My Evening Skincare Routine

Hello! Welcome to today’s installation of what a 44-year-old woman does to her face at night. I mean, really, I’m in slight disbelief that I’m writing posts with “mature skin” in mind. Where did the time go? It seems just yesterday I was 25 years old at some random party, suddenly hitting my introversion tipping point and disappearing without a trace. (One of my spiritual gifts is disappearing from social gatherings like an incognito burrito without telling a soul. It’s a true talent, I’m telling you. Well, a rude talent, if you ask any of my friends.)

Wait…what was I saying? Ohhhhh yeah. Evening skincare routine. Let’s do this thing. Oh, discount codes for many of these products will be listed at the end of the post. #fistbump

CLEANSING

Once in a blue moon, I like to do a good ol’ double cleanse with a little face massage. Beautycounter Countertime Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil is my favorite oil-based cleanser because it leaves my skin cleansed, soft, and moisturized. Plus, it actually does rinse off completely, unlike some other oil-based cleansers.

However, the oil-cleansing bit happens only if I’m feeling sprightly and vigorous in the evening which is basically never BECAUSE I AM 44 YEARS OLD. 9 pm rolls around and I’m already laser-focused on my head hitting my pillow. All to say that 92% of evenings, I go straight to my cleansing MVP. No matter what the circumstances, without fail, I cleanse with the One Love Organics Easy Does It Cleanser.

Yes, I have sung the praises of this cleanser for years. Yes, I am a broken record. Made with Chilean soap bark, cold-pressed apple oil, and vegetable glycerin, it lathers like a dream and is uber gentle on the skin. In fact, you can use it on your body and hair too. The kicker, though, is that it gets every last trace of my eye makeup off on the first pass. I literally rub some of the sudsy goodness around my eye area and poof, all gone. I should also point out that I wear contacts and can open my eyes while washing and it doesn’t sting a bit. If One Love Organics stops making this cleanser, I will take it to the streets. #onewomanrevolution

TONING

After cleansing and patting my face dry, I liberally spritz my face with a toner. MUN Anarose Toner has been my go-to for years (details here), but I do have to say that I have been loving the Amly Silver Rich Radiance Boost Facial Mist the past few months.

MUN Anarose is a great all-around staple, but Amly feels next-level to me. This stuff is amazing at adding radiance to your face. So illuminating, so revitalizing…this mist has really impressed me. I don’t know if it’s the silver-rich spring water or the organic flowers or the hyaluronic acid or the probiotics OR that it smells like a gorgeous blend of neroli, jasmine, and rose otto, this stuff makes my skin look and feel great.

I obviously use the mist as a toner, but I also really love it as a makeup setting spray or as a skin refresher. If you are wanting to up your toner game, this is a fantastic addition to your arsenal.

my evening lineup

TREATMENT RETINOL

After toning, while my skin is still damp with toner, I treat my skin with a serum. This is the most important step when it comes to keeping my skin looking youthful, in my opinion. I simply cannot express how much I love African Botanics Resurrection Cell Recovery Serum. It is the best clean retinol I’ve ever used, end of story.

I wrote a detailed post on clean retinol and why I can’t live without the African Botanics serum here. Give it a go if you are wanting a treatment serum that keeps skin looking healthy, clear, and youthful. It delivers!

MISCELLANEOUS TREATMENTS

Other products I use in the treatment realm are some of the Odacité Pure Elements. These are what I use for specific skin issues/problems I might be having from time-to-time, and you can read about my favorites here.

MOISTURIZING

(Updated to add: I now use African Botanics Fleurs D’Afrique Oil as my moisturizer. The Fleurs Oil has retinol so when combined with the Cell Recovery Serum, it’s a POWERHOUSE. I use that combination on most nights.)

After treating my skin and while still slightly damp, I apply the last step, moisturizer. My moisturizer of choice year-round is Maya Chia Supercritical Chia Oil. (The term “supercritical” comes from a patented process used by Maya Chia to extract the oil called supercritical extraction. This gentle oxygen-free, solvent-free process results in oil with a total absence of chemical residues and impurities, and one that most closely mirrors the chemical profile of the plant.) Again, another product that has been in my rotation for years, this oil keeps my skin super hydrated without any sort of congestion at all. Gah, I love this oil so much.

Where do I even begin? Calm, happy, and glowing would best describe my skin after using Supercritical. My love affair with this Chia Seed Oil began a few years ago and I simply haven’t looked back since. Why? Well, first off, this oil deeply moisturizes my skin. Immediately after applying, my skin feels plump and hydrated, yet the oil absorbs almost instantaneously. It’s lightweight, incredibly soothing, and doesn’t ever leave my sensitive (and sometimes reactive) skin feeling congested or stressed. Plus, formulated with botanical extracts of Mandarin orange, lemon, and grapefruit, the scent is fresh and incredibly uplifting.

In the drier months, if another layer of moisture is needed, I always use the True Botanicals Overnight Moisture Mask. I’m not sure why this product is called a “mask,” as it feels like a cream and immediately soaks into my skin, but whatever its name, I adore it.

With plant-derived hyaluronic acid, squalane, and AC collagen pre-peptide, this product is so incredibly hydrating without being greasy. Free of the pore-clogging waxes found in traditional night creams, this potent problem solver dramatically boosts skin’s hydration. It’s rich yet lightweight and layers like a dream, sinking in quickly to seal in moisture and leave skin glowing.

In the warmer months when the Supercritical Chia Oil is enough moisture for my face, I still use the True Botanicals Moisture Mask on my chest and neck nightly year-round. It is the only product that keeps my chest hydrated and soft without any reaction. (My chest is hella reactive and breaks out in rashes if you so much as look at it the wrong way. With this product, my chest stays happy and reaction-free.)

EYE CREAM

I wasn’t much of an eye cream enthusiast until Fitglow Beauty Eye-C Firm came into my life. I can actually feel this product firming the skin around my eye area. It naturally reduces the look of lines, dark circles, and puffiness and is loaded with synergistic antioxidants, peptides, and active extracts. It quickly absorbs and works deeply in the skin to stimulate collagen while combating future damage and keeping eyes bright and firm. I love to keep it in the refrigerator in the summer.

For the record, the eye cream I use as a primer under my concealer in the mornings is the 100% Pure Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream. If you are looking for a great eye cream that absorbs quickly and smells divine, this one is great. It makes my eye area feel smooth and plump before makeup application.

DEVICES

The biggest gamechanger for my maturing face? My NuFACE Mini Facial Toning Device. After watching my favorite makeup artist rave about this device, I ponied up and bought one for myself last year.

This device is legit, friends. It’s an FDA-cleared, handheld facial toning device that uses microcurrent technology to improve facial contour, tone, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The difference in the contours of my cheekbones when I use this frequently is totally visible. Not to mention the lift on my hooded eyelids.

Here’s the rub, though. You need to use it 5 times a week. You have to commit – using it once or twice a month is not going to do much of anything. Just like toning your body, you have to work at it. (But really, how hard is it to glide this thing around your face for 5-10 minutes while you watch Netflix? I am planning a full post on this for you all soon, but felt like I had to mention it this evening skincare routine post because it is a big part of it.)

By the way, I use this device after I cleanse my face. I apply a conductive gel primer and do the little routine, then remove the gel primer with a warm, damp washcloth, then apply my serums and moisturizer.

Also, the gel primer that comes with the unit is decent toxicity-wise, but not the best. I prefer to use the Badger Aloe Vera Gel as my primer because it’s super clean.

Click here for my full review on the NuFACE including a video tutorial!

Thinking about pulling the trigger on an aforementioned product? Here are some codes for ya.

PRODUCT DISCOUNTS

MUN: New customers can get 15% off MUN products with the code WHOORL

True Botanicals: $20 off your first order of $40 or more with code WHOORLTRUE20 or 15% off your order with code ENJOY15 through June 1st

Fitglow Beauty: 15% off your order with code WHOORL15

As always, let me know if you have any questions about my routine and I’ll try my best to answer in the comments!

LIKE THIS? CHECK OUT MY FRIENDS’ NATURAL NIGHTTIME SKINCARE ROUTINES HERE:

from Gurl Gone Green
from This Organic Girl
from Root + Revel
from Olive You Whole
from Love & Zest