Oh hey, friend. Last week I finally got around to updating my morning skincare routine. Today I’m talking evening skincare, and it’s a good one.
Mornings are harried. Between the preschooler’s 1 million questions, the 2nd grader needing way too many reminders, and the baby’s demands for food, I can barely see straight before 8 am. So, appropriately, morning skincare is just about giving myself a clean slate so that I can have fresh, glowing skin; or on days that I wear makeup, it’s about prepping the skin to give my minimal makeup routine the best possible foundation.
Evenings are a different beast. While our evenings are still nothing short of chaotic, the husband and I usually go to bed hours after the kiddos. So, if I’m not too tired, there is more time for attending to nourishing my skin and addressing any concerns. Don’t worry. I’m gonna lay it all out for you just like I did with the morning routine.
The Process
The basic principles behind my evening skincare routine are: get my skin super clean with a focus on hydration. This also means never skipping the eye area; which, admittedly gets neglected more often in the morning. As I mentioned in my previous skincare post, after much research, my skincare follows pretty closely the tenants of Korean beauty — namely, moisture is everything and double cleanse at night. Another tenant I’ve incorporated into my skincare is taking a few moments several times a week to thoroughly look at my skin and evaluate its specific needs, then make adjustments to the products I use as needed. Evenings are where the “potions” really come in handy. But I’ll get to that in a moment.
Evening Skincare Lineup (Spring/Summer 2018)
Ok… I know I’m “extra.” For some reason, once I started to chart out this update, I felt compelled to acknowledge that I am so “extra.” Like, I get it. I know I’m extra. I’m ok with extra. This evening routine is a huge part of my self-care. But girl… if it ain’t for you, do not feel bad for one millisecond. Like, don’t even fix your lips to pout. In fact, you probably remember to drink your water and eat your greens; so, your skin is probably flawless already. Ok, now I’m feeling jealous.
But seriously… You do not need all these steps. Take what resonates with you and leave the rest. No stress. I list the products that I’m currently digging below and a few that I tend to rotate in an out, but the most important takeaway is the process. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating, if you define a process, everything else is interchangeable. You can match the season and your skin’s unique needs this way. I’m all about teaching a girl to fish. The process is learning to fish. I’m all about that Salmon, but if you want Cod… girl get you some Cod. I just want to teach you to catch it.
The Double Cleanse
Perhaps the most intimidating step to those new to K-beauty is the practice of double cleansing. But I promise it’s not that scary once you’ve got the hang of it. It’s really quite simple: like dissolves like. So, use a gentle oil cleanser to dissolve the oils you’ve accumulated over the day (+ makeup & SPF) and then follow that up with a gentle cleanser to wash away any remaining debris.
Oil Cleanser
I’ve tried a lot of oil cleansers, but this has become one of my favorites. The One Love Organics Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil easily became my go-to because it is very light, doesn’t feel oily on the skin, and is a light exfoliator. This oil cleanser is also one of the few that I’ve used that does not require a washcloth. Jackpot.
Water Based Cleanser
In the morning I’ve been using the Live Botanical AER Aloe + Green Tea gel cleanser. It’s a is a great alternative to this Osea Ocean Cleanser. They are both gentle and effective. You would do well with either one. The main reason I’ve been rotating in the Osea Cleanser is the scent. It smells of pure Summer. As we quickly transition from Spring to Summer, I’ll be turning to this bad boy more often.
Mask (+/-)
Optional… but kinda not. So here’s the thing, and I know I’ve said this before but, masks are one of the most versatile steps in a skincare routine. I like to rotate them out according to what my skin needs and honestly once you’ve found a few that you love, you’ll know exactly when your skin is craving which.
This Moana Mask by Honua Skincare is my newest mask, and I kinda have a crush on it. It came in my June Beauty Heroes Discovery Box, and I’ve already used it twice. I’m also really loving The London Mask by Twelve Beauty (review) and the Live Botanical AER Green Clay + Maca Root Clearing Mask which I reviewed here.
*Interested in Trying out the Honua Skincare line? You can still subscribe and receive the June Beauty Heroes Discovery Box.
Toner
This step is truly about balancing the skin and prepping it to absorb the skincare products that follow. I talked about this Siam Seas Yen Heal and Hydrate Toner in my morning routine, and it’s still on my sink. It’s hydrating, helps with inflammation, and smells great.
I’m actually in the process of testing out two new toners at the moment, and they both seem stellar. I’ll be sure to add those here once they’ve passed the two-week test.
Eye (non-negotiable)
For my morning routine, I featured the Prickly Pear Seed Oil Undereye Rollerball by Kahina Giving Beauty, and man do I love it. I mean it’s great for any time of day, honestly, but I feature it in my morning routine specifically because the formulation absorbs quickly. What you see in this nighttime routine is the Maya Chia The Eye Achiever. This formulation is wetter and takes a bit longer to absorb, so I have relegated her to the evening routine. But, make no mistake, this is one of my fave eye serums. Just roll it on and tap it in. It’ll still be a little moist, but it will have absorbed before you get to the end, promise.
Serum
So, you know that thing I say about masks? Serums are pretty versatile too. Here I’m featuring the de Mamiel Intense Nurture Antioxidant Elixir. This milky antioxidant serum goes on thin and smells amazing. In fact, aromatherapy is a driving factor in this formulation and the main reason I like to use it at night. A few deep breaths of this at the end of the day helps to settle me before bed. I mean, talk about a two for one.
The Twelve Beauty Ideal Brightening Corrective Serum is pretty amazing and great for reducing dark spots (reviewed here). I’m also trying out a few others. For summer I also like to rotate in a good vitamin C serum, and I’m digging this one by One Love Organics.
Treatments (aka Potions)
So just get me my cauldron and let me get to work. Treatments are where you take care of the “I wish I didn’t have” skin issues. I mean, I’m tailoring each step based on what my skin needs; hydration, detoxing, soothing, what have you; and this step is no different. This is where I like to concentrate on any little problems that might crop up. If a pimple pops up, I’ve got a treatment for that. Got a dry patch or eczema? There’s a treatment for that, too.
I was all out of my two fave Odacité serums (they are currently in the shopping cart), but I had these samples which I keep around because they are excellent for travel. If you haven’t tried Odacite, you should put them on your list. I absolutely love how many different serum concentrates they offer so that you can hone in on specific skin concerns. If I’m dealing with a spot treatment, then I just put a few drops on my finger and pat it onto the blemish. If the situation is larger, like I just feel drab, I’ll mix a few drops in with my moisturizer and apply to my entire face. My husband calls them vials… I wear my witch hat for effect. 😉
I love the Black Cumin- Cajeput for blemishes and the Green Tea- Lemongrass is great for overall radiance. My absolute fave is the Wild Carrot; it will make you glow!
Moisturizer
Night time is a great time to incorporate more emollient moisturizers, and I just can’t quit this pressed serum by Maya Chia. The Super Blend has skyrocketed to the top of my holy grail list, and I dare anyone to rip it off my beauty shelf. But since most people like to keep things a little lighter in the warmer months, I can happily say that I’ve been using and loving the One Love Organics Skin Dew. It was also featured in my morning routine. Want to know more? My Love Letter, I mean “Review” is here.
TL;DR (too long, didn’t read)
If you are feeling overwhelmed, here are the steps I’d never skip: oil cleanse, eye serum or cream, pressed serum (the beauty of a pressed serum is that it can serve as a serum + moisturizer). Three steps, no excuses. Done.
PS- That Olíe Argan oil you see is there because I like to moisturize and seal the ends of my hair before bed as well. It’s not really skincare, but I tack it on anyway. Log it under “moisturize all the things.”
Does anybody else have a super involved evening skincare routine? Tell me I’m not alone.
Note: This post was originally published on 02/14/17 and has been republished to reflect a shift to “Green” Nontoxic Beauty products.
Xo, Kimberly Fe'Lix
