New Year Skincare Routine

Can I be honest? I don’t feel right calling this a New Year Skincare Routine. Around the first week of the New Year, I did a poll on my Instagram Stories to see who all would be interested in seeing/reading about my new skincare routine I am following for 2020. The overwhelming majority screamed, “YES! I want to know!” And then I went silent.

Since we’re being honest, January was a rough month for me. I struggled with real-life scenarios I’ve never struggled with before. I also faced some negative situations that have been familiar to me for the majority of my life. A friend of mine shared something recently that I think really resonated with me. She said that she hated the idea of “New Year, New Me.” I could not agree more.

Romans 12:2 (NCV) says “Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking.” Some translations say to “Be transformed.”

We are not by some magical process programmed to reset our internal beings the second the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve. Instead, we are forced to face our same realities the next morning when we roll out of bed. Our goals, dreams, and New Year’s resolutions may have changed, but we are still our same selves. There is no “New Year, New Me.”

To some, that may come as a great disappointment. Many look forward to the New Year as a chance to recharge their batteries. It’s seen as a time of renewal. Is this explicitly wrong? By no means. But I would like to extend a challenge to you. A challenge to view every day, hour, minute, second as a chance to start over. Every moment of every day is an opportunity for renewal. We are constantly being renewed, transformed, and changed by the love of The Father. This is not something we have to wait until the first of the year to take part in. It’s right here right now.

I say all of that to say that as time drug on, as I experienced anxiety as I have never experienced, and as I watched my month of January slowly dwindle away, there was a sense of defeat. In my mind, I had already pushed aside the thought of any “New Year Skincare Routine” blog post ever happening. Those negative thoughts are exactly the reason that I NEED to type up this post for you guys.

So here we are. Three and a half weeks into the New Year I am finally taking the time to sit down and write out my skincare routine. And you guys, it is BOMB. I promise it was worth the wait!

Each of the items I am about to list is super affordable. I would also like to make it known that I am not sponsored by ANY of these brands for this post. I simply love each product and wanted to share them with you all!

My skin type is somewhat oily, but I would like to think that each of the products I am using would also work for almost any skin type. The key is hydration, hydration, hydration! Especially in the winter. For many years, I was under the false assumption that oily-skinned, acne-prone people should stay away from moisturizers. Boy, was I wrong! If you are washing your face and not applying moisturizer afterward, you are stripping your face of all of its natural oils without adding any healthy oils back. Your face then launches into overdrive oil production to replace the oils that were taken away. This results in even oiler skin buildup, which also causes more breakouts. If you are like I was and think that moisturizer is unnecessary, I would like to urge you to at least give it a try for one month. The difference will be noticeable!

1. The first thing I use is my Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. As I mentioned above, I tend to have oiler skin. This is the only part of my skincare routine that is more geared toward oily skin, so I would recommend finding a face wash more geared toward your skin type if your skin tends to be dryer. This wash is perfect for acne-prone skin. It is only $6.67 on Walmart.com (the Walmart Equate brand also works very well!), which is a steal because this bottle tends to last about six months for me. I actually started using it back in high school when I dealt with very painful, cystic acne. I have been a fan ever since!
2. The second step of my routine is using Air Repair Complexion-Boosting Moisturizer. I buy this on Amazon.com for $19.61. It can also be found at some Target stores. This is one of the more pricey items on my list, but also the most important. It is a fully-hydrating moisturizer that will make your face feel SO baby smooth. I have had zero problems with this moisturizer breaking out my skin, so I believe it will work with almost any skin type. And, again, this tube is quite large and should last most people around six months.
3. The third part is something that can be left out if needed, but I just love this extra step. On top of the Air Repair moisturizer, I like to apply Garnier Apricot Illuminating Facial Moisturizer. It has a tinted, almost shimmery, warm color to it that makes your face just glow. It feels wonderful but looks even better. It was carried in Walmart stores for a while, and then just stopped. Now I am only able to find it on Amazon.com. But the good news-it’s only $8.65! I just feel that it provides that extra healthy skin look and feel that most people are going for when they moisturize. Plus, it makes a great dewy makeup base!
4. Dr. Brandt Needles No More, No More Baggage eye de-puffing gel is the last thing on my list. I was actually gifted this item for Christmas, so I was not aware of how pricey it was until I looked up the link for this blog post. I get it, I get it, it seems like too much. But if you could ONLY see the miracles this gel works, you would not even question the price! A lot of mornings when I don’t feel like wearing makeup, I will apply this under my eyes and it COMPLETELY takes care of any puffy eyes/bagginess I may have going on. A little bit goes a long way-I just squeeze a tiny amount onto my fingers and rub it back and forth until it warms up (it is kind of thick straight out of the tube). Then I just pat it under my eyes until it begins to dry. As I said, it works wonders! Just make sure to apply after your moisturizer.

You’re ready to go! This skincare routine is designed to be done both morning and night. I am a firm believer in starting off and ending your day with a fresh face. A fresh face promotes a fresh mind!

If you give any of these products a try, let me know what you think! I would love to know if this post helped you develop a habit of taking care of your face and skin. I would also love to know about affordable skincare products you may already use. I am always down to try new things!

If you have any comments or suggestions, please comment below or send an email to support@kateliveslife.com.

Cheers!

xoxo

Kate