My Skincare Routine

Hey Guys! Selena from Heart&Handicraft here, and I’m so excited to share with you my skincare routine today! Why is a skincare routine so important, you may ask? WELL radiant, healthy complexion isn’t just about vanity; it’s a confidence booster, a mood lifter, and, for many of us, a symbol of self-care. And it’s definitely not easy to get it perfect, let’s just say it took me a journey of trial and error to get here.

In this blog, I’ll be sharing the morning and evening skincare routines that have transformed not only my skin but also my self-confidence. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love getting compliments about our radiant, glowing skin? Join me as I unveil the tips, products, and routines that have made my skincare journey a joyful, glowing success. I want to share my routine with you guys because I’ve battled my fair share of skincare issues in the past – These challenges led me on a quest to discover the perfect skincare routine—one that’s not just a ritual but an essential part of my daily life. And it didn’t happen overnight.

Let me give you some background first, before we dive right in. I suffered with acne for most of my teenage years. I tried EVERYTHING! From every acne cream imaginable, Antibiotics from my doctor, Scrubs and Coconut oil, to Accutane. I definitely picked up some scars on the way to the point I’m at now in my late 20’s(I can’t help it, I’m a picker!), but I can comfortably say that I’m happy with my skin nowadays and don’t feel the need to cake on makeup on a daily basis.

*Disclaimer: I am not a skincare professional! Everything I say and suggest is based on my personal experience and unique skin, so my routine may not be suitable for everybody. You could also take note of the general guideline because it can help you create your own routine based on your specific skincare needs. Also, there are options to consult a dermatologist or skincare expert for personalized advice.

For reference, I’m 29 years old, have combination skin (drier in the Winter), and my skin concerns include preventing breakouts on my cheeks, blackheads, dullness and dark spots on my cheeks from acne scars, and wrinkles.

Morning Routine

Let’s start with my morning routine! I love starting the day with a fresh canvas, and it’s such a major part of my waking-up routine – whether I’m heading out to work or cleaning up around the house. I’ll grab a cup of coffee before even starting my morning routine because I really love to take my time – One important thing that I do is not rush my skincare routine. I always give at least a few minutes between each layer of product; it gives me the impression that each layer is able to set and soak into the skin before throwing something else on top. Otherwise, it feels like I’m just mixing everything together! So let’s dive in:

1. Cleanser

• • When it comes to a cleanser, I believe you should keep it simple. Your cleanser sits on your face for only a few minutes so I feel like any special ingredients would just go to waste. If you want to use ingredients like Salicylic Acid or Glycolic Acid (which I love!), I would stick to using them in a product that will stay on your face longer to allow those active ingredients can do their magic.
    • • My go-to is the CeraVe Foaming Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin. It’s gentle enough to use daily but still cleanses well, removes oil, and doesn’t leave my skin feeling totally stripped.

2. Toner

• • To be honest, I don’t totally think Toners are a must-have in your skincare routine unless you’ve found a product you really love. I’ve tried some Rose Water and Witch Hazel Toners but I find that all they’ve done is either leave my skin with a weird film over it, or it totally dries my skin out.
    • • The only Toner I will use it the Body Shop’s Seaweed Oil Balancing Toner. It absorbs into my skin beautifully without leaving a residue-feeling and helps balance my oil production throughout the day. It gives me the feeling that I’ve removed any left over cleanser that may not have rinsed off and preps my skin for the next steps!

3. Serum

• • Serums are a great way to customize your skincare routine to address specific concerns you have. I love that they’re so light, and the ingredients are so concentrated that you don’t feel like your caking on extra unnecessary layers.
    • • My go-to serum is The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum. First of all, I love The Ordinary because they’re super cost effective, don’t pile in unnecessary ingredients, and focuses on quality and education. Niacinamide is great for balancing sebum production, reducing pore-size, and fighting blemishes. I would recommend this to anybody that has large pores and is prone to oiliness or breakouts.
    • • If one of your skincare concerns is hyperpigmentation and acne scarring, I would highly recommend Reversa’s Anti-Spot Brightening Serum. I was shown this by an associate at the Shopper’s Drug Mart beauty section, and it worked wonders for my skin! I had a lot of darkness on my cheeks from acne scarring in my high-school years and this worked SO well for me that I don’t even need to use it anymore.

4. Creams

• • There are 2 creams that I use: a Glycolic Acid Cream, and a Moisturizer (of course!).
    • • I start with Reversa’s Resurfacing Smoothing Cream. It has 10% Glycolic Acid, Hyaluronic acid, and Aloe Vera as it’s main ingredients. I love the brand Reversa for all of their acids – they’re science backed, pH balanced, Canadian-owned, and actually work. I would warn you though – if you’re new to using Glycolic Acid on your face, I would suggest either starting with a product that has a lower Concentration (such as 4%) or only using this product every other day until you build up a tolerance. Otherwise, you will get skin irritation.
        • • NOTE: In my opinion, Glycolic Acid is a must in your routine because it helps exfoliate all of the dead skin cells off of your face. That’s going to help with anti-aging, keeping your skin looking “plump”, preventing clogged pores, and keeping your skin looking bright and glowing. This is a form of chemically-exfoliating your skin Vs Physically exfoliation your skin with a scrub. If you’re using a chemical exfoliant, there’s no need to use physical exfoliation, in my opinion.

    • • For a moisturizer, I believe in keeping it simple. The job of a moisturizer is to seal in all of that goodness we just applied to our face and hold the moisture in. I think people get caught up in all of the fancy products, when you really should be splurging with your serum or treatments. I use CeraVe’s PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. It’s oil-free, fragrance-free, and noncomedogenic (won’t clog your pores). It’s a great basic moisturizer to finish everything off! I personally don’t like using the “Day” moisturizer with SPF in it because I prefer to add my own SPF lotion, and I find that CeraVe’s SPF Facial Lotion causes a bit of a white cast.

5. Facial Mist

• • The last (and probably my favourite) step in my routine is to finish off with a light Spray of Uriage Thermal Water. Not only is it refreshing and calming to your skin, its going to help keep your skin moisturized and plump. My theory behind it is this: We just applied products containing Hyaluronic Acid. From my understanding, Hyaluronic Acid pulls moisture from the environment down into your skin. So what the thermal Water is doing is giving the Hyaluronic Acid something to pull water from if the air isn’t humid enough. It gives me the effect of being in the humid tropical air on vacation, making me feel like my skin is just glowing and hydrated!

6. SPF

• • Applying SPF daily to your face is a non-negotiable step in any skincare routine. The sun’s UV rays are a leading cause of premature aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging skin. By incorporating SPF into your daily regimen, you’re not only safeguarding your skin’s youthful appearance but also ensuring its long-term well-being. Think of it as your skin’s shield, providing a vital defense against the sun’s potentially damaging effects, and a proactive step toward maintaining a healthy and radiant complexion. I’m currently using Vichy Laboratories’ Face Sunscreen with SPF 30. It’s non-greasy, nice and light on the skin, and most importantly, doesn’t leave a white cast after applying.

Evening Routine

Finally for my Evening Skincare routine! This routine is about cleansing away the day’s stresses, and nurturing the skin so it can rejuvenate while I sleep. I do incorporate a lot of the same products so I’ll focus more on the things I haven’t mentioned yet in more detail. One thing that I find works very well for me is called Skin-Cycling. Skin Cycling is when you alternate between 2 or 3 different routines per night. For me, I have a:

1. 1. Glycolic Acid/Salicylic Acid night (which fights breakouts and keeps my skin glowing).
   2. Retinol night (for skin turnover and anti-aging).
   3. “Rest” night (focusing on hydrating). **If you are new to using Acids and Retinol especially.

Night #1

1.Cleanser

• • After removing your make-up, we’re going in with our CeraVe Foaming Cleanser again to wash away any impurities, make-up or make-up remover residue, built up oils, old boyfriends, and all of that fun stuff.

2. Toner/Treatment

• • This is our Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid treatment for Night #1. Glycolic Acid and Salicylic acid work very well together because I see it as one working from the bottom up, and the other working form the top down. MY basic understanding of it is that Salicylic Acid going into your pores and brings all of the breakout causing sebum and junk up and out; while Glycolic acid helps to exfoliate the dead skin on the upper layers which are trapping in dirt and oil, thus preventing acne and also making your skin “glow” more (more about that above in the morning routine).
    • • For this step, I highly recommend Reversa’s AcneX Purifying Solution. It has 2% Salicylic Acid that penetrates the pores and fights acne while preventing new breakouts from forming. It also had 10% Glycolic Acid for exfoliating the surface of the skin and helps reduce marks from acne. You’re going to apply it just like a toner, and let it dry before moving onto the next step

3. Serum

• • Insert your choice of serum here – again whichever is addressing your unique skincare needs. So again we’re using The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum.

4. Moisturizer

• • Again we’re going in with our CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion.

5. Facial Mist

• • Then again, using our Uriage Thermal Water to give our Moisturizer some extra water to pull into the skin for hydration (especially since the Glycolic/Salicylic toner can be drying to the skin).

6. Facial Oils

• • For my last and favourite part of my nighttime routine – Facial Oils! Up until now we have our moisturizer pulling in moisture for the skin’s hydration. The facial oil is going to seal in the hydration and support the skin’s natural lipid balance.
    • • My absolute favourite overnight oil is the Ren Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm. You just take a pea sized amount out of the jar, rub between your fingers to warm it up, and massage onto your face. It has a lovely blend of Almond, Olive, and Jojoba oils that absorb quickly, nourish, add moisture, and soothe the skin. I used to be scared to add oils to my skin especially when I’ve had breakouts – but your skin needs it and I’ve personally never had issues with this product breaking me out. The only downside of this product is that it can run a little pricey – however it does last quite a while and is totally worth it.
    • • As an alternative Facal oil with a much lower price point, I’ve also used a combination of Vitamin E oil and Jojoba oil. It’s a lot cheaper and you get a lot more product. These two I’ve linked are both organic and natural. I find the Vitamin E oil can be a little thick, so what I’ll do is take a drop and mix it with the Jojoba oil before applying to thin it out before applying. I like to think of these two as bonus products because you can also use them on your cuticles, hair, and body!

Night #2

1.  Cleanser

• After removing your make-up, we’re going in with our CeraVe Foaming Cleanser again to wash away any impurities, make-up or make-up remover residue, built up oils, old boyfriends, and all of that fun stuff. 

2. Serum

• • Insert your choice of serum here – again whichever is addressing your unique skincare needs. So again we’re using The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum.

3. Retinol

• • Adding Retinol into my skincare regimen totally evolved the whole process and results for my skin. For starters, Retinol does so many things such as – stimulating collagen production, reducing the appearance of fine lines, and accelerating cell turnover. Basically it helps to reduce aging effects, enhances skin texture, and overall skin “radiance”. The next day after Night#2 I usually find my skin glowing the most.
    • • For this product my go-to is The Ordinary for their very reasonable price point and transparency with ingredients. Their Retinol in Squalane comes in a few different concentrations – 0.2%, 0.5% and 1%. Similar to Glycolic Acid, if you’re new to using Retinol I definitely suggest starting at 0.2% concentration, and if you experience any irritation spread the use out until your skin can tolerate using it more often. It also contains Squalane, which helps with hydration! (Because of this, we don’t need an extra Facial oil on Night #2).
    • • NOTE: As mentioned above, Retinol can cause irritation if your skin isn’t used to the product. Start at a low concentration and work up from there. You also don’t want to use Glycolic Acid and Retinol at the same time, so you could start with just Night #1 and the “Rest” night for a few weeks, then add in Night #2 with Retinol. Or cycle Night #1 – Rest – Night #2 – Rest – Night #1 – Rest – Night #2, Etc. I love using Glycolic Acid and Retinol as alternating buddies because Glycolic acid is exfoliating the top layers, while the Retinol is regenerating the cells below the surface.

4. Moisturizer

• • Again, sealing it all in with our CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion.

5. Facial Mist

• • And finishing off with our Uriage Thermal Water mist. So refreshing!!

Rest Night

Basically for our rest night, we’re laying off the Active or irritating ingredients for our skin to rest and re-hydrate:

1. 1. Cleanse
   2. Serum
   3. Moisturizer
   4. Facial Mist
   5. Facial Oil

As I mentioned above, if you’re new to ingredients like Glycolic Acid and Retinol, I suggest start by having a rest night in between Night #1 and Night #2 to get your skin used to these ingredients and reduce irritation.