baseball tee (under $40 and SO SOFT y’all)
Happy Friday! Did you guys see last week’s ‘lattes with lauren: skincare edition’ post? A few weeks ago I asked y’all to leave any skincare questions in a comment on my instagram and I was overwhelmed with how many great questions I got! So, we decided to split the blog post into two posts, to answer more questions! I absolutely love learning about, researching, and talking skincare. And I love that so many of you guys seem to be interested in it too! Okay, now for the questions!:
For the last several months my skin as looked great, but over the past week I’ve been noticing small blemishes/imperfections that I haven’t seen in months. What do you like to do in this scenario? Something specialized? Change out one of my daily products?
I picked this question to answer, because this has actually been happening to me for the last week or so, and it’s driving me nuts. I’m no doctor, but typically…if I haven’t changed anything in my skincare routine, and it’s not that time of the month…but I’m getting random acne or blemishes, for me, 9 times out of 10 this is related to how I’m eating. We’ve been on airplanes and traveling a lot lately and I have MAJORLY OD’d on sugar. Wine, cookies, ice cream…these are my weakness, and they do a number on my skin when I have them in excess. SO before I share products that might help with this…try evaluating your diet. Are you getting enough water in? Has your sugar intake increased? Your skin will probably greatly improve if you put all other liquids on hold other than water (like, tons of water everyday), and cut back on processed foods or sweets. [Easier said than done LOL]
When my skin is more broken out than usual…I finish my skincare routine with this clarifying moisturizer [instead of my normal moisturizer, which I shared in last week’s blog post]. This moisturizer specifically helps blemishes or acne prone skin. I also make sure to use this clarifying oil at least once a day [after cleansing and toning]. In addition to those two products, I have two masks that I love for these times when I’m more broken out than usual. This Tata Harper clarifying mask and this glamglow mask are both super helpful with breakouts and blemishes! I will use either one of these once or twice a week.
How long do you use a product before deciding if you want to keep using it or not? I feel like i buy too many products but don’t ever finish them
This is a major struggle for me, because I feel like I’m constantly getting sent new products that I want to try out! But, I’ve learned how much your skin can freak out if you’re constantly changing out your products. So, starting last year…I gave myself a rule that I had to try something for at least 4 weeks (really, like 6 weeks) before changing products again or making a judgment call on it. Not only is this consistency important so that you’re not freaking your skin out by trying new products all the tine, but also because skincare products take time to really do their work / show results. A general rule of thumb is 4-6 weeks, if not longer! [The exception here is if you’re having some allergic / horrible reaction to a product! Then obviously stop using it haha].
Would love to know your favorite toner & whether it’s a game- changer product or something that you could do without.
I mentioned this in last week’s post, but I LOVE the Tula pro-glycolic gel [get 20% off with code LAURENSIMS] and 100% think it’s a game changer. I put it on a cotton pad and apply to my face every morning and night after I cleanse. Tula’s site explains it best: This alcohol-free toner uses probiotics, glycolic acid, and beetroot extract to gently exfoliate the skin, leaving it looking smooth, hydrated and more even. I love this toner because I feel like it balances my skin, helps prevent breakouts, and makes my skin much smoother!
Night time routine please! (Unless it’s same as AM one on insta story)
I shared my morning skincare routine on instagram stories a while ago (and saved it to the highlights on my profile page), and have been meaning to video my night time routine…but every night I do my routine I’m way too tired to video haha. Sorry! It’s coming soon. But in the mean time, here is my current night time routine:
- Tata Harper regenerating cleanser [apply to dry skin, then rinse with warm water]
- Tula pro-glycolic gel [apply to cotton pad, and then apply to face. Steps 1 and 2 are the exact same for my morning routine]
- Sunday Riley Luna night oil – see last week’s post about why I love this stuff so much. I apply 3-4 drops every night!
- Sunday Riley good genes – this is an all-in-one lactic acid treatment. Helps with breakouts, fine lines, and the overall texture of your skin. Again, I talked more about this in last week’s post. I apply this after the Luna oil every night
- Colleen Rothschild retinol eye serum – this is a new one in my skincare routine. Started using it about a week ago and so far I really like it! I also really like the ingredients in it and how it feels.
- Moisturizer – I’ve been bad lately and not super consistent with my moisturizer, because we’ve been traveling and I don’t have travel size of everything haha. My favorites though are this drunk elephant moisturizer, or this Tata Harper this clarifying moisturize [or really any TH moisturizer!]. I would also recommend the Tula Hydrating day / night cream for anyone looking for a good moisturizer [20% off with code LAURENSIMS].
Best cleanser to remove mascara / makeup?
Okay I picked this question because I recently found an oil cleanser I’m OBSESSED with for removing makeup! This nourishing oil is amazing for removing mascara, liquid eyeliner, lip stains…anything. Before you flip about the price…I don’t use this everyday, and one pump goes a long way. I use this on nights where I’m wearing ALOT of makeup, before I wash my face and everything. I love this oil because it does more than just remove your makeup – it also leaves your face super hydrated and smooth.
I also love this cleansing balm for removing makeup, and it’s slightly less expensive!
When you know you’re going to workout in the morning, do you usually do your whole normal skincare routine?! I always wash my face but do you still do your serums, moisturizing etc or do you wait til after your done with your workout to do your whole routine?!
I surprisingly got SO many questions like this, which is why I chose it for the post. So, I typically wake up around 6am, and then I don’t work out until 830am [because I have my coffee, spend time in the Word, and wait for Michael to wake up LOL before going to the gym]. So, when I wake up, I usually do my whole routine. Serums and all. But, if you wake up and instantly go to the gym…I would suggest just washing your face in the morning…and then doing the serums / moisturizer after the workout! Either way, I think you need to have at least a one hour gap between your skincare routine and a sweat sesh. Again, I’m no expert…that’s just what I’ve found to work best for me and my skin!
What do you use for dark circles? Cover up and/or skincare
I shared my personal favorite eye creams and in last week’s post…but specifically for dark circles, I think this illuminating eye creme is a great option. It uses real diamond dust for a highlighting effect, and it’s completely toxin free! For coverup, I have used this under eye concealer now and have YET to find a close second! It conceals dark circles without being too thick / cakey, and it stays on all day! I promise – you will LOVE it.
I hope you guys find these skincare posts helpful and/or interesting! We’re considering making these types of posts a possible series / regular thing if y’all would be interested. Let us know in the comments below! OR if you think they are boring / too much info…anything. We’d love to hear your feedback! My goal here [with these types of posts, and my ig stories] is to make skincare way less intimidating, and way more approachable for everyone. Thanks for reading!
xo Lauren
