Lazy Girl's Guide to Skincare: Winter Edition
I’m just going to say it like it is: I am LAZY AF when it comes to skincare. I feel accomplished if I successfully just manage to take off my makeup every night for a week. So, I’m always looking for the most efficient way to take care of my skin. My skincare routine (if you can call it that) really consists of doing the bare minimum to get the most results. Here are some really quick and easy ways to adapt your skincare routine for the cold, winter months.
(not sponsored: while some of these products have been gifted to me, the reviews below are all completely genuine + unsponsored!)
Replace Makeup Wipes and Cleansers with Cleansing Oil
The alcohol in most types of makeup remover wipes is really harsh for your skin. Recently, I’ve switched over to using cleansing oil, and my skin feels so much better! Cleansing oil manages to easily remove makeup (even waterproof mascara and eyeliner) and dirt from your skin, while still managing to leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. I LOVE cleansing oil because it works as a makeup remover and a cleanser — and I’ll pretty much do anything to make my skincare routine shorter (#LazyGirlProbs). With traditional cleansers, I often find it hard to remove all of the makeup residue without makeup remover wipes (and sometimes even with them), but with cleansing oil the whole process has become SO much easier!
Cleansing oil mixes with the preexisting “good oils” in your skin and removes all the “bad oils,” excess makeup, and debris from your face.
I definitely had concerns that the oil would clog my pores, but the oil blends with surface impurities on your skin and enables them to be easily rinsed off — leaving your skin soft and hydrated! AND it works for almost all skin types. Quickly massage a small amount of oil on dry skin with your hands. Then add some water to emulsify. Your make up will be off in no time, and your skin will love you!
What I Use: Neutrogena Ultra-Light Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover
Leave a Face Oil or Serum By Your Desk or in Your Bag
As you can imagine, the combination of the dry winter air and being in close proximity to heaters/radiators really dries out my skin. So I leave a face serum or oil in my bag and on my desk at work. If my face is feeling dry after I step outside, I just throw on a bit of oil/serum to refresh and moisturize my skin.
What I Use: The two serums I swear by are Soma Ayurvedic’s Vitamin C Serum and Sweetwater Labs Rose Face Oil.
Mukti from Geria Dermatology suggested that if I only had to pick 3 skincare items to use, vitamin C serum should be one of them — so I opted for Soma Ayurvedic’s serum which I swear by. And I keep the rose face oil in my bag to use throughout the day.
Side note: This only works if you aren’t wearing makeup. For days I am wearing makeup, I use the Mario Badescu Rose Facial Spray instead.
Add Hyaluronic Acid to Your Skincare Routine
Another great recommendation from Mukti at Geria Dermatology is adding hyaluronic acid to your skincare routine! Hyaluronic acid is one of the main components of the HydraFacial, and it keeps your skin hydrated longer while significantly decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles — and it works on any skin type. Just reading about the benefits of hyaluronic acid is honestly pretty impressive!
What I Use: Neutrogena Hydra Boost Hydrating Overnight Gel Mask Pods
** Also my favorite travel hack: The overnight gel mask pods are ideal for travel during long flights! I put one in my carry on and put it on right before my flight takes off. You’ll have everyone wondering how your skin manages to look better AFTER a long flight!
Rose Salve
This is by far my most used skincare product and my lifeline, especially during the winter months. Rose Salve is the holy grail of chapsticks + lip balms. My friend Vishwa introduced me to this salve years ago, and I haven’t been able to use anything else since! Every other product I’ve tried only provided temporary relief for chapped lips, but rose salve has much longer actually leaves your lips feeling hydrated even hours after it wears off. It’s also a multi-purpose product: it works wonders for your lips, dry cuticles and patches of dry skin caused by the winter air. Not to mention, it smells absolutely heavenly!