Before we had kids I was definitely not a morning person. I would sit in a near coma for a good hour before I had enough wits about myself to do anything productive.
Things change.
Now, I’m all about doing most of my stuff in the morns and having that relaxing evening waiting for me at the end of the day. So, I can slump into the couch and watch bad tv without any guilt whatsoever.
As I started inching near 40 I started doing more and more for my skin. And most of it happens in the morning. And it’s not just serums and sunscreen. It’s about nourishing from within also!
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t have that naturally poreless silky perfect skin. We all know that person that can just wash with a bar of soap, smear on the nearest lotion and call it a day. And look like Snow White to boot.
Not me. Unfortunately, I was blessed with large pores that clog easily, combination skin that can break out and pale (or porcelain) skin that shows every flaw.
So, here’s my morning routine for healthy skin. By the way, this post was my daughter’s idea, who noticed that I do a lot in the mornings!
- First things first! After I crawl out of bed and float into the kitchen in my still half-asleep state, I grab the biggest glass I can find and guzzle a large glass of RO water. After all, I’m still waking up so now is the time to do it. Before I am cognizant enough to know what I’m doing. How much is that? Well, it is 18 oz of water! We go all night without it, so we’re playing catch up here.
2. While I’m making my coffee and waking up the kids I get breakfast going. I try to cook for the kids as well as for myself. Here, I try to stay away from sugar the best I can. My breakfast is usually chia pudding or a high protein pancake.
3. While I have food in the belly, I fill the rest of it with vitamins. I get a pretty thorough wellness exam once a year and get to hear what I’m lacking in my diet. So, I try to make up for it with vitamins. I take vitamin C, probiotics, a vitamin B complex, vitamin D (weekly), CoQ10 <— apparently I workout too much so I need this one. And recently I’ve added a new one…. Imedeen. This is an antioxidant blend along with a collagen builder, which is what breaks down as we age.
By the way, taking all these vitamins requires a lot of water. I drink 18 oz more water just to get these down. So, I get 36 oz of water down my throat in the first 2 hours!
4. After the kids go to school, it’s time to sweat it out! I go workout and I NEVER wear make up. I don’t put anything on my face. Not so much as moisturizer. I kinda feel like I need my pores to be open while I’m working out and sweating. There might not be any science to this, it’s just something I do.
5. Shower time. So, when we renovated our bathroom a few years ago, my top request was to add a steamer to the shower. No regrets here on that one! So, when I get home I get the steamer going in the shower. After my pores are nice and open, I wash my face with Sebamed using my Clarisonic. Sebamed doesn’t sound like a sexy cleanser, but one you can find at a drugstore and my dermatologist recommended.
6. Exfoliate. 2-3 days a week, while in the shower I use Kate Somerville’s Exfolikate. An intense fabulous 2 minute scrub/mask that burns and work! I love this stuff.
7. After I get out of the shower, I use an astringent. Lately, I’ve been using Verabella Herbal Skin Tonic. It exfoliates and balances the skin.
8. NuFace. Yep. I run this little machine over my face. It takes about 2-3 minutes and it is worth it! It sends micro currents that helps with skin tone and actually lifts the face a bit! I love this thing. It’s expensive but worth it. We all lose some collagen, but this gives the appearance that you haven’t!
9. Next I spritz some Nourishing Rose Water by Beauty Counter all over my face. It calms the skin of any irritation.
10. Serums. Serums. Serums. I’m addicted to these things. I have to restrain myself from using to many. But right now, I’m using Eminence Triple C+E Firming Oil. Let it soak in and follow up with SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel. I only have to use 2 drops each of these, so they last forever!
11. Lately, I’ve started using a new daytime moisturizer. I’ve always used La Mer, but I save that for nighttime now. So, in the morning, it’s all about First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream. It works great and isn’t nearly as expensive as La Mer!
12. Lastly, sunscreen. So important. I hear dermatologists say exfoliating and sunscreen are the most important things you can do every single day. I use a tinted one and not a whole lot more on my face as far as makeup goes on a normal day. (I wish I could go back 20 years and yell at my teenager self to stop tanning. Oh well)
Hope you enjoyed these tips for healthy skin inside and out!
xo-
Megan
