My skin has never been perfect. I've dealt with acne growing up, and after that awkward teenager stage, it
finally cleared up... Until I moved to Chicago. Maybe it was the climate, the pollution, life annoying me, who knows, but my acne came back with a
vengeance. Kiehl's (and a lot of time) initially helped me get over that stage of adult acne (
read about it here), but my skin still had its issues. After months of online research and trial and error, I am ecstatic to have my skin where it's at today. I'm still working on it, but starting where I did (I may or may not have had bangs to cover my problem areas), it's a
night and day comparison. The heart and soul of my skincare is all in my PM routine and if this is something you're trying to work on, join me on my nightly steps!
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If my makeup is still on, a quick wash with
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser will remove everything
and make my face so fresh and so clean. If I'm swinging by the gym, I always make sure to have
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes in my bag. I feel like I've tried every single kind out there, but there are no other wipes that won't make my skin break out. If you have senstive skin or break out easily, you
have to get these. Since I'm already makeup-less at this point, I'll use
Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser. It contains salicylic acid, so it's the perfect base for dealing with acne.
Whether I've done just the cleanser or wipes and cleanser, it's time for the layers! I start off with
First Aid Beauty Anti-Redness Serum. It's the newest addition to my routine, and it's already working like a charm. It's more of a lotion than a serum, but hey, if it works, it works. I feel like my cheeks were permanently flushed, but with an application at night (and in the morning), it's cleared up so much that I may be brave enough to leave the house without foundation! Next up is the first of two magical products,
REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate. Before all of my online research, I never heard of alpha hydroxy acid, but this needs to be a part of everyone's routine. It exfoliates, reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines, and gives your skin a smooth, healthy look and feel. Seriously, why would you
not want this in your medicine cabinet? The second magical item of the evening is
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, another product to repair and smooth skin. If I'm falling asleep standing up and can only add one thing to my skin at night, this would be it. The smell itself is soothing and I swear it helps me fall asleep.
Moisturizer is the key to healthy skin, and no PM routine should be without one. My choice is Kiehl's Skin Rescuer (can you tell I'm a Kiehl's fan?), which reduces the physical signs of stress and my main problem, blotchiness. If you have normal to dry skin, this moisturizer
isn't too much when you're having a good skin day, but will do the job for Chicago's winters. And if you've got that stubborn pimple (I'm looking at you, forehead zit), Queen Bee's Benzoyl Peroxide Amped (c/o) will do the trick pretty much overnight (but be careful with your favorite towel or pillowcase - benzoyl peroxide does stain).
If you're looking to improve or update your PM routine for whatever reason, I hope this gives you some new ideas, and hopefully changes your skin for the better. It brings a huge smile to my face that I can be so confident with my skin nowadays and I want you to have that exact same feeling!
What is your PM routine like?
Jess
