In college, you learn significant life lessons beyond just what is taught in the classroom. One of the most important lessons I have personally learned is how crucial skin care is. It is the base of any beauty routine, and even if makeup or beauty routines aren’t your thing, healthy skin is something anyone can appreciate. It is just another way to take care of yourself and your body. Also, no matter who you are, a night of face masks and exfoliating always feels relaxing and luxurious.
Because of the importance of skincare, I finally got myself on a semi-regular skin care routine. The way I looked for what worked for me was by finding out what I wanted out of skin care and by finding out my skin type. My skin is pretty dry, especially in the winter, so I knew that I would need stuff that wouldn’t dry my skin out. However, I also have acne so I wanted products that would help clear it up too. The area of your face that your acne appears tells you what the cause is, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, my acne is on the sides of my chin which tells me that it is completely due to hormones, so there is little that I can do to get rid of it. But I certainly wanted to see what I could do. So, I figured out a routine with products that seemed to work for me.
I use Pond’s Cold Cream Cleanser to remove my makeup in the evenings. Do I feel like a 50s house wife when I use it? Yes. But does it moisturize my skin and remove my makeup gently? Also yes. I also use Neutrogena’s Oil Free Acne Wash, it works well but is fairly harsh and can be drying. Finally, I use Garnier Blackhead Eliminating Scrub to exfoliate and clear my skin. This is one of the best exfoliates I have ever used and I really appreciate that it doesn’t use plastic micro beads, which are bad for the environment.
 This routine has been doing well for me, but I wanted to switch it up for the winter when my skin gets dryer. I also have been wanting to try out some popular products that I have been hearing about. So, last Tuesday I switched my routine for the week, and here is what I think about it:
I have been hearing a lot about the wonders of African Black Soap in clearing acne and I have been wanting to give it a try for a while. I saw it in the Kroger I shop at, and that’s when I decided to try a different routine. The kind I got was Shea Moisture’s Organic African Black Soap, which I then used morning and night. This replaced my acne wash. I kept using my Pond’s in the evenings to remove my makeup, because it just works great for me.
I got some Vitamin E Oil to act as a moisturizer morning and night. I wanted to try a new exfoliant but didn’t know what to use, so for the majority of the week I didn’t use any. But then on Sunday, I went to Lush Cosmetics for the first time. It was magical. One of the employees helped me out and worked with me to find something perfect. I ended up getting the Buche De Noel exfoliating scrub which is gentle and moisturizing. I now use it when I shower (about every other day). I also got the Oatfix moisturizing face mask, which smells really nice.Â
I really enjoyed switching up my routine! The African Black soap works well and smells great, but I think I may also occasionally use my regular acne wash when I have a break out, because I felt it made more of a difference. The other products I will definitely continue using because they worked so well, especially the oil which really keeps me moisturized throughout the day. All in all, it was a great experience and I found some excellent new products! I would definitely encourage anyone who hasn’t done it already, to find a routine that works for their skin. If you already have a routine, you should try switching it up. Weather, hormones and other factors can affect your skin, so switching it up once and a while will help you stay on top of what works best for you!Â
Photo credits: cover image, gif, all other photos by author