“Hey guys! Check out my totally natural, effortless facial care routine, sponsored by all of my advertisers’ products, where natural actually means a cheerleader’s worth of makeup!” –implicitly said every beauty vlogger ever. (Check out this video by CollegeHumor that pokes fun at beauty vloggers.) If you hate the oversaturated beauty vlogging industry and want a practical, healthy facial care routine, try these products and tricks. Reaching true health starts with your thoughts and actions, but it doesn’t hurt to look fabulous.
Face Masks and Scrubs
Try to use face masks and scrubs at most, once a week. Personally, I mainly use them when I’m feeling stressed: if I had a bad week and want to relax on the weekend or if a breakout is foreseen. This boils down to three or six times a year. As long as you treat your skin appropriately throughout the week, a face mask or scrub should only be needed for special occasions. You should use a face mask when you need to relax, rejuvenate, energize or hydrate. You should use a scrub when you need to detox, exfoliate or deep-clean your pores. Two great companies that sell masks and scrubs and are cruelty-free include Miss Spa and nügg.
Makeup
Personally, I like using cruelty-free, vegan products. No animals should be harmed just so I can look fancy. I find vegan products deliver great results and make me feel better. Some companies that are vegan include e.l.f., Arbonne, Pacifica and Beauty Without Cruelty. A nice trick is to see what information PETA has on a company before buying their products. All of the makeup I use is from e.l.f. They make some of my favorite products for a low price, with awesome results.
Makeup Remover
Despite the name, another vegan company with great products for low prices is Burt’s Bees. Their facial cleaning towelettes remove even the harshest of makeups. Especially the residual or complete makeup you forgot to take off Saturday night. (We’ve all been there.) I recommend trying their grapefruit towelettes. They clean your face and leave it smelling great but more importantly, never feeling dry.
Lotion
Different skin types need different kinds of lotion. If you have oily skin, lotion might not be as helpful as it is to someone with very dry skin. What’s great about Bath & Body Works is their extensive collection of beauty products and broad range of styles. The company is also cruelty-free and vegan. I recommend their Cherry Blossom lotion for your skin and face. Fragrance free options are also available.
Routine
And now, since you are all dying to know what I do each day to maintain this flawless appearance, here is my personal skin care routine, approved by Beyonce.
Morning: Shower, if not, clean face with spin brush using baby shampoo. (HINT: do not use a spin brush to clean your face more than three times a week) If my eyes are baggy and darkened, I use Alba Botanica cooling eye revive gel. I put lotion on my face and tattoos. I put on a little bit of elf makeup (powder foundation, black eyeliner on top eyelid, mascara, then Waxelene). Then, set out to have a good day.
Night: If it was a good makeup day, be sad that my art canvas will soon be cleaned; use Burt’s Bees towelette and rub in any moist areas if uneven. Then, I put Waxelene on eyebrows and lips; pop in my orthodontic retainer to maintain the pearls. Overall, the routine that works best for me may not work well for everyone. But I hope some of you will try to use these products and tips in the future. Our health, not fixed appearance, should define us; yet it never hurts to feel and look great.