my low-maintenance skincare routine.

Just two months ago, I learned how to fill in my eyebrows, and my world has been changed ever since. Let that serve as just one clue that this post is not coming from a beauty expert of any kind. BUT that being said, I personally enjoy reading beauty and skincare posts from "real" people like me, women who are bent on time, coming up on 30 (next week--eek!), looking for easy and effective ways to look pulled together and feel great.

So, here's my skincare routine. It's not perfect, it's not written in stone, and I'm sure it will change in the months to come, especially as the weather changes. But for now, this is the way I'm taking care of my skin.

For reference, I have normal skin, with no real acne problems, thankfully. I'm generally happy with my skin's appearance, and have a pretty low maintenance skin care routine. As I've grown older, I've noticed some fine lines and spots start to appear, and I'd say taking care of those (as well as keeping my face clean, fresh and moisturized) is probably my greatest goal for skincare.

daily

In the morning,  after splashing some water on my face, I grab my OSEA Sea Vitamin Boost and spritz my face one or twice before I make my way downstairs to start breakfast. It's a quick way to wake me up, and help me feel a little bit "glowy", even if I never have a chance to put make up on that day. 

At night, I use Burt's Bees face wipes to clean any dirt, grime, and makeup off my face. I like the white tea scent, and love the fresh, clean way my face feels at the end of the day. I can't go to bed with makeup on-- can.not. It just feels nasty to me, so this product has been a must for me for several years now. It's a big plus that it's easy to snag a few packs at Target, so I never need to be without. 

After I clean my face in the evening, I use a roller ball mixture of frankincense, tea tree, and lavender essential oil on my cheeks and nose. These oils are known for their support of the skin, and how they help keep skin feeling smooth. 

A small glob of OSEA Advanced Protection Cream is enough for my whole face and neck, and I've seen a noticeable difference since I started wearing this to bed each night over three months ago. One of the biggest selling points is that it doesn't leave my face feeling greasy in the morning. My skin feels plumper and smoother, and I've even noticed that some of my fine lines around my mouth have evened out. In the past, I would have dry patches on my chin or sides of my faces during the winter. But this winter, those dry patches have been non-existent. It is definitely a splurge product, but this stuff is absolutely the rockstar of my skincare routine this winter.

weekly

About once or twice a week, I carve out a little bit of time to do a sea salt exfoliating scrub on my face. I like this one from Anthropologie (that I got as a gift for Christmas), but you could make your own too! After reading about the negative impact of micro-beads on the environment, I stopped using my exfoliating face wash, and opted for this more earth-friendly choice. I'll often use a bit of this scrub on my lips if they are feeling dry, flaky or chapped, and I notice a difference right away.


occasionally


I don't have a lot of time to spend on face masks and whatnot, but every once in awhile, I'll sneak up to our third floor bathroom and etch out a little 'spa' time. That's when I like to use the OSEA white algae face mask. It doesn't dry my skin out like other face masks I've used, and my skin feels much more luminous and bright after one use.

I was gifted OSEA products several months ago, but I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to add them to my routine. On days when it's more likely for me to have peanut butter smeared across my cheek, it's nice to have a little bit of luxury in the form of self-care waiting for me in my bathroom cabinet.

Especially since the skin benefits of peanut butter glop have yet to be studied.