Face Care Regimen

Minnesota Girl asked me to share my skin care regimen with you all. It is really a simple daily process! :) While my skin is far from flawless, I do try to take good care of it. Both my parents have had skin cancer spots removed from their faces, and they are both much darker in complexion than me, so I do worry about the effects of the sun and how these effects contribute to aging.

My skin changes with the season. I'm sure many of you who experience severe weather changes know what I'm talking about! No matter the time of year though, I use Cetaphil facial cleanser:

Cetaphil is very gentle, yet it removes all my makeup at the end of the day without irritating my skin. I always wash my face at night, in the morning (obviously), after the pool or beach (or anytime I wear extra sunscreen), and after the gym. I think its really important to wash your face after any exercise or extended time in the sun with extra products on your face.

I use two different moisturizers, Cetaphil with SPF 50 and Olay Complete with SPF 15 for sensitive skin.I was using Olay all year round, but this winter I added the Cetaphil, because I needed something more moisturizing. I think a good moisturizer is very important, especially in the Winter. When I was visiting Naples over Christmas, my skin was so happy! No issues for two weeks, because of the humidity in the air. I loved it!

In the summer, I use Olay daily, and add a stronger SPF when needed. This formula is good for me because its light, but also locks the moisture in.I have two secret weapons that I swear will change your skin for the better. The first is the NIA 24 products. These products are expensive, but worth every penny!The Skin Strengthening Complex is something I use at night. A little goes a long way! This formula literally corrects skin damage and helps with aging. I've also used their facial cleanser, which is fantastic. I stopped using it when we were saving for the wedding, and switched to Cetaphil. I love the Cetaphil, but over the summer, I'll probably go back to the NIA, at least at night.

My other secret weapon is that I get regular facials at my dermatologist. AND get this... my insurance covers the cost...100%! Not even a co-pay! So, I get a Beta Peel facial every 8 weeks. There are two strengths of beta used for peels, and I use the lesser strength which is for acne (blackheads are my issue) and some aging prevention, while the stronger is mainly for aging. I encourage everyone I know to seek out a good Dermatologist and call your insurance company to see if "acne treatments" are covered. If they are, ask your Dermatologist if you can start getting facials. My skin has improved so much in the last two years since I've been getting facials.

Thank you all so much for your sweet and supportive comments on my "modeling photos"! While the most important thing is that I'm having so much fun working with my friend and doing these pictures, your supportive comments have given me the confidence to go ahead and try to get some work with this! Who knows, maybe nothing will happen, but I'll never know unless I try, right? Even if I make $10, I'll be thrilled!

The Queen Bee asked how I got the smoky eyed look in my pictures, so I'll do a tutorial on that next week. Its so much easier than you think! I'll take pictures as I do my makeup Friday night to demonstrate!