I never really cared for my skin before and only used two products: a Cetaphil face wash and any moisturizer that promised to mattify my oily forehead. Obviously I knew nothing because none of it seemed to work. That is until I was introduced to the skincare community by my best friend and it changed my life but more importantly, my skin, forever. The ultimate skin goal I have for myself is to have my skin flawless enough to be makeup-free! So far my goal has been reached with the help of my favorite products and advice from my best friend who is an Esthetician in the making! Follow her Instagram for tips and skincare advice!

First things first, I am going to mention that my skincare products are based on what my skin type is. I have combo skin meaning my face is both oily and dry. Figure this out first before buying anything. Remember, what may work for me may not work for you! However, if you have combo skin like me, then try these products out!

Here is my routine for the Morning:

Step 1: Cleanse with CeraVe Face Cleanse

CeraVe is a great option for those who are just getting started in the skincare community or if you’re looking for an affordable face cleanser. Not to mention, this brand is accessible! By accessible, I mean that you can find this brand at your local Target, Walmart or drugstore. CeraVe’s Hydrating Cleanser has a great formula that is light and gentle on my skin. It deeply cleans but never strips my face to the point where I feel dry after rinsing. There is no

Step 2: Toner

Before any creams, I put toner on my face as the first layer. My toner helps restore my skin with any discoloration as well as correcting acne scars. The current toner I am using is Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner and it has been amazing! After two days of using this toner, my skin looks brighter and even-toned.

Step 3: Serum

I couldn’t wait to talk about this step because I couldn’t wait to say how much I love The Ordinary! Great quality products for a great price! I am currently trying their Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. Light enough to not leave my skin oily but enough to leave my dry skin dewy. It’s a well-balanced formula. I mix my serum with a powdered vitamin c. Also from the Ordinary, the 100% L-Absorbic powder works great when mixed with the serum I am using. This pot of gold concoction leaves my skin such a healthy glow!

Step 4: Moisturize

I have always loved First Aid Beauty’s moisturizers and are high end for a reason. They don’t ever leave a greasy finish and smell so so good! I complained to a friend of mine about how bad my oily forehead is. My forehead used to get so oily to the point where it would seep to my eyes and burn! So she recommended their Hello FAB Coconut Water Cream because it was water-based. That factor is important to me because my forehead is oil central but this moisturizer helps control the oil on my face! A little goes a long way with this product and I love that because it is quite tiny. This product also has a hint of a sweet coconut smell so unless you don’t like coconut (what is the matter with you?) that part may bother you!

Step 5: SPF

I just started (and by just started I mean a few months ago) incorporating sunscreen into my routine because I really didn’t think it was important. That is until my best friend, the Esthetician, lectured me on the importance. I really lived by the fact that because I’m brown, I really don’t need sunscreen. My inherited melanin was enough I thought. WRONG. Sunburns can still happen to people of color, our skin does protect us from UV rays but not all, and no one is safe from skin cancer. I am currently using Krave Beauty’s The Beet Shield. There’s no weird sunscreen smell, does not have that sunscreen stickiness to it, and it most importantly does not leave a white residue. It has a lot of great stuff in it too like allantoin, the MVP ingredient vitamin c, and other antioxidants. The only downside to this product is that it’s fairly small *tear *tear

Skin Care Extras

No products to talk about in this part but I just want to say that having a clean diet and staying hydrated is a holy grail itself! My skin will punish me with a few pimples when I decide to binge on greasy foods. I’ll also try to get a good night’s rest but honestly, I’m a mom so who am I kidding with that.