My experience working at The Body Shop has been amazing: it has helped me improve my overall beauty regime by taking care of my skin, body and hair by using products with natural ingredients. I was never been properly taught how to take care of my skin, and never experienced how much of a difference it can make. One of the benefits from working there is that my skin has improved a lot in terms of achieving its glow by cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing. Below are the detailed steps for your skincare regime in order to ensure the appearance of healthy skin!
1. Makeup remover is the first step to your skin regime. Always ensure that your makeup is taken off before sleep to prevent blackheads and breakouts-this is doing your skin a huge favor. I usually use cleanser as my makeup remover, but it is not getting rid of all your makeup because there will be makeup residue sitting on your face. I would really recommend the Camomille line from The Body Shop – a lot of customers love it, and I heard awesome reviews about it as well! There is a tip and trick for you beauty lovers: I mix organic coconut oil with sugar as my makeup remover, you can put little to no sugar, but generally speaking, try not to put as much since it might be too harsh for your skin! I love this homemade recipe because organic coconut oil and sugar are natural ingredients! With this recipe, I’ve noticed that my skin feels a lot softer and nourished.
2. Cleanse your skin day and night (or as many times as you can) to wash off any dirt or bacteria, and also remember that healthy skin comes from care. I usually wash my face in the morning when I wake up and before I go to bed. If I feel my skin is greasy at home, I would wash in between morning and night because cleaner skin prevents breakouts. Cleansing your face – for me personally – would be the most important step to any skincare regime because it is similar to washing your hands, the more you wash, the less bacteria will grow on your skin. In addition, skin is a lot more sensitive than your body, so implementing this step makes a huge difference such as preventing breakouts and achieving a natural looking glow. I use the Vitamin C Daily Glow Polish and the Tea Tree Skin Clearing Wash, whenever I feel like my skin looks dull from studying too hard, or not getting enough sleep, I choose the Vitamin C cleanser just because my skin feels a lot healthier. And when I have breakouts, I use the Tea Tree cleanser because tea tree targets acne.
3. Use a mask to either exfoliate or to hydrate the skin. My favorite would be the Himalayan Charcoal Clay Mask. I put a mask on at least two days a week to ensure that my skin appears healthy. This amazing charcoal mask is mixed with green tea leaves, which is an antioxidant. The mask itself dries on your skin and by rinsing it out with water after, it exfoliates the dead skin cells and removes dirt and oil. As a result, I can honestly say your skin will feel softer, brighter and cleaner than before – similar to a baby’s bum. In addition, this mask is perfect for people who has oily/combination skin. Not only are masks fun, but it also allows your skin to fresh, renewed and away from pollution.
4. Exfoliate by using a scrub, mask, microdermabrasion or peel to remove dead skin cells in order to achieve natural glowing skin. I do this every 2-3 times a week because exfoliating everyday may be a little too harsh for your skin. I personally believe exfoliation is an important process to brighten your skin. Our skin normally produces skin cells daily, and the outer surface of the skin becomes dead, and by exfoliating the dead skin, it will bring the newly produced skin cells to the outer surface. This step achieves a natural and healthy glow. I usually exfoliate with my homemade coconut scrub containing organic coconut oil and sugar, and I do notice that my skin feels a lot brighter and softer. In addition, a charcoal clay mask helps as well.
5. Toner is always recommended after cleaning your skin because it can close up your pores, which prevents dirt and bacteria from getting into your skin. I use toner every time I cleanse my skin, so roughly two times a day. Toner is a water based liquid that does the job of closing up the skin’s pores, and so it prevents breakouts and blackheads. I am currently using the Tea Tree Matifying Toner, which is for oily skin to prevent acne. I personally noticed that my skin has been getting less and less blackheads ever since I started working at The Body Shop, and it might be because of the toner! After applying this step, your skin will be ready for serums and moisturizers!
6. Use a serum to further add rich ingredients that are suitable for your skin type. For example, the Vitamin E serum helps to provide 48 hour moisture that’s good for winter season or people with dry skin, or the Drop of Youth Serum that contains the special ingredients of Sea Holly, Criste Marine and Edelweiss, which is believed to help speed up the renewal process of skin cells. These serums are enriching, and it adds great ingredients for your skin. My next purchase will be the Vitamin E Serum because Winter is coming friends, prepare your skin.
7. Lastly, finish your routine with your favorite moisturizer. My favorite would be the Drops of Youth moisturizer from The Body Shop that I use to ensure my skin is looking and feeling bouncy day and night! I apply moisturizer as the last step of my skin regime – usually two times a day. I’ve noticed a huge difference after moisturizing because it provides proper hydration that your skin needs. Some moisturizers are suitable for dry skin such as the Vitamin E line, and some for great for oily skin that is Tea Tree and the Seaweed line. I am currently using the Drop of Youth Day Moisturizer because after applying, my skin instantly feels replenished, soft and bouncy!