Brains Beauty & Bods: My Skin Care Routine

So for those of you that do not know me I have always had a difficult time managing my skin. I also come from a family with bad skin so I know exactly where it comes from. Sometimes it is not that you are not drinking enough water or washing your face enough--lots of times it is genetic. So as I have gotten older and have expanded my knowledge of different skin care products I have gotten into a routine that seems to work for me right now. I have realized that I have sensitive skin and what I would call combination skin--like most people. Also, all the products that I use can be found in the drug store so they are not too pricey. As a college student living in New York I need good products for an even better price.

So my go to cleanser is by Cetaphil. It is made specifically for sensitive skin so it does not dry my skin out. You can get this product at almost any drug store for about $6. Most places even offer the off-brand which is just as good and a little cheaper. I use this product morning and night just to get excess makeup off and to just cleanse my skin before bed.

Also everyone needs a good spot treatment (especially me since I still do get some breakouts). I have been using Clean & Clear´s persa-gel spot treatment for months now and it has really worked for me. Now you will notice on the packaging that this specific spot treatment contains 10% benzoyl peroxide and is labeled maximum strength. Heed the packaging warning! This product can be pretty strong and can dry out your skin if you put it all over, so it is best to focus on the problem or potential problem areas. I have just started using this products off-brand version and have been equally as happy with it.

Now whether you wear makeup daily or go tend to go more natural everyone needs a toner! You will be surprised what you see on the cotton ball even after you wash your face--a toner really helps get deep within the skin to cleanse it out. Now there are so many toners on the market that may work really well but I am a loyal witch hazel user. I got it while I was in Jacksonville at a Publix for $1. IT has lasted me about 6 months and I totally love it and my skin care routine would not be the same without it. You should use this after cleansing.

Now after all that toning and cleansing and spot treatments--you need some moisturizer. As a girl that loves being in the sun I know that I have to put on a moisturizer that has some SPF in it to keep my skin looking good. For the past few months I have been using Cetaphil´s Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15 every morning. It is about $12 at any drug store. I have seen it all over Youtube beauty vloggers pages. But honestly as of late I have not been so impressed with it. I find that as I try to rub it into my skin it gathers into little balls of product. Now it may just been that I need a new one but I am planning on trying Garnier´s Moisture Rescue soon.

Now the last thing that I use about twice a week I got as a gift but is one of the most expensive products on this list. For days that I need a really thorough cleanse I use my Clarisonic Mia 2. The one I have is orange is costs about $120. I do not use it everyday because it is a little too aggressive for daily use and may tend to dry out your skin. You can also switch out the brush heads and use it to exfoliate your body.

Now the last bit of advice I will give you about keeping acne under control and what I think has been really working for me is vitamins. Right now I am taking a one a day women´s vitamin that I got at target for about $10 and some small biotin pills that I also got at Target that is supposed to help with your skin and hair. I have started taking them at night after dinner so that they do not make me nauseous.