With the wedding just a few weeks away, I thought I would share with you how I (drastically) switched up my skincare routine in preparation for the big day.
I’ve only recently learned to appreciate proper skincare, and there’s nothing like a wedding that forces you to examine your current regiment and what needs to be improved. When there’s photos being taken of you that you’ll look back on for the rest of your life, it’s safe to say that healthy skin should be every bride’s priority.
Overall, I’ve seen a big difference with my skin, especially when it comes to consistency – I haven’t seen random blemishes appear since implementing this routine! While I think I can make my routine even more effective, I’m happy to report that I’m off to a good start!
Let’s flashback to what my routine was before I found the motivation to prioritize skincare. I’m a little embarrassed to share my old “skincare” routine with you. I use the word skincare lightly because there was nothing good or redeeming about how I treated my skin. This is what it was:
Morning:
- Moisturize face
Evening:
- Remove makeup using makeup wipes
- Moisturize face
That’s it.
I’m not exaggerating, that was my entire skincare routine. At least I was using moisturizer!
I didn’t feel a need to change my skincare routine because, in general, my face looked fine. At least at the time, when I didn’t know any better. I could throw a bunch of makeup on my face to cover anything that I didn’t like. But I started reading about how so many brides really lock in a solid skincare routine, so I did some research.
Turns out I was doing a lot of things wrong. Turns out makeup wipes, while super convenient and easy to use, do a lot of wear and tear on your skin over time. So, I went to the store and picked up a few products.
This skincare routine has been going strong since July and I can’t imagine going back to my old ways. I no longer get random blemishes and my skin just looks better. I can also see room for improvement so this will definitely be something I want to keep experimenting with (after the wedding, of course. The last thing I need is to switch my products up last minute and run the risk of my skin reacting poorly).
My new AM Skincare Routine:
- I wash my face with just water to start. I read that overnight your skin produces oils that are healthy and essential for your face, so you don’t want to scrub those away.
- After my face is dry, I use the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum. It smells a little funny, kind of like bacon flavored dog treats, but I’ve gotten used to it over time.
- Next, I’ll apply my trusty moisturizer. The one I repurchase time and time again is the Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer. I get the one that has SPF 15.
- Even though my moisturizer comes with SPF, I still go in with sunscreen to complete my skincare routine pre-makeup. The one I’m using now is the Neutrogena Sport Face Oil-Free Sunscreen in SPF 70.
And that’s it!! I try to keep mornings as simple as possible.
My new PM Skincare Routine
- I take my makeup off using micellar cleansing water and cotton pads that I pick up from Target. I currently use the micellar water from Garnier. I’ll admit this isn’t much better than using makeup wipes, and I find that I need to use a ton of cotton pads to get all the makeup off of my face, so this is probably the first thing that will change post-wedding.
- I follow up with the Cetaphil Daily Cleanser. I love how gentle this is on my face, and it smells nice and refreshing, too.
- Once or twice a week I’ll add in exfoliation for a deeper cleanse. At the moment I’m loving the Fresh Umbrian Clay Face Exfoliant.
- The same nights I exfoliate I’ll also add facial oil to my routine. I’ve tried a few samples over the past few months and my favorite by far is the Kiehls Midnight Recovery.
- Another Drunk Elephant product coming at ya – this time it’s the Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. Another splurge but I’ve definitely noticed a difference in my skin since I bought this over the summer.
- My trusty moisturizer (Don’t forget your neck!)
- Last but not least I double down on my eyes with a good eye cream. I picked up the Multi Correxion 5-In-1 Eye Cream by RoC.
As you can see my evening skincare routine is where I pull out all the stops. I’ll be honest, there are some days where I do not want to go through all of these steps just so I can go to sleep. It should go without saying that sleeping with your makeup on is one of THE WORST things you can do for your skin (oh, and I’ll mention here that I’ve become super obsessed with washing my pillow cases. I was all of the pillow cases twice a week now). I’m also way more mindful of how often I touch my face, and I try to have my hair out of my face as much as possible (don’t even get me started on what I have planned for my hair post-wedding).
I would love to keep improving my skincare routine after the wedding is over; let me know in the comments what your favorite skincare products are!!
Oh…and don’t forget to drink water!
xo Carly
Carly Ariel 