It’s time to talk about one of my favorite things, skincare! Over the past few months I’ve tried out a variety of products and all but two of the products on this list were brands that were completely new to me. Trying out new skincare products makes me feel like a ‘kid in a candy store’ and I’m so excited to share my thoughts on all of the products that I’ve tried out, including the first item on the list which I loved so much that I introduced my mom to it! There’s also a skincare tool on this list that has been one of the best skincare tools that I’ve tried out so far, and I’ve been looking forward to using it every even to unwind after a long day.
While skincare is important at any age (remember when I said that we’re supposed to start looking after our skin before we’ve even reached our teens?) now that I’m approaching a certain age that I still can’t bring myself to say, it’s important to look after our skin as Linden Tyler said, “Invest in your skin. It is going to represent you for a long time.”
Biossance
Squalane + Caffeine Body Toning Cream
Out of all of the products that I’ve tried out over the past few months, the Squalane + Caffeine Toning Cream is my absolute favorite. You could even say that I’m a teensy bit obsessed with it since I haven’t missed a single day of using it for the past few weeks. It’s unscented so you don’t have to worry about any overwhelming scents, and I apply it to my upper arms, torso, and upper thighs.
I’ve been working on toning my upper arms to get that tough to tighten skin look its best. If you know me well I’m always putting on sweaters over sleeveless dresses or a cropped jacket to hide my upper arms. What can I say, your 30’s can be brutal, but I’ve gotten my little weights out and my yoga ball and I’m determined to tighten those arms and to lose the few extra pounds that crept up on me during 2020.
You won’t have to wait long to see results with this one, so it gets my highest recommendation.
What I’m trying next… Squalane + BHA Pore Minimizing Toner.
Kiehl’s
Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque
The past few months I’ve been dealing with more forehead oils than usual as well as more visible pores in certain areas of my face. Since I’ve always been very sensitive about what my skin looks and feels like, finding something that will help cut down on the forehead oils (which is the only place on my T zone that I tend to have any issues with oils, the rest of my skin tends towards the dry side) so when I started hearing good things about the Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque I decided to try it out for myself.
One thing I appreciated from the very start was that there is no added fragrance. It just has a nice spa ‘mud’ smell to it, and it feels absolutely amazing on your skin. I’ve been using it twice a week in the evenings and I’m already starting to notice a difference in my skin. Fewer breakouts from wearing my masks and I like knowing that it’s working to get any environmental toxins out of my pores and my skincare products can do their job better.
SiO Beauty
Cryodrop
For those of you who have been following along here on Instagram and on my lifestyle blog, The Avid Pen, you’re already aware of the fact that I’m obsessed with skincare. Taking care of our skin is something that needs to be started fairly early (I was once told by a professional esthetician that you should start a skincare routine at 12!)
Don’t worry if you got into skincare late in the game. There are so many amazing products out there, including the Cryodrop from SiO Beauty. It’s a professional-grade skin-toning tool that uses cold therapy and massage to lift, tighten and sculpt as well as reduce the appearance of pores, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles.
It’s the perfect way to unwind after a long workday. I just cleanse and apply my favorite serum. Another fun fact, you can pop it in the refrigerator for 5 minutes before use (but never in the freezer) to add to the cooling effects.
Plus when used alongside their re-useable patches (made from Medical Grade Silicone) that target specific areas on your face, neck, chest, and hands you can focus on your personal target areas.
This tool is so easy to use, and there are quite a few how-to videos on the @siobeauty. Get 15% off your order with the code: CHRISTA15
“The trick is to age honestly and gracefully and make it look great so that everyone looks forward to it.”
– Emma Thompson.
Pipette
Look Awake Eye Gel
Whether you’re a new mom, have never been on that sleeps very well, or if you’ve dealt with hereditary puffy under eyes, the Look Awake Eye Gel is something you might want to check out. I picked it up for my mom a few weeks ago, and she’s been using it twice a day for a little over a week and I’m already starting to see results.
The eye has a peptide derived from quinoa to reduce under-eye bags and puffiness, a metal rollerball applicator gives your under eyes a mini-massage (remember to use in circular motions), plant-derived caffeine to boost microcirculation that helps brighten and reduce the appearance of dark circles as well as one of my new favorite ingredients, squalane. Squalane is derived from sugarcane and adds moisture without feeling heavy on your skin as some products can.
Plus at $14 dollars it’s worth trying to see how it works for you, just saying.
Madeca Derma
Microbiome Ampoules / Microbiome Toner c/o
When it comes to skincare, not using a toner is as I recently said, like making a sandwich without the bread. Toner protects, balances, and adds stability to your skin, and Madeca Derma recently released both a Microbiome Toner and Microbiome Ampoules that are part of a 30-day system to help strengthen your skin microbiome health. With continued use, I’ve noticed my skin has been dewy and I haven’t had to put near as much moisturizer on in the morning after using the two products following my shower each evening.
The system is so easy to use (and it can be found on Amazon) and the brand also has a variety of other products from moisturizing creams to sheet masks. Read more in my previous review.
Rael
Collagen Sheet Masks
While some of you might enjoy adding collagen powders to your water or flavored collagen drinks from the grocery aisle, I’ve yet to find one that I can actually stand (so far). So since I haven’t been able to drink anything with collagen in it, I’ve instead turned to products that either have collagen in them or have ingredients that help stimulate collagen production.
As many of you know as we age we start to lose the collagen in our skin which leads to sagging skin, wrinkles, etc, so I like to use sheet masks like this one I just discovered from a brand that I already know and love, Rael. (I’ve previously shared about their spot patches that work so well for random breakouts including hormonal ones.)
I love popping on a sheet mask right after cleansing and then going in with one of my skincare tools to really help aid my skin in absorbing all of the goodness from the mask… and remember, if there’s any product left on the mask you can rub it on your neck, decolletage, etc so you don’t waste a single drop of skincare goodness.
“I like my skin best when it’s clean and glowy, and that comes from sleep, hydration, and happiness.”
– Tracee Ellis Ross.
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