skincare. I honestly never really thought about it. people always told me I had great skin, and I never pro-actively had a skincare routine. I just did what my mother told me to do growing up and never adapted to my adult life. I thought that the skin I had was just the way it was and no routine or products could change that.

my routine consisted of washing my face with whatever cleanser I picked up when I was at the grocery store (Clean & Clear, Cetaphil, Aveeno, etc) and then I always used Aveeno face lotion afterwards. That was IT! And, I rarely took off my makeup at night. Big no-no.

since starting alissandra b. and nearing 30, I decided to put it on my “things to do before I’m 30” bucket list.

in the past few years, I’ve noticed that my skin was looking a bit more dull than it had ever looked before. also, the only major blemishes I get (aside from the rare pimple during high-stress times or PMS), were what my sister and I call our “Braille.” we get these little white bumps that aren’t whiteheads or blackheads, they’re just bumps that feel like, well, Braille. I get them on my forehead and around my mouth, near my chin.

there’s actually one photo from my wedding that I can notice it in:

while it may seem a minimal issue, it was starting to get more noticeable and I was feeling slightly insecure about it when I’d meet people.

long story short, I bought a few products to experiment with and luckily, I found one that works AMAZINGLY: the Clinique 3-Step skincare routine. I purchased it in the Oily (you can pick based on your skin type – Dry, Combination, Oily, etc.)

I’m not joking when I say my “Braille” disappeared by 90%. It’s like NIGHT and DAY. It took only about 3-5 days to notice the difference, and now, I wish I had tried it before my wedding! when I run my fingers over my chin area, there is barely any “Braille” – and it reduces every day! I’ve never felt more comfortable in my skin thanks to my newly found routine!

so here’s what I use:

I actually only use the exfoliating face wash in the shower – the rest of the products I use every morning!

of course, skin changes all the time, so if this stops working, I’ll let you all know with an updated post! for now, I couldn’t be happier.

on top of the Clinique products, there are a few other things I do to keep my skin looking fresh:

1. when I’ve had a particularly unhealthy day/night of eating or drinking, I’ll do a hydrating facial mask the next day. I’m LOVING this one by Dr. Jart+ – it makes your skin feel SO smooth!
2. drinking lots and lots and lots of water. like, lots. I drink SO much water throughout the day, and I think that’s the #1 contributor to my skin glow. I’ll add lemon into my water if I want a boost, but water is your skin’s best friend!
3. fake it until you make it. if I’m feeling especially dull, I’ll add a little dewiness to my cheeks with a highlighter, like this one.
4. always take your makeup off at night with a gentle cleanser or wipe. I never used to do this and this has definitely dramatically improved my pores (they’ve shrunk completely!) seems like a no-brainer, but it’s something that makes a big difference!
5. not wearing makeup when I don’t have to. if I’m going to a meeting and want to feel polished, of course, I put on makeup – the whole shabang. when I’m home cooking and blogging I NEVER wear makeup. I let my skin breath.
6. take your makeup off before the gym. pack wipes or whatever you need into your gym bag – this is HUGE. never wear makeup at the gym, it clogs your pores – and who likes raccoon eyes anyway? not cute.
7. eating clean. as you all know, I’m very much into a healthy diet. there’s no better solution to bad skin than eating cleanly. I find that when I eat the least amount of dairy, my skin is its clearest! I avoid dairy during the week and then on the weekends, I treat myself. followed by a Dr Jart+ mask the next day, of course. 😉

now… as for anti-aging, I haven’t really started any routines! any advice for a 29 year old woman? leave a comment!