There will be a small tutorial on how to prepare this but basically, I just freeze the lavander & mint tea I used for steaming and gently massage my face with the ice cubes. Hm...how should I describe the sensation? It's like...it's kinda like Sub Zero is giving you a facial massage. If you don't know who Sub Zero is then I'm sorry, we can't be friends anymore...just kidding! Google it!



  STEP 9 - SERUM

  You are almost done! Put some serum on your face using circular movements until it is completely absorbed. This helps close up the pores, not entirely (I know, it sucks! I'm sorry!) but it does reduce them significantly and prevents feature blackheads and breakouts.


  STEP 10 - MOISTURIZING & EYE CREAM

  Apply your regular cream and eye cream. If you have oily skin like I do, then I definitely recommend a water based cream.


  STEP 11 - ACNE TREATMENT

  I no longer suffer from acne, but I do sometimes have those small pimples or bumps under my skin. If I so much as feel a bit of pain in a certain area of my face, a clear sign that a pimple is ready to hatch, I use a cream for acne prone skin and I only apply it on the targeted areas.


  A word of advice: be sure you do this routine in the evening, when you do not need to go out anymore so you can give your skin the time it needs to recover.


  And there you have it! You are ready to take over the world, my queen!


  Let me know if this worked out for you! Buh-bye! :)