I have crazy sensitive skin. Just ask my mom. Or keep reading.
As with a lot of people, I’m sure, my skin would have quite the story to tell if it could. For starters, as a teen, I dealt with pimples and plenty of breakouts. But I also dealt with redness, and lots of it. I’m not just talking about getting red in the face whenever I got even remotely embarrassed (but Lord knows, my skin — yes, my skin, even up and down my arms — did that too). But my cheeks also seemed eternally rosy, something I inherited from my lovely Irish grandmother.
Yet none of that was my real issue with my skin… it was my sensitivity to anything and everything. Case in point: when I was in middle school I was climbing sand dunes in Idaho when we reached a side that had been sitting in the sun for a few hours. Everyone else could walk on the sand no problem. But for me? It literally scorched my feet.
At this point, you might think I’m being overdramatic, that I’m a ‘baby’ and that I just couldn’t handle the heat. But I’ve birthed a child, and I will honestly never forget the pain of that sand and how it felt like a hot coal pressed up against my feet.
I digress though. My point in all this? I have insanely sensitive skin (and other sensitivities, such as to smell). So when it comes to skincare, I’ve had a real go of it, trying everything I could that wouldn’t irritate or inflame my skin.
I was on Acutane for all of one cycle (until it caused me to pass out at the Fourth of July parade). I tried skincare after skincare products, many of which caused me to break out (and yes even the small pimples are quite the annoyance). I went to a dermatologist, who poked and popped, and even had me do beta peels. But it wasn’t until I got to college when it seemed like my hormones mellowed out and my skin finally seemed so-so. Then again, I also hardly wore makeup, because it too inflamed my skin.
And then I got pregnant, my hormones went out of control again, and a whole slew of new skin issues cropped up. I guess that part of it is called getting older.
Fortunately now I have routine that I swear by (so much so — full disclosure — that I sell the products that I use). But I wouldn’t use them if they didn’t work. My skin is baby soft now, doesn’t dry out like it used to, and any melasma from my pregnancy is nearly gone. And when I do get a pimple, on the rare occasion I do? It’s typically gone within a day.
So this is the routine that I found works for me, someone with sensitive normal, sometimes dry, skin. At night, I always start by washing my face with Illuminate Clear Cleanser, as I feel it tightens up my pores. (When I’m exhausted or not in the mood to wash my face, I use Shine cloths instead). I then spritz on some rosewater — the hint of a smell is heavenly — as this helps tone my skin, reduce the size of my pores, and reduces my redness (and it honestly helps me sleep better too). I also apply Uplift eye serum to stave off wrinkles for a few years more. And I finish with Divine moisturizer. (Click the links for tutorials and info on each product).
Skincare doesn’t end there though! I always recommend to pay attention to your skin in the morning too after it’s had a full night of repair. In the morning, I cleanse again, this time with a gentler cleanser, Illuminate Clean. I also put on some more Divine moisturizer. Almost done! Before I put on my makeup, I also put on some Glorious primer. This helps fill in my pores and makes sure the makeup doesn’t sit right on my face. And that makes a difference, I swear.
Taking care of my skin is incredibly important to me. I’ve seen the difference good naturally-based products can do for my skin (and not just because the products don’t irritate me). So if you don’t already have a skincare routine? Get one! Your future self will surely thank you.
If you’d like to see more tutorial videos that demonstrate the how and why behind all the skincare products I use, check out my YouTube, or come join my beauty and confidence group on Facebook.
