I used to give myself a facial or at least do a mask once a week. But, lately, I've been really slacking on my skincare game. I still slap on my serums and moisturizers in the morning and evening but had completely stopped with the masks and a little pampering session for my skin (and hair), and I actually really miss it!
I just realized yesterday how slack and lazy I had become in showing my skin a little extra TLC, so I decided it was time to make the time to show my skin that extra bit of love. I hope to keep it up and get back to doing it weekly like I used to.
I do change up the way I go about my weekly "masking" routine. It really depends on what I feel my skin needs. But, in general, I usually like to start with an exfoliator and follow up with a mask or two or three... The great thing is, you can customize your facials and masking routines to be as short or as long as you want. Sheet masks have also made things so much easier and more convenient for us, so I really have no excuse! When I have some extra time, I love to steam my face with my Kinga facial steamer as it really does benefit my skin and clear my pores. Another thing I like to do is to use a deep cleansing mask, followed up by a deeply hydrating mask, then seal it all in with serums etc.
Yesterday's facial:
- Yesterday, I kept it fairly simple and started with a cleanser followed by Dr Brandt's Pore Dermabrasion Pore Perfecting Exfoliator. It's a physical and chemical exfoliator and contains salicylic acid. In general, I prefer chemical exfoliators but I do like to use a physical one on occasion. I like the Dr Brant one as it has the best of both worlds. Starting out by exfoliating your skin allows all of the other skincare that follows to penetrate more effectively.
- Next, I followed up with Lumiere De Vie Moisture Intense Sheet Mask. I went for a sheet mask as they take less work than a jarred mask, so I tend to reach for sheet masks when I'm hurried, or very tired and lazy as I was yesterday. I rested with the mask on for 25 minutes, the maximum recommended time. I've used this mask before and loved the results. It really helps me look more refreshed, especially when I'm sleep deprived and looking tired. It's also super hydrating which my dehydrated skin loves!
- While I was resting with my sheet mask on, I used that time to pamper my hair as well. I threw on my Olaplex 3 and let it sit for 90 minutes while I watched some TV (which I would have done anyway). You can even just use the Olaplex mask for 10 minutes which is the time recommended on the bottle. The Olaplex really helps my damaged/bleached hair look and feels better after I use it. I always use it before I'm going to have any chemical service done to my hair. I'm planning on "bumping my base" aka. lightening my base colour slightly, which I always do at home in between highlights. If you want to know how I do this, you can check out my post that explains how I go about it.
- After removing my sheet mask, I applied The Body Shop's Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion. I almost always use this after I exfoliate or use a face mask. It's very lightweight yet hydrating and it doesn't make me breakout like most vitamin E products can.
- Lastly, I applied all of my regular skincare, including a serum, moisturizer, eye cream, and sometimes an oil as well. I often mix a couple of drops of oil into my moisturizer and apply it that way.. seems like one less step.
My hair and skin were both thanking me after this little pampering session! This just goes to show that you don't have to take a large chunk of time to treat your hair and/or skin to a little TLC. This is something that I have to remind myself of as I am almost always too tired to be bothered, so I had let go of doing these little things for myself.
If this sounds like a lot for you, you can always just throw on a sheet mask and call it a day/night.
ps. The little gadget shown is the NuFace Mini. It's something I try to use for 5 minutes a day after cleansing my skin in the morning. It definitely is making a difference so far, although it's subtle. I hope to see even more results with continued use.
I hope you find some time to treat yourself to a little or big pampering session, too!
If you have any favourite masks that are good for congested and dehydrated skin, please share in the comments below.
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