p.m. routine

When the moon rises, it's time to hit the sink and start the night time ritual of removing the day's face. When you're body is at rest, products have a chance to absorb and sink deeper into the skin, so this is the time to really pack on the products. If you're afraid of layering during the day, because you also wear makeup, save the treatments for the evening. They'll be more effective anyway.


1. When I'm wearing anything waterproof (like liner or mascara), the Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover is one of the best at taking everything off. I usually soften my lashes with a bit of warm water, then pour the remover onto a cotton round and hold it on my lashes for a minute. Then I gently wipe the makeup off, without rubbing, to prevent eyelashes from falling out.

2. Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Makeup Removing Wipes are made of a soft cotton, so they're gentle on my face but also take every ounce of makeup off. Most days I just use these wipes and then follow with a cleanser.

3. Caudalie Instant Foaming Mousse Cleanser is something I could literally inhale because I love the clean cucumber scent! It's also a wonderfully pH balanced cleanser, so no toner is necessary.

4a. Dermadoctor Poetry in Lotion is a 1% retinol treatment that I only use 3x a week, so that's why I have the other serums for my "off" nights. When I use the retinol, I skip the moisturizer and eye cream and just use a bit of oil (7.) to keep my skin from drying out.

4b. Dr. Brandt Laser Perfect Serum has a lovely feel and sinks in quickly. It's jam-packed with antioxidants to keep my skin supple and healthy.

4c. When my skin gets a bit dull, Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester 15 ampoules do just the trick. Vitamin C Ester is patented by Dr. Perricone and is one of the most stable and effective Vitamin C's available. Any dark spots fade and there's an overall radiance to my skin that I'm crazy about.

5. The triple peptide formulation in Dr. Brandt Do Not Age Eye cream gives my eye area the firming and hydration that it needs after a long day of smiling.

6. Who knew I would like Greek yogurt so much that I'd put it on my face? The Greek folks at Korres did, that's who. Their Korres Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial contains Greek yogurt, which is a superior hydrator for the skin, and keeps my face feeling plump and soft.

7. Caudalie Premier Cru Elixir is an anti-aging oil that I use over my moisturizer for extra hydration. I've also used this oil before and really liked it, but the Elixir oil is full of anti-inflammatory prickly pear, which makes it a superb anti-aging. Plus, it smells of soft, springtime roses that just make you feel blissful.

8. Whenever I have a doosey of a pimple coming (or has arrived) I just dip a Q-tip into this little jar of pink bliss: Kate Somerville EradiKate. Although the sulfur smell is not my favorite, the results are worth it and my blemishes are leveled flat in no time.


So, what's your evening routine like? Do you have different products for day time vs. night time?

How about a powder cleanser?

I've been using a powder foundation since I was 16, so I feel semi-responsible for holding down the powder trend that has just taken place in the skincare world. That's right, powder cleansers are all the rage in skincare and they're amazing. Here's why:

So, here are some powder cleansers that could work for you:

Josie Maran  //  Tatcha  //  Amore Pacific

~ Everyone can benefit from using these powder cleansers because who doesn't want to reveal soft, brighter skin in a gentle formula? You guessed it, everyone wants that!

Bliss  //  Peter Thomas Roth  //  Nude Skincare

~ These brightening powders are loaded with vitamin C to help lift dark spots due to sun damage, melasma and old acne stains.

Cold Spring Apothecary  //  Murad Transforming Powder

~ Even though these powder formulations are gentle and will not spread or irritate inflamed, acne prone skin, they will treat it with a myriad of zit-fighting ingredients that will help clear up the skin faster. Clay, fennel seed and salicylic acid should do the trick.


* So, think you'll try one? I'm personally obsessed with Amore Pacific and Nude powder cleanser/exfoliators. Can't recommend these enough!

toolin' around

Do you use a cleansing device to wash your face? I've praised the results of the Clarisonic brush before, but now that they have a new model out it seems that the market is flooded with other brands trying to elbow their way in.

Why use a cleansing tool, and not just your hands? For starters, they're going to clean your face waaaaaay better than your fingers ever could. So, once your skin is deeply cleansed every product (like a serum/moisturizer) that you put on will absorb deeper because there's no dirt, oil and residual makeup blocking the product.

Here's a quick breakdown of the 3 most popular cleansing tools, and why I rated them as such:

GOOD:
The Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush is perfect for anyone who claims to have sensitive skin and needs something gentle. It also happens to be the cheapest (coming in at $90). Using sonic movement, the white bristles on the brush head are gentle and meant for the cheeks, while the green tip is ideal for the t-zone where a deeper cleanse may be necessary. Comes with a stand that dries and charges the device.

BETTER: 
The Foreo LUNA Mini (pronounced FOR-AY-O) is the most unique because it's made up of tiny anti-bacterial silicone nubs that pulsate and gently massage the skin. It's probably the most gentle of the three devices (and moderately priced at $139), and ideal for anyone who used a cleansing device with a brush and found the bristles just too strong. Use it for 1 minute, 2x a day and be amazed at how rarely you have to charge it. This is also great for anyone who travels a lot because it's compact and you don't need any other attachments. It also comes in a multitude of fun colors.

BEST:
The Clarisonic Smart Profile, Face and Body Sonic Cleansing is where I'd personally put my money because it's intuitive and truly smart. It has 4 speeds, will clean 11x better than hands alone, comes with a face and body brush head attachment and the brush heads contain tiny microchips that communicate with the tool. For example, if you're using the device in "smart mode" the brush head will adjust the speed automatically based on where you move it on your face. So if you are using it on your cheeks, it will be more gentle than say your forehead. The tool will also let you know when you need to replace the brush heads, so you don't have to mark the calendar when you bought your last one (as if anyone does that anyway!). Really every skin type can benefit from this one, and the fact that you can use it on your body is also a BIG bonus. The only two downsides are the price: $265 (why do I always like the expensive stuff?!) and they only have one color- white. I'm sure that will change soon though since Clarisonic offers a variety of colors for their other models.


As with any of these devices, they're only meant to be used with a cleanser, so no exfoliation with these (they could be too abrasive with a scrub and cause irritation). Oh, and the two-step cleansing is still crucial with (or without) any of these devices.

Would you consider buying a cleansing tool, or do you already own one?