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The Routines That Keep Me Put Together
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items I’m not interested in a 27-step beauty routine. I want products I’ll actually use, routines I can remember, and a few things that make taking care of myself feel good. These are the products and little rituals that have earned a place in my real-life...
Sections
4
AM — Simple, Hydrated & Out the Door
PM — Repair, Moisture & Let the Products Do Their Thing
Hair - My Sunday, Tuesday & Friday Rotation
INDULGENT SHOWER — Because Sometimes a Shower Gets to Be the Event
AM — Simple, Hydrated & Out the Door
Because I have things to do and places to be
My everyday shower soap and a longtime staple. My skin can be sensitive, and this cleans without leaving behind a bunch of fragrance or residue.
Dr. Bronner's Baby Unscented Pure-Castile Soap
One of my favorite discoveries. I use an African net daily because I like getting some gentle exfoliation without adding another separate step to my shower.
African Net Sponge - The Diaspora Collective
Warm water and a gentle cleanser are enough for me in the morning. I don't need my face feeling squeaky clean before I've even had coffee.
Toleriane Dermo Cleanser
My soothing toner. I use this when I want hydration and something simple rather than exfoliation.
I'm From Rice Toner, Korea Glow Milky
So happy my aunties introduced me to this brand. I rotate this with my rice toner rather than using an exfoliating toner every day. It's my option when my skin needs more than hydration.
Deep Sweep Pore Cleaning BHA Toner
I keep this in the refrigerator. Does it need to live there? Probably not. Does chilled eye gel feel fantastic in the morning? Absolutely.
Tree of Life Anti-Aging Eye Gel Cream
My regular morning serum. This is one of those uncomplicated products that fits easily into my routine, which means I actually use it.
Tree of Life Vitamin C Serum, Dark Spots Remover
I rotate this with my Vitamin C when hydration is the priority.
Tree of Life Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum 2oz
I don't normally wear makeup, so I like that the tint gives me a little coverage and evens out my skin tone. Sunscreen was something I skipped more than I should have; this makes it much easier to actually wear it.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted SPF
The dependable one. Nothing glamorous about it, but my sensitive skin likes it—and dependable beats fancy when you're using something every day.
Vanicream™ Moisturizing Lotion for Dry, Sensitive Skin ...
I'm no spring chicken and my thighs like to remind me. I include this into my morning body routine when I need a little something…..
NIVEA Sheer Hydration Skin Firming Lotion
This is one of the few hair products I use every day. It keeps my hair shiny and helps keep my ponytail neat without all the flyaways. I’ve tried plenty of other hair products, but I keep coming back to this.
Moroccanoil
PM — Repair, Moisture & Let the Products Do Their Thing
Because the night time is the time for my mind and body to heal - but i like to give it a little help
My first step when I've worn tinted sunscreen. It breaks everything down before I move on with the rest of my nighttime routine.
Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Remover Balm
This comes back at night because sometimes boring consistency is exactly what skin needs. I use it when I want to soothe and hydrate.
I'm From Rice Toner, Korea Glow Milky
This isn't an every-night product for me. I use it about once a week when I'm specifically working on dark spots and uneven tone.
Brighten Up 3% TXA Toner
One of my nighttime serum options. I rotate my products instead of trying to put every active I own on my face at once.
Tree of Life Niacinamide Serum for Face
My other nighttime rotation for aging skin. This gets its own nights rather than competing with everything else in the cabinet.
Tree of Life Retinol Serum Face Oil 2oz
The final uncomplicated step. After serums and treatments, I want my moisturizer to moisturize—not audition for another job.
Vanicream™ Daily Facial Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin
My basic nighttime body moisturizer on regular nights.
Vanicream Travel Size Moisturizing Lotion & Cleanser
About twice a week I swap my regular lotion for glycolic body lotion on my arms, legs and chest. It's my extra treatment for texture and areas with visible sun damage.
The Smoother Glycolic Acid Body Lotion
Hair - My Sunday, Tuesday & Friday Rotation
If I wash my hair anymore it's like hay. But if I wash it any less, it's an oil slick. My hair routine works better when I give different wash days different jobs instead of expecting one shampoo to solve everything.
One of the shampoos I rotate in on Sundays when scalp care is the priority and my eczema is reminding me it's there
Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo 1% Ketoconazole
My alternate Sunday scalp shampoo. I don't need to use the exact same thing every week, so this rotates with Nizoral.
Scalp Therapy Anti-Dandruff Itchy Scalp
Sunday is also my deep-conditioning day. The exact mask used to change. Until a hairdresser friend told me to try this. And I'm hooked!!!
MATRIX Soft Hydrating Mask Dry Hair 16.9oz
My regular moisturizing wash-day shampoo. Tuesday and Friday are about keeping my hair clean and hydrated rather than doing intensive scalp care.
Nutriplenish light and deep hydrating hair care - Aveda
The matching conditioner keeps those regular wash days simple—which is exactly what I want from a routine I'm doing twice a week.
nutriplenish conditioner deep moisture | hair care
A small thing that makes wash day easier. I wrap my hair up while I finish getting ready instead of walking around dripping everywhere.
The Microfiber Hair Towel
INDULGENT SHOWER — Because Sometimes a Shower Gets to Be the Event
This isn't my everyday shower. This is the slower version: good soap, exfoliation, shaving, hair wrapped up, and nowhere I need to be five minutes ago.
This is where I have fun. I buy handmade soaps from different local makers rather than staying loyal to one brand. Different scents, different vendors, whatever catches my attention.
Lazy River Soaps
Another category where I like variety. I rotate through different scrubs depending on what I've found and what scent sounds good that day.
Ulta Shop Body Care Body Scrubs Exfoliants
I use a softer mitt with my body scrub instead of my everyday African net. The scrub does all the work - the mitt just helps me apply it.
Exfoliating Glove 2 Pack, Korean Mitt
My shaving step when I'm taking my time. A safety razor definitely has a learning curve, but once I started using one, it earned a permanent place in the shower. And. my locally sourced soap is enough that I don't need another shower item…
WEISHI Butterfly Open Double Edge Safety Razor
I need something to keep my hair up while the mask is on and I'm shaving and scrubbing everything else. And since it's an indulgent shower - it needs to be pretty
Hair Clips