Everything You Need For Radiant, Glowing Skin

Hi friends! Last year a did a post about my skincare routine because I really felt like I'd finally figured it all out. (Good thing it had only taken me decades, lol) Recently I have been getting a ton of questions in person and on social media on my skincare regimen. By the way, THANK YOU! These are the sweetest complements I could hope to receive since my skin has always been such a struggle.The hard part about skincare is that it's so personal and everyone has different skin issues they would like to target. I will tell you all the things I was struggling with and what each product does so you can try to see which ones resonate with you and your skincare needs.

• In my younger years I would have described my skin as combination skin and started getting cystic pimples in high school. I was so embarrassed by these that I covered them in like 18 layers of MAC pressed powder and rarely washed off my makeup before bed. Seems very apparent that I was making things worse but trust me in high school I knew everything! I picked at these blemishes because I thought that if I got the gunk out it would go away faster...wrong! I still have scars on my skin from these! Also, because I knew everything, I never wore sunscreen on my face and spent hours a week out in the sun playing softball with no SPF. I loved when my face was tan, I thought it looked soooo good! Mega regrets here too because now I am seeing all the sun damage that I caused coming to the surface.
• College didn't ease up on me. Living in co-ed dorms I was scared to have people see me without makeup because I am insecure. I continued with the unhealthy, dirty patterns of using cakey makeup and not washing it off properly. I also never really remember washing my makeup brushes (barf!) I honestly didn't know any better.
• About 4 years ago I really became serious about my skincare because I had mega, mega oily skin and I was tired of it! I had brown spots, break outs, and pigmentation issues that I was ready to face. I was determined to have nice skin someday no matter what it took.
• Now days, I try to wear less and makeup and use more quality products. My husband has been a huge help in supporting me without makeup, he's constantly telling me how beautiful I am without it. Even though I have a hard time believing him, it really does help.

My regimen changes here and there, but for the past year I realized these are the things that help me the most. I give so much credit to all these items, they are the reason I finally get to receive skin compliments. Recently, I've been helping a few friends and it makes me feel so happy. Here is part of one of the messages I received..

"Well, I am four weeks in and my face has improved so much. Tighter, clearer, smaller pores, and I am wearing less makeup.

I am still battling some problem areas, but overall I am excited every morning and night to use the new products. Most importantly, I feel better about myself. It has made all the difference! I can’t thank you enough! Seriously, thank you!!!! "

It made my whole month to know I helped someone feel great in their skin! I appreciate the feedback so so much! Now let's get down to it...

   @oneloveorganics

Products

• KarmaCeuticles AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser -  I use this in the morning every other day as a face wash/scrub. It's gentle beads don't tear or damage your skin and the glycolic ingredient gives you a nice natural exfoliation.
• Blueberry Fusion Cleanser (Resurfacing) - I use this on the opposite mornings that I use the one above. It is very active and has a slight tingling sensation which gives me confirmation that it is doing the job to remove dead surface cells (exfoliation.) It is made of natural ingredients and smells great!
• One Love Organics Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil + Makeup Remover -  This is the holy grail! I feel like I post about this every month but it's all true. I cannot live without this product. I use it every night with a warm washcloth to remove makeup. Pump it into your dry hand and rub on dry face to remove all makeup before rinsing with water.
• Glyxolix Elite 10% Glycolic Acid Facial Cream - This gives you so much bang for your buck. This jar is only $29 and will last you months. I stated off using the 10% once a week and built my way up to the 15% cream 2-3 times a week at night. This cream has a slight tingle (chemical exfoliation) and you will wake up smooth and glowing.
• Tretinoin/Retin-A - These are harder to get your hands on because they are prescription products. Tretinoin is supposed to be stronger and is great for people with oily skin. I use these products once or maybe twice a week at night. The Retin-A is supposed to be better for sensitive skin. They both do a great job at shrinking pores, fine lines, and creating cell turn over (exfoliation) which gets rid of acne, rosacea, and other conditions. I am very particular with my Tretinoin usage because it makes my face flake and peel a day or two after I use it. If I have an important event coming up I usually skip the product that week just to make sure I don't show up looking like a lizard.
• Kopari Coconut Face Cream - This is the most basic moisturizer and I love it. It layers great with my other products and absorbs easily with a lightweight feeling.
• LaserAway BFF SPF 50 -  Doubles as a SPF and makeup primer all in one. This tinted cream goes on so smooth and won't leave you shiny or with that white zinc look.
• EltaMD Tinted SPF 46 - Another SPF favorite for your face. This tinted moisturizer has been a staple in my cabinet for about two years.
• One Love Organics Vitamin C Moisturizing Facial Serum -  I originally bought this because I love this line of products. At first I didn't notice much but then I realized after a few weeks that my skin looked so much more bright and glowing. I use this at night when I don't use the Glycolix or Tretinoin.

@pinterest

Break Outs

• Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - Read the directions about how to get the product from the bottle to your blemish, there is a proper technique. Use at night on a blemish until its dried up. Easy peasy.
• Tretinoin - If you purchase this you can put a tiny dab on a blemish to dry it out. You will probably experience peeling or flaking a few days later but it does the trick.
• Krasr Radiance High Frequency Facial Device - If you want to get all crazy (like me) you can buy this device. I was introduced to this machine while getting a facial. I had a huge underground zit and she rubbed this on the entire area for about a minute and it was immediately half the size and was completely gone the following day. I know it sounds extreme but I've done it on myself at home for blemishes. It's only $40 so it won't break the bank. It is supposed to have the ability to firm skin and reduce wrinkles but I haven't experimented with that yet.

Me at LaserAway

Leave it to the Professionals

Here are some of the treatments I've done over the past few years. They all serve different purposes so it would be best to have a consultation with the nurse before hand to see what would work best for you. I do all my treatments at LaserAway, they have 40 locations so you can click here to see if there are any in your area.

• Clear + Brilliant - Great for pigmentation, shrinking pores, evens tone and texture, with no downtime.
• IPL - These stimulate collagen growth, help with pigmentation/brown spots, help with acne and rosacea, and smooth complexion with no downtime.
• Laser Facials - I have not tried these yet but they are next on my list. They are used for evening skin tone, shrinking pores, and helping with fine lines

@pinterest

Tips

• Clean your makeup brushes weekly. It seems obvious, but it's easy to forget. I clean mine on Sunday's to create a little ritual, a fresh start to the week. If you are super forgetful, set reminders in the calendar or alarm section of your phone.
• Don't use old makeup. If you've had something longer than a year it definitely needs to go. I am super strict about face makeup and makeup that is close to my eyes like mascara and liners. So much bacteria can be in these and you don't want to create your own infections.
• Makeup Sponges: buy cheap, throw out often. (Of course wash them with your makeup brushes too) With the rise of beauty blenders there are more knock off versions in the market. I love this pack on Amazon because you get 5 blenders for $7, compare that to 1 name brand Beauty Blender which sets you back $20. It makes it easier to part ways and throw them out often when you know it cost a little more than a dollar and it works just as well.
• It pays to use quality skincare because your skin absorbs EVERYTHING! It gets expensive quick so just replace one item at a time as your current products run out.
• I never tan my face and if I'm on a walk or by the pool/beach I always have a hat on. The tretinoin and glycolic products make your skin extremely sensitive to the sun and you can really damage your skin if you expose all that new, fresh skin to UV rays. Also remember that even when using SPF, it only lasts about an hour so you need to constantly reapply.
• Water is so key! I drink so much water and this has helped my skin (and my weight) so much. It's free, use it, drink it, love it! Also pay attention to the foods you eat. Sugar, processed foods, and junk food are definitely not great for your skin. Just remember, you are what you eat!

Wow I use a lot of sh*t!!! Don't be intimidated, you don't need to buy all of this. I have created this collection over a period of time and of course there were more products along the way but these are the ones that made the final cut.Tip: The major takeaway for my routine is constant exfoliation, more chemicals, less harsh scrubbing. This forces constant skin renewal and removes all the makeup, dead skin, and sebum that causes breakouts. I truly hope this helps and I would love to answer any of your questions below or on IG comments! I love talking about skincare and would love for someone to finally feel as happy and confident as I have been feeling. 

Love Always,

Katy

p.s. you're beautiful!