Skin, skin, skin!

Something you should know about me is that I have problem skin.  It's mostly oily thanks to genetics, but dries out easily if I'm using a harsh cleanser.  I also suffer from a small amount of hormonal acne, even at 30.  My skincare routine, which has gotten my acne almost completely under control is as follows:

Morning:

• Wash face with Cetaphil cleanser in the shower
• Mist with Aveda moisturizing toner after drying off (I skip this step if my skin is feeling oily, but it's a must-do if it's dry)
• Apply makeup 

Evening:

• Wet skin, apply Cetaphil, and clean face thoroughly with my Clarisonic Mia
• Remove eye makeup with Neutragena eye makeup remover
• Apply Philosophy Hope in a Tube to my eye area
• Once per week use a Philosophy Microdelivery Peel wipe to give myself a mini-facial.
• Apply Cetaphil moisturizer as needed.

The Clarisonic, which was a major impulse buy during a rare trip to a brick-and-mortar Sephora has really made the most significant difference in my skin tone I've seen in over a decade.  As long as I keep the brush head clean (I wash it with Cetaphil at least once a week, per the packaging) it keeps my face clear of breakouts.

The Microdelivery Peel is probably my second most-valued product, mostly because I decided that I couldn't justify spending $80 on a facial once a month anymore.  The Philosophy pads were on sale due to repackaging (hopefully not reformulating--I haven't seen any buzz about it, but you never know) and for $20 I wasn't going to be too disappointed if they didn't work as advertised.  They did, though, and I'm loving the improvement in my skin tone, even beyond what I saw when I started using my Clarisonic. 

All of these products do a lot towards helping my skin look its best au naturale, but at 30 I'm definitely not going to start leaving the house sans makeup.  Tomorrow I'll be taking a look at the beauty question most heavily weighing on my mind: foundation vs. tinted moisturizer.