{my NIGHTLY skin care routine}

as promised today I’m sharing part 2 of my skin care routine detailing out everything I do and use in the pm. fair warning, my nightly routine might seem like a lot and to be honest I probably spend more time taking off my make up and caring for my skin than i actually do putting on my make up. however, I do truly believe that all of these steps are totally worth the extra time for healthy skin in the long run.

{PM cleansing}

1. Microfiber make up remover cloth – I start by removing my make up with this exact microfiber cloth which I’m seriously obsessed with. this cloth has taken the place of disposable wet cloths for me. it is so soft to the point where i felt a little weird about using it at first because it reminds me so much of a blanket. anyways, this is step one of cleansing my face and getting all my make up off. these cloths are washable and come out of the dryer just as soft as the first use. you can also find other brands at sephora or ulta.

2. oil based pre cleanser – step two of cleansing my face is using an oil based pre cleanser to really get all make up, dirt, and pollution from the day off my face. right now I’m using this pre cleanser by No7. you will want to start by applying it onto a completely dry face. it starts out as a gel that will transform into an oil as you continue to massage it into your skin. after a minute or two then apply water and watch it transform into a milk as you rinse your face clean.

3. kiehls ultra facial cleanser + Clarisonic– I will then use the same face wash with my same clarisonic from my AM routine as my final step in cleansing my face.

{PM SKIN CARE moisturizer & serums}

1. alcohol free toner– after doing the above three steps of cleansing my face i will then use this same alcohol free toner from my am routine. it’s crazy that even after washing my face in three SEPARATE steps there will still sometimes be a little bit of make up/dirt residue on my toner cotton pad. Which is another reason why it’s so important to really make sure your face is clean before applying expensive serums and moisturizers so that they can do their job.

2. ORA Microneedle Face Roller System 0.25mm – two to three times a week i will then use this microneedle roller after toning my face. i’ve been doing this step for 8 weeks now and while i can’t see a majorly huge difference in my skin from it, I still think this step is super important as there are so many benefits you from microneedling. honestly,  I’m sure I’ll see more noticeable results the longer I continue to use this too. The 0.25 millimeter needles painlessly glide over your skin creating micro punctures that signal your skin to produce collagen and elastin. these tiny micro punctures help increase absorption of the oils, serums, and moisturizers you will apply next. microneedling also helps with decreasing the appearance of LARGE pores, uneven tone and texture, acne scars, and even stretch marks too.

Question: Does microneedling hurt?

My Answer:  No, absolutely not. The most common thing I can think of to relate  it to is tweezing your eyebrows. It doesn’t hurt, it’s just uncomfortable and every so often you’ll pull out a hair that hurts a little more than another one. Same thing with microneedling, every so often I’ll  roll over a sensitive area that is a little more uncomfortable than others but it never hurts. It is also normal for your skin to appear red and flushed after microneedling.

3. Skin Medica Age Defense Retinol Complex 1.0 – the same two to three nights I do the microneedling will be the same two to three nights i use this retinol by skin medica. I’ve used retinol’s before so I went straight to using the 1.0 complex. if you’ve never used a retinol you’ll want to start by using the 0.25 complex and then the 0.5 complex before finally using the 1.0. this skin medica retinol minimizes the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, and sun damage. It also improves elasticity and works effectively to visibly reduce acne scars. when first adding a retinol into your routine it’s normal for Mild redness, peeling and irritation to occur. it’s very important to Use daily sun protection with SPF 30 or higher when using a retinol as well.

4.Charlotte Tilbury magic night cream – on the other nights where I’m not using the above retinol i use this night cream. this product is a definite splurge, but to me it’s worth the pretty penny. this oil-infused cream-elixir has eight youth-boosting ingredients. Winter Daphne Stem Cell Extract gives you a more youthful-looking, firmer-feeling complexion; time-released retinol leaves skin looking younger and more radiant; red algae gives you baby-soft skin with a protective barrier against environmental and aging damage; and a bionymph peptide increases collagen and fiber levels, fights free radicals, reduces wrinkle appearance and boosts elasticity. be warned that this product is definitely more of a balmy texture and doesn’t soak into your skin immediately. i always have to pull my hair back and put on a headband otherwise my hair will stick to it. the cream sits on the surface of your skin and slowly soaks into your skin throughout the night. leaving you with a beautiful dewy and moisturized look when you awake. i love these spa headbands here – they’re a must.

5. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate – {when using this serum or any others you’ll want to put this on first before applying the ct magic night cream above} I’m currently loving this midnight recovery serum by kiehls. the Lavender and evening primrose blend together for an extra added moisturizer my skin needs right now.

6. bye bye under eye cream – last but certainly not least I dab on the same under eye cream from my am routine.

 that’s a wrap y’all. I’m linking everything again in the widget  below for you guy’s along with my current product wish list. as always, I am happy to answer any questions and I’d love to hear your thoughts on skin care and if you’ve tried any of the products on my list below.

{My PM products}

{my product wish list}