Pre Make-Up Face Routine

    I cannot stress enough how important it is to prep your face before applying make-up. Not only will you be properly taking care of your skin but your make-up will look so much better. If your skin is not at its best your make up will end up looking flaky or messy, no matter how high end your foundation may be. My routine may seem a little long to some but I have been doing it for a while now that it doesn't bother me. I do change up a few of the products but for the most part the routine I will show you guys is the longest one I've had. I will link all the products so you guys can read further more into them, or if you are like me, read reviews on other people's experience. Well, without further or do, let's jump in!


       First thing I do in the morning is wash my face with a gentle exfoliator. My favorite one is the St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub, I have combination skin and this works perfectly for me. I use it daily in the morning, not at night since that might be too much exfoliation for my skin. I rarely have breakouts with this scrub, I did noticed when I switched to the Target version of this product my face broke out. The great thing about this product is that it runs for a little under $4 bucks, which I think is a steal! Make sure to use this scrub through your neck - don't stop at your face.

After washing my face I always use a toner. In my current routine I use the Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Multi-Action Toning Lotion. Now this product is pricey, running at $25 bucks. This product was recommended to me through a friend which is why I splurged for it. I really enjoy this toner, I used to use the Neautrogena Acne Stress Control, but after some time it felt like I was putting alcohol directly on my face. I wanted to try something less harsh for my skin, even though the Neatrogena toner worked fine, the smell was too strong. The Estee Lauder toner is supposed to be an exfoliator as well but I do not find it works well as an exfoliator. The good thing about this toner is that a little goes a long way. I add a small amount on a cotton pad and run it throughout my face and down to my neck. Let that air dry for a few seconds. 

Finally, I apply a generous amount of moisturizer - in the winter months. The moisturizer I have really been enjoying is L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector which runs at $20. This day/night cream is recommended to use along with their serum. The first time I used this product, I did use both the moisturizer with the Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum Concentrate however, I found that it was just too oily for me. This time around I am just using the cream and it works great for me. I do believe you can use either products solo, I am sure when this cream finishes I will use the serum alone and see how that works on my skin (no worries you shall receive an update).

   Like I mentioned earlier, I have combination skin which means I have oily spots in certain areas (T-Zone) and normal skin in others along with some blackheads. It is very important to know your skin type when picking out a moisturizer. You want to pick the most suitable one for the troubles you may face. Another thing to always keep in mind is hydrating your skin within, water. Drink plenty of water, dehydration reflects tremendously on your face along with your diet. You can try all the products in the world and not see results. Why? Your skin may be dehydrated or you hold a poor diet. What we put in our bodies will reflect on our skin. Always remember to drink plenty of water so your face remains hydrated and you do not confuse it with dry skin. There is a difference, but let's leave that for another post! I hope this helped you guys take the proper steps to get the most radiant make-up results!