Skincare: I don’t have naturally nice skin, but I fake it REALLY well.

I’ve found some products lately that have made an incredible difference in my routine, for really cheap. You do not have to go with the expensive products as long as you know which ones can be substituted, and where you really do need the quality.

I don’t have naturally nice skin, but I fake it really well. It’s also ultra-dry and often flaky and dull. Oh, and I’m 35 and used to have terrible acne. I was on Accutane three times as a teenager, and still have breakouts if I don’t follow this regime. Below is what I use.

Wash:
Night – Oil of Olay Total Effects Age Defying Cleansing Cloths. These are the dry ones you can take anywhere and just add water. They take off makeup and leave my skin clean but not dried out.
Morning – brown sugar mixed with heavy cream and honey. Add 1 teaspoon cream to a half cup sugar to make a thick paste, and add a teaspoon of honey. This will gently exfoliate the first time you use it, and makes enough to last all week. The sugar will preserve the milk well enough to continue to use it if you store in a tightly sealed jar and it will be less and less exfoliating and more and more moisturizing as the two really combine. The milk will continue to be a “chemical exfoliant” as the sugar dissolves. The honey calms and soothes, as well as moisturizing.

Moisture:
Daily – The Body Shop Kinetin Illuminating face treatment and the matching eye treatment. This is SUPER moisturizing, you don’t need much, and it adds just a hint of shimmer (but not glitter) to make it look like you have naturally glowy skin.
Weekly – The Body Shop Wise Woman Moisture Mask. Just leave it on all day once a week.

Makeup:
Face – Smashbox Photo Finish primer. Then a dab of the Kinetin moisturizer, mixed with Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind Cream foundation, and one pump of Smashbox’s Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in “diffuse”
I never ever use powder products, as they are too drying.
Color – Use a cream blusher. Try for a pink shade, as it’s more natural than a brown or peach on most skin tones. Use primer on your eyelids. Urban Decay makes a good one, as does Bare Escentuals. If you prefer powder-based eyeshadows, dampen your shadow brush before applying and they’ll glide on even the driest skin. I’ve been using liquid black liner recently on just the top lid, and then layer on top of it some water-resistant pencil liner in blue. It combines to make a peacock color, which I smudge with a bit of peacock colored powder shadow. On the lid, I use a bronze shadow. Then Maybelline’s XXXL mascara. On light makeup days, I just use the blue liner, and smudge it really well then add the mascara. It looks like I’m wearing very very little makeup, if any, while still brightening my eyes.
A new find for the lips – Physician’s Formula has a plumping lip gloss that really moisturizes for a lot cheaper than the expensive stuff. The clear one even pinks up your lips a bit by increasing blood flow. It has a slightly sticky texture, but it’s smooth and it lasts a number of hours before it’s necessary to reapply.

Body:
Ask your pharmacist for Lac-Hydrin – it used to be prescription only, and is now available over the counter. It will make your skin sooo soft and nice, and exfoliates well with milk acids to prevent breakouts. It can be expensive if you get the Ami-Lactin brand, but Walgreen’s has a generic one for about $15 for 40 oz.

And drink plenty of water. I drink at least 64oz every day, usually more like 80.