Do you have a drawer of skin-care stuff (creams, moisturizers, serums, tools, etc)? You know you do. I used to. Maybe you purchased each one (and I bet some were expensive) with high hopes of turning your fine lines, blemishes, or uneven skin tone around. And you’re probably not using any of them anymore, right? Do you look in that drawer and just see wasted dollar bills? Ugh. I know the feeling. For years I did the same thing. And then I realized that there was still a bunch of hope left in that drawer. I got rid of the products that didn’t feel or smell right (or fit my needs anymore) and kept the ones I still had a lot of hope in (most of mine are Rodan + Fields). And I decided to invest my time in them. Often we purchase beauty products hoping for quick fixes – only to find ourselves disappointed because they don’t work after one or two uses.
But the reality is, most beauty products (especially when it comes to skin care) require habitual use – over and over and over again for longterm success and results. So how did I find my absolute favorite skincare products? I committed to using them every day (sometimes twice a day) for three months. 90 days is a long time and typically long enough to see if something is really worth it. I’m not the best at remembering things (in fact, now that I have three small children, my brain just plain doesn’t remember anything). I have to write everything down. So, I wrote my beauty routine down and taped it to my bathroom mirror. And, as silly as that sounds, it works!
- AM: (this takes about 4 minutes or so because of the mask)
- R+F Redefine Daily Cleansing Mask – let it dry while picking up the bathroom
- R+F Redefine Pore Minimizing Toner
- R+F Redefine AM Moisturizer w/ SPF
- MAC Makeup primer (let face dry while I do my hair), then makeup if I’m wearing any that day
- PM:
- Neutrogena eye makeup remover – best I’ve found for my eyeliner
- Cetaphil gentle cleanser – It’s great, but I’m considering switching to a Beautycounter cleanser
- Sometimes here I’ll use my favorite Beautycounter charcoal mask
- R+F Redefine Daily Cleansing Mask
- R+F Redefine Pore Minimizing Toner
- R+F Redefine Overnight Restorative Cream
- R+F Redefine Eye Cream
- R+F Redefine Night Renewing Serum
- Aveda Hand Cream
I know, I know it sounds like a lot. But I keep all this in one drawer and each routine takes maybe four minutes. And that’s only because the cleansing mask needs to sit a few minutes. I’ve also made it a goal to drink more water, as I know this’ll help my skin. I keep track of my water intake on an app that sends me reminders throughout the day (the MyWater app). Again, I can’t remember anything – including drinking water – so I love the reminder function. That’s it! Write down your beauty routine and invest your time in products to see if they actually work for you. Nothing in life is a quick fix. Literally. Toss all those extra / old / outdated / unwanted products out and keep only what you absolutely love or are trying. Hop over to IG and FB – I’d love to hear what ONE beauty product is your ABSOLUTE favorite – I may give it a try!
xo,
Emily
PS: This isn’t a sponsored post, I just really really love R+F and Beautycounter. They’ve both worked well for me. If you are interested in any of the R+F products above, my dear friend Leah sells them here and my friend Madison sells Beautycounter here.