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How I'm Transforming My Skin At Home (And You Can Too)

Posted by Nikki Wisher on Oct 30th 2020

How I'm Transforming My Skin At Home (And You Can Too)

I think it’s safe to say that each of us is experiencing this COVID-19 crisis in a different way. Some people are feeling the stress of working from home in close quarters with their families, potentially adding homeschooling to the mix. Others are struggling with job loss or income loss and the uncertainty that comes with it.

In the meantime, all of us are dealing with worry and fear, wondering if we or our closest loved ones will get sick. We’re living through something that none of us have experienced before, and it takes its toll.

Personally, I’m a silver linings person. I handle crises like this by trying to find positivity in them and using the problem as an opportunity to grow. Well, that and wine.

One of the main goals I’ve set for myself for this quarantine period is to get my skincare routine back on track. If your skin has fallen to the back burner like mine had, use my story to rework your routine.

Why My Skin Needed Help

Sometimes life gets a tad too busy for my taste. Much to my therapist’s disappointment (and my own, truthfully), I tend to toss self-care out the window when that happens. My skincare routine is among the first to go.

Throughout the past few months, I haven’t been giving my skin the TLC it deserves. Between work, family, and stress, I reached a point where I was spending most of my free time mindlessly in front of a screen because I couldn’t muster the energy to do anything else.

Then, a month ago, my city enacted a stay-at-home order. It took some time to adjust, but within a week, I had decided to turn this into an opportunity to finally tackle everything at home that I’d let slide. That includes my skin.

I had noticed a few issues with my skin since I’d gotten lax on my skin care routine. For one, my adult acne was making a serious comeback. My skin was also looking dry with a flaky texture, and when I looked in the mirror, I was seeing way more fine lines than I remembered. It was time to take action.

How I’m Turning My Skin Around

I started my skin rehab by making a checklist I could follow on a daily basis. Call it an affinity for organization or call it being scatterbrained but lists like these make it so much easier for me to stay on track.

I know I’m not alone in my struggle to keep up with which steps to take on which days. Sure, it’s easy to remember to wash your skin and to use serum and moisturizer every day. Exfoliating should only be done every several days, though. How do you remember if you did it yesterday, two days ago, or a week ago?

Here’s a peek into my nightly checklist and what’s been working for me.

1.      Makeup Remover

Okay, this one is a bit of a joke right now. I can barely remember the last time I wore makeup. My deepest sympathies to my husband and all the delivery drivers who have seen me looking like a zombie over the past few weeks.

Still, the whole point of this list is for me to establish a routine that I can stick to in the long run. When life gets back to “normal,” daily makeup remover will be a must.

2.      Cleanser

This is a critical step no matter what you’re doing. Sure, you might not have as many icky particles on your face from dirt and pollution if you’re not going outside much. Your skin is like a toddler, though: if there’s dirt anywhere, your skin will find it.

Beyond external debris, your skin is constantly releasing oils, sweat, dead skin cells, and other particles. Washing your skin in the morning and at night with an effective cleanser will clear all that away so it doesn’t build up and clog your pores.

3.      Exfoliation

Like I mentioned, exfoliation is one of those skin care steps that’s very helpful in the right amounts. You don’t want to overdo it.

Since I’ve seen how my skin has reacted in the past, I know that the best balance for me is to exfoliate every three days, or twice per week. On my daily checklist, I have a box to use my exfoliating polish every three days.

4.      Face Mask

Personally, I *love* a good face mask. It’s like a mini spa visit at home, minus the need to be in a robe around people you don’t know. That’s why I incorporate masks into my skin care routine.

Since I’m using rather gentle masks, my skin reacts well if I use them twice per week. I arranged it on my list so that I always use a mask the day after I exfoliate. This allows the mask to better sink into my skin because the exfoliation has gotten rid of the dead skin cells and other bits that could block the way.

As far as the type of mask, it all depends on your skin. I’ve been seeing great results with a clay mask that soothes my skin and clears out my pores. There are also masks that focus on other skin goals like anti-aging or hydrating.

5.      Serum

Another step I use on the daily is serum. Serums are very light products meant to give your skin an infusion of nutrients.

There are different types of serums, but personally, I’ve been loving the Biopelle Retriderm Serum to fight signs of aging.

6.      Eye Cream

Everyone has their own skin care hang-ups. For me, the areas around my eyes are my main problem. I’ve started developing crow’s feet and fine lines under my eyes, and I’m not a fan.

That’s why I’m using eye cream every night. It’s specially formulated to firm and rejuvenate the delicate skin around the eyes, and I’ve already started to see fewer lines in the three weeks that I’ve been using it.

7.      Moisturizer

Finally, I finish my routine with a moisturizer. Especially considering that we’re spending so much time inside with the air conditioning or the heat on (depending on where you live), skin dries out more easily than you might expect. A solid moisturizer is a must.

Revamping Your Skincare

Great skincare is all about consistency, and that’s been my ultimate goal. My checklist makes it easy for me to keep up the same routine and turn it into a habit.

I’m not just trying to revitalize my skin so that when I can finally be social again, I’ll be looking like a new woman. That’s a plus, but my true focus is using this time to establish a habit that will become second nature, so it’s easy to keep it going in the long run.

If you want to do the same, use this as your guide and start checking off those boxes.