Regardless of the products you use, the two most important things in terms of a night-time routine are: the order in which you apply the products (cleanser, toner, eye cream, treatments (retinol, anti-aging, etc.) face oils and serums, lastly, moisturizers or night creams), and most importantly, you actually stick to a skincare routine. If you do that, I guarantee you will see results. Me personally, I’m impatient, and a college student so, the only things that are in my skincare routine is stuff that not only works, but works fast, and is drugstore cheap. I won’t even say that ridiculous line every beauty guru says in the beginning of their skincare routine videos, “this is what works for me, this may not work for you,” I guarantee if you use these products how you’re suppose to, they will work how they’re suppose to.
Step 1: Remove All Your Makeup
$8.99 AND$4.97
I do not usually wear foundation; however, I do wear three different mascaras’, and I have the hardest time getting all my make-up off, or at least I use to. Instead of using a cotton round, pour the Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 Waterproof directly on Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes. The difference between these two products and their competition is they both target acne-prone skin and tough makeup, particularly water proof mascaras.
Step 2: Cleansers
$7.99
This is my favorite facial cleanser, probably because I noticed results the very first time I used it. My pores instantly appeared smaller, and my skin looked brighter. Most of Bioré’s products have the tendency to be a little harsh and dry your skin out after a while; this one doesn’t do that. Also, in my opinion, Bioré deep pore charcoal cleanser, which isn’t even an acne cleanser, works better than the ones that are, and with a Clarisonic brush, there isn’t a cleanser in the world that’ll work better.
$4.29
I don’t have dry skin, or oily skin, or even combination skin, I have situation skin. Due to the dry air in the Autumn/Winter time, my skin is incredibly dry, which is why I use Freeman Feeling Beautiful Mint & Lemon Clay Mask about once a month. However, during the Spring, and especially during the Summer, my skin is very oily which is why I use this product about twice a week. This is another one of those products that I noticed results after just one use, it dramatically reduced the size of my breakouts, and my skin was so bright it was practically glowing.
Step 3: Toner
$9.72
There are a lot of great toners out there, some of my favorites are Clean & Clear’s Lemon Juice Toner, and Bioré’s Witch Hazel Toner, but the one that really takes the cake is Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner. What differentiates this toner from my other favorites is this one has Vitamin C, which boosts collagen production, and acts as an acne medication and helps with blemishes and scaring. It also minimizes pores. This product also has rose water to help hydrate the skin and give you a glowing complexion, AND most importantly aloe vera for irritation and soothing, in addition to the witch hazel.
Step 4: Eye Treatments
$10.79
This eye cream is at the top of nearly every beauty editor’s “best whatever list” and believe me, there is a reason for that. After applying it twice a day for only one day, I noticed a huge difference in my eyes. They were less puffy, less tired looking, and my dark circles were way less noticeable. After two weeks, it looked like I was wearing concealer, my dark circles were practically gone. I didn’t even look like a college student anymore, I actually looked like someone who was getting enough sleep.
$11.99
For those people that apply mascara every day, ever notice how your lashes always look great the first day of the week and look shorter and shorter and not as great as the days continue? I started using Lash Sensational Eyelash Boosting Serum twice a day and started really noticing results in less than a month. My lashes practically multiplied, and they were darker, thicker, and most importantly, longer.
Step 5: Face Oils
$59
I know this isn’t drugstore cheap, but this product is worth every penny. The bioBare Vitamin C, B, E & Ferulic Serum is the only serum with all three major Vitamins, AND Ferulic + Hyaluronic Acid. This product also contains 20% of pure Vitamin C, and its closest competitor has less than 10%.
Step 6: Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
$8.12
In my opinion, Pond’s Clarant B3 Dark Spot Corrector is the best dark spot corrector on the planet. Though I only use it on the areas of my face that have dark spots, I can say that it’s also a really great moisturizer, and doesn’t leave your skin greasy-looking, which, let’s be honest, most moisturizers do. This product also contains Vitamin C, which brightens you skins appearance. I highly recommend only using the B3 cream, the other moisturizers made by Pond’s (the cold cream, and the nourishing moisturizer) made my skin look oily and caused me to break out.
$68
I know you’ve seen the Tatcha Water Creme moisturizer everywhere at this point, and I will answer the most important question regarding this product – yes, it’s worth it!
$10.29
Though I mostly use Weleda Skin Food in the morning because this thing works better than most highlighters, and it is the epitome of a dewy skin cream moisturizer, I do sometimes use it at night. This product has reached cult status, everyone is using it everywhere, from their face, to their feet, even in their hair.
$4.32
Everyone is usually so concerned about their skin, they forget about their lips. I keep a 1.75 oz container of Vasline near my bed at all times and right before I go to sleep, I put the thickest layer Vasline on my lips. Get in the habit of doing this everyday and you will never have chapped lips ever again – even in the Winter time.
Acne Spot Treatments
Spot treatments are not a part of my daily or even weekly skincare routine. Both of these products have a really high percentage of salicylic acid which will dry out your face. That is why I only use them when I have a breakout.
$6.47
I generally have pretty-decent skin. However about once a month, when I get a breakout, I’ll use Clean & Clear Acne Spot Treatment twice a day, for two days, on the third day the break out is completely gone, no dark spots, no scaring, nothing. It’s like the pimple was never there to begin with.
$17
I also highly recommend Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, and though it doesn’t work as fast as the Clean & Clear spot treatment, it does work. What I like most about this spot treatment is it’s very easy to sleep in. Once you put it on, it pretty-much dries instantly and once it’s dry, it’s not going anywhere.