My Morning Skincare Routine

I shared my PM skincare routine in this post and now it’s time for what I do in the morning!

First things first: I do NOT cleanse first thing after I wake up. Nope. After putting on all of my serums and lotions and oils the night before, I want that stuff to continue working their magic. It has only been 8-9 hours, after all. And I slept on my very clean silk pillow case so it’s not like my face is dirty. Lastly, over-cleansing or exfoliating will only strip the natural oils from your skin and leave you flaky and dry. No thanks.

If I am going to workout, then the only thing I do after I wake up is rinse my face in ICE COLD water and pat dry with my microfiber face towels that are ONLY meant for my face. Everyone needs these towels. Just trust me. Then I come downstairs, grab my ice roller and de-puff. If it’s a Sunday morning and I’m hungover (or I didn’t get enough sleep, whatever it may be), this gel eye mask finds its way to my face. Anything to calm any inflammation or redness.. it’s happening.

Anyways, let’s get to what I do after the morning settles down, I complete a workout, and find time to get to my daytime skincare routine:

Cleanse (only if I workout.. otherwise just rinse your face with ice cold water)

I alternate between my Drunk Elephant Jelly and Arcona Cranberry Gommage Exfoliant. You all know my love for Drunk Elephant so their jelly cleanser will always have a place on my beauty shelf. The Arcona exfoliant is gentle enough to be used daily and it legit BUFFS TO SHINE. You know like your nails? But it does it to your face. It has been a favorite of mine for about a year now. One of my “empties,” meaning I will continue to buy it every time I run out. OK and one more for sh*ts and gigs. I recently got a facial and the gal used this Skinceuticals gentle cleanser on me because my skin is SO dry in the winter months and she thinks this will work some wonders for my skin. Going to give it a try and will report back!

Tone

K, I am going to share my drug store and department store preferences since I think it’s always nice to have #options. For my babes on a budget, I’ve shared my love for this Witch Hazel Alcohol Free toner in the past. Alcohol free is the key here! Remove ALCOHOL from your skincare routine (not from your life, don’t be dramatic). I like the rose petal one best.

As for my department store pick, I continue to use my Mario Badescu toner which I think is almost identical to the drug store version mentioned above. I buy a bunch of mini spray bottles and put this toner in my car, in my purse, and on my beauty shelf for mid-day spritzing!

Someone just told us about Laneige’s new skincare line so next up will be trying their products and this Cream Skin Toner and Moisturizer.. the reviews are INSANE and the price point is legit.

Treat

Time to treat your skin with your serums. Vitamin C is always first after cleansing and toning. Let that goodness seep into your pores. C-Firma is my homegirl. I got a sample of this PCA CE serum and have used it for the past 6 weeks and really like it. But to be honest, I think I will always come back to Drunk Elephant for my vitamin C. Just works.

Time to put hydration back in. This is when I reach for the B-Hydra (which you can just mix with the Vitamin C serum). Anything with hydration in it.. it’s time to bust it out. I also love this version by PCA but it’s a tad pricier.

Moisturize + SPF

My last step is to moisture and lather on the SPF before heading out the door. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I don’t care if it’s the dead of winter. If you live in Alaska and the sun doesn’t even come out in winter. PUT ON SPF EVERYDAY. This the ONLY magical potion that will keep you from aging. Got it? Great. Grand. Wonderful!

Drunk Elephant’s Protini is my day moisturizer followed by their tinted SPF but I wouldn’t recommend for oily skin types. It leaves my skin pretty shiny, which I like because I have dull skin to start and I want that glow. But for those with oily skin, I’d suggest something more along the lines of Supergoop (check the reviews, they’re good).

PRO TIP: It is NOT ENOUGH if your foundation or tinted moisturizer has SPF in it. You need an actual full spectrum SPF lotion BEFORE applying your foundation.

Extra

I’ve been using this NeuLash serum for 6+ months and my lashes have grown like crazy. Granted, some lashes are longer than others and I need to tame them when I’m applying mascara but I am SO impressed with the results.

I just purchased this facial steamer off Amazon (it’s pink why wouldn’t I order it) and can’t wait to put it to use. Like I have said a thousand times before, my skin needs all the extra hydration in these dry months so giving myself a little at home spa-treatment is just what the facialist ordered 😉

Lastly, I lather on my Laneige lip mask as my lip gloss for the day and I’m out the door.

What products do you use each morning and why? Share below!

xx, H