And my current cleansing routine is...
I take my cleansing and exfoliating pretty seriously, and using several products in the morning and evening means I’m always replenishing something. After a while, I realize that my routine is completely different than it was just a few months before—and here’s where everything stands now.
AM: Step 1
I got a sample of Indie Lee’s Purifying Face Wash during the first wave of the pandemic when I was using Grove Collaborative to hoard household cleaning supplies. I liked it so much that I bought a full-size bottle when I depleted the rest of my cleansing gel stash, and here we are. When paired with my FOREO Luna device, it makes a lovely lather that rinses away easily, doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight and gets me ready to face the day.
AM: Step 2
Never one to pass up an exfoliating opportunity, I use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution after I wash (with a reusable cotton round, of course). It definitely gets the job done I don’t have to worry about scrimping because it only costs $7.
PM: Step 1
It took me about a year to finish my last bottle of Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, and its successor has made me very, very happy. It’s Retrouvé Luminous Cleansing Elixir, and it’s f*cking amazing. Just one pump of the oil-based, waterless formula easily removes every last trace of sunscreen, dirt and makeup while leaving my skin incredibly smooth and soft. (Stay tuned for a dedicated post about this incredible line that was created by the founders of Kiehl’s—because there’s so much to share about it.)
PM: Step 2
My life would be incomplete without a powder-based cleanser because I love the extra bit of gentle exfoliation these formulations provide. Even though I’m reluctant to jump on the celebrity-skincare bandwagon, I just got Pharrell’s Humanrace Rice Powder Cleanser and I love, love, love it. Packed with fruit AHAs, snow mushroom and geranium, the finely-milled powder creates a nice lather upon the addition of water, and my skin feels really clean afterwards. I also really like that it’s refillable.
PM: Step 3
I always wrap my evening cleansing routine up with a micellar water just to make sure my skin free of any lingering anything (including oil, makeup and pollution). I’ve tried so many but I always go back to Bioderma’s SensiBio because it works without breaking the bank. It’s gentle enough for the eyes as well—and provides a final clean sweep before I move on to my serums, moisturizers and oils.
