my skin care essentials

August 26, 2014

myskincareessentials

I’ve spent basically my entire teenage years and 20s facing skin problems. I’ve battled acne for as long as I can remember and always felt like I was trying everything. I still suffer a breakout here and there and trust me, I’ve learned that blackheads for the most part are never not going to be a part of my life but I also have finally reached a place where I’ve got my skin in a good place. I’ve always tried out lots of products for this blog and I sure do pepper in testing out new ones here and there but overall have learned the value in sticking with what works.

At long last I discovered a great dermatologist who was able to concoct a great potion for me. It’s detailed below but of course with several of these items being prescription only it’s best to consult your own doctor. I will say though that practices that made major improvements for me were as follows:

1. A Clarisonic Aria. I use mine with a deep pore brush head and swap it out every 3 months. It does wonders for removing makeup and removing rough patches of dry skin.

2. Persistence. I have to apply my topicals like its a religion. The two I use at night leave me looking like I have a bad tan but all in the name of beauty, right? I just wash it all off in the morning (file under secret single behavior?) But when it comes to skin practice makes near perfection.

3. Don’t over exfoliate. I know it feels great but your skin doesn’t need it daily (nobody’s skin does many a dermatologist told me when I was working with Clarisonic).

4. Facials ever 2-3 months. I’ve been a huge fan of Mario Badescu since I began going and try to go every 3 months for their $60, 1 hour+ facials. The technicians are so knowledgeable and give great wellness advice while you’re getting treated.

So here goes…a peek inside my (albeit a bit ridiculous) routine.

Daily:

  • Clarisonic Aria: I use mine only at night to wash my face and remove makeup. It’s fine to use twice daily but do what works best for you. I find if I use it more than once it aggravates my oily skin so I stick to nightly.
  • Sumadan Kit (Rx Only): This kit is a godsend. It is two hideous large bottles with equally gross looking cleansers inside but I combine the two in my hand and it has done so much for my skin. Never again will I be spending lots of money on over the counter or fancy department store cleansers.
  • Rodin Luxury Face Oil: I’ve written about it here and here before but this stuff is as good as gold. Featuring eleven essential oils, including calming aromatic Jasmine, softening Sweet Almond and anti-aging Argan this is the biggest splurge I make in my skincare routine. Just a few drops go a long way and I only go through about 1.5-2 bottles a year. Best part? It literally melts into your skin and doesn’t leave any residue after its been absorbed. I’ve also been swapping in Lancome’s Dreamtone and have loved it thus far.
  • Epiduo (Rx Only): Applied nightly in combination with Aczone.
  • Aczone (Rx Only): When mixed with Epiduo you get the tan mom effect as mentioned above and the two can stain so when I travel I just bring Aczone along to avoid any mishaps or stained sheets.
  • Clarins Total Eye Concentrate: This bad boy lifts, de-puffs and replenishes. It has aided in keeping my dark circles at bay (for the most part). For the morning I swear by this product. It instantly de-puffs my eyes in the a.m. (not to mention works wonders after you’ve had a good cry).

Weekly:

And there you have it! If you have any product related questions feel free to leave a Comment below or tweet at me @meghandono!

comments +

  1. Kelsey says:

    Do you use a makeup remover before using your Clarisonic?

  2. Aida says:

    I recently stumbled on this post, and I want everything! I looked into nearly all of these products, and I noticed that a lot of your products are for acne prone skin. I have suffered with acne since I was 14, so as an adult with acne, I am obsessed with any and all products to eradicate it. I have recently surrendered to laser procedures, but I was wondering about your story? Have you had similar issues and found success?

    Thank you

    • Meghan says:

      Hi Aida! So glad you found wit & whimsy! Yes, I had acne for years and years and tried SO many dermatologists before I found one that finally cleared my skin about age 27. It was LIFE changing. The regimen of the Sumadan wash morning and night + aczone + epiduo is what finally made my skin clear. I highly recommend you ask your doctor about whether these products work for you. And then be sure to use a Clarisonic and a toner to ensure your skin is getting clean in the morning and at night. Email me with any other questions!

  3. larissa says:

    Great post! I am always looking up skin care regimes and essentials in order to make sure I keep the most current skin care routine. I think it is so important to maintain a regimen as it just keeps your skin healthy and glowy. Thanks for sharing!

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