Two things happened recently that made me think a little more about skincare:
- Z and I moved to a place with a larger bathroom. Our old bathroom was pretty dingy. This one is somewhat less dingy, however, the lights above the vanity mirror were out. Z replaced them, so now I have a bathroom with very good lighting and a fair amount of counter space.
- Some friends and I had a talk, and it sounds like everyone is using some kind of retinol except me.
Honestly, #1 has been terrible. The first time I used the bathroom after Z replaced the lights, I was like: “OMG, my skin! I can’t believe it looks like that!”
Dim lighting is great for self-esteem. Bright lighting, I am not loving. Especially bright lighting after several years of dim lighting. Before Z and I lived together, I remember spending hours in the bathroom, inspecting my pores. I hadn’t done that in years, and I hadn’t really realized it was because the bathroom at my place with Z was so terrible.
So, I’ve talked to some friends, done some research, spent a bit of time in front of my bathroom mirror, made some purchases, and am starting a new skin care routine.
Every Morning
- Cleanse with gentle cleanser (I’m using Cetaphil)
- Vitamin C Serum (needs to be minimum 30% to be effective. Vitamin C boosts your skin’s collagen production)*
- SPF!
* I’m going to wait and start this after my baby has stopped sucking my face. Right now, she is like a little guppy. In the mornings, she often grabs my face and sucks on my nose or chin or cheek, so I’m going pretty easy on the product until this passes.
![](http://34.212.34.236/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/MVIMG_20200125_180121-225x300.jpg)
Every Evening
- Cleanse with gentle cleanser
- Apply Retinoid*
- Apply Moisturizer
*You have to work up your tolerance to using a retinoid, and you should avoid this when pregnant or breastfeeding. I myself have not started yet, but I bought some basic product from DECIEM. While working your way up, you might want to reverse step #3 and #2 (moisturizer first).
I love the Avene brand moisturizers.
Weekly
- Instead of using gentle cleanser 7 days a week, once-a-week I’m going to use a salicylic acid cleanser, because I want a few of the pores in my T-zone to be smaller.
- I’ve also bought a generic brand mechanical facial brush, which is apparently more effective than using your hands or a washcloth.
I will let you know how it goes. I’m trying to keep it pretty simple, but I might go in for some microdermabrasion every few months. I used to go before I lived with Z, back when I had good bathroom lighting, and I’m thinking now that I have good lighting again, maybe it’s worth revisiting.