Night Time Rituals

Hey guys...if you've ever wondered why when you open your girlfriend's medicine cabinet and 40 things fall on your head...well you're about to gain some insight. :)

I'm definitely a creature of habit. Even though the products may have changed throughout the years, I have always done these skin-care steps before I go to bed at night. It helps a lot that I'm a boring 28-year old who goes to bed around the same time every night, but even when I know I'll be staying at a friend's or staying out way past my bedtime, I always try to keep up my routine. Here's what I've been doing before I go to bed for as long as I can remember (after brushing my teeth of course, in case my dentist is reading this):

1) Eye Makeup Remover

The first thing I do is grab a cotton ball and some good remover and get off all that mascara, eyeliner, shadow, or whatever else I've got going on. You want to do this first, because you will clean off the residue from the remover when you wash your face. I have always used Clinique 'Take The Day Off' Makeup Remover. There's nothing this stuff won't get off. Just make sure you shake it up really well before you use it.

2) Face Wash

Depending on if I'm breaking out or not, I go with one of two products. If I have some problem areas, I go with Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Wash. Anything containing tea tree oil is excellent for blemishes, and I love how my skin feels super refreshed after using it. If I'm not breaking out, I use Aveeno Daily Clear Complexion Cleansing Pads. 28 come in a jar, and they are GREAT for getting everything off your face. One side is soft for gentle cleansing, and one side is a little coarser for exfoliating. 

(Speaking of exfoliating, twice a week I use a true exfoliant to make sure I'm getting all the dead skin off my face. I use Eminence Strawberry Rhubard Dermafoliant. It's a fine powder that you mix with water. It's 100% natural, and doesn't redden or irritate your face at all. It also lasts FOREVER. My Aunt Donna gave me a large bottle of this two years ago and I still have some.)

3) Toner

After I pat my face dry (never rub with a towel, always pat), I grab another cotton ball and swipe on toner all over my face and jawline. There are a lot of toners out there, but the one I like the best is Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel. It's non-drying, and not as harsh as some others I've tried. If you don't use toner, definitely give it a shot. You'll be suprised by just how clean and fresh your skin will feel, not to mention it's great for your pores.

4) Moisturizer

This is the most important thing, especially for when you're going to bed. You want to make sure you keep your skin hydrated and supple all throughout the night. I use Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream. It's super rich, so you dont need a lot. It's also soy-based and oil-free. Big fan of Aveeno products. I rub it into my face and NECK! Put your moisturizer on your neck as well!! You will thank yourself years down the line.

5) Eye cream

You definitely want to use moisturizer specially formulated for your eye area, and not just slather on the stuff you use for your face. Many regular face lotions will irritate your eyes. This is something I've been doing since I was 16 years old. I always had a fear of getting wrinkles under my eyes from pulling and tugging around my eyes with makeup, contacts, etc., so I've always put eye cream on before bed.

 There's a ton of expensive eye creams out there, but the one I use is inexpensive and works great. I use L'Oreal Skin Expertise Revitalift Complete Eye Cream. I dip a cotton swab into the cream and gently apply a small amount to my undereye areas.

After I do everything I've just mentioned and I'm in bed, I keep three extra products on my nightstand for when I'm firing up Netflix on my laptop and getting cozy. 

One is Body Shop Almond Body Butter for my hands. I've been using this stuff since middle school. It is the creamiest, richest lotion, and all of the Body Shop Body Butters smell SO good. (Try the coconut too!) 

The next thing I do (especially in winter time when my hands are really dry) is apply oil to my cuticles. Orly makes Argon Oil Cuticle Drops that have a really nice dropper for application. I really like having my nails done nicely, and the best looking nails can look bad if your cuticles are dry or cracking---add one drop of oil to each cuticle, rub i in and you're all set.

The last thing I do is apply Eos Lip Balm. It's really smooth, and I love the little sphere it comes in. 

 This may seem like a lot of steps, but I'm so used to doing them all, it's just a habit at this point. I hope you enjoyed peeking into my nightly ritual, email me with any product questions or feedback at erindugan62@yahoo.com. Sweet dreams! Cheers Xx

P.S. A few of you emailed me with some really great suggestions for topics, and I can't wait to get to them in the coming weeks. With the topics I have already in mind mixed with some excellent suggestions, I'll have stuff to talk about for the next year! 😘

Products Used:

- Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover ($18.50 Macy's)

- Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Wash ($12 thebodyshop-usa.com)

- Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Cleansing Pads ($8.99 Any Drugstore)

- Dickinson's Witch Hazel ($4.49 Walgreen's)

- Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream ($14.99 Any Drugstore) 

- Loreal Revitalift Eye Cream ($14.99 Any Drugstore)

- Orly Argon Oil Cuticle Drops ($15 Ulta)

- Body Shop Almond Body Butter ($20 thebodyshop-usa.com)

- Eos Lip Balm ($3.49 Target)