My Daily Face Routine

I know you guys have been waiting for me to post my face routine, so here it is! First of all, let me tell you a little about what type of skin I have. I have very sensitive skin. And I have acne. Usually by the end of the day, the areas around my nose are the oilest, so I either have to blot or retouch my makeup. Most of my acne live on my chin and I'll occasionally get them around my nose too. I also have a lot of dark spots on various locations on my face due to scarring from the pimples. I didn't really have any pimples when I was in high school, but since two years ago my face has erupted with volcano spots. You see, I get the huge under-the-skin ones that stay uninvited for weeks, sometimes even months. In high school I used Proactiv and it seemed to work, but for some reason I stopped using it. Maybe it stopped working. I don't really remember.

Then one day, I was looking up on Youtube for acne solutions, when I came across a brand called Lush. People raved about their facial products and the wonders it did for their acne, so I immediately went to Lush's website to see if they had any stores around me. And yes, there it was, in San Francisco. I went to the store the same day and grabbed Fresh Farmacy, Tea Tree Water Toner, Vanishing Cream, Sweet Japanese Girl, and Mask of Magnaminty. I used these products for about two months, but I could not continue using Fresh Farmacy as it burned my face. Then I resorted to Coalface, but it seemed to dry out my skin too much and caused my pimples to get worse. Ahh, and then there was Herbalism. Which did not work either.

I then resorted to the dermatologist, who prescribed me with Tretinoin topical and an antibiotic called Doxycycline Hyclate. After the second week on the Doxycycline, I got so sick. The first time I got nauseous, I threw up in class! After that I would get nauseous every time I took the pill, so I just couldn't take it anymore and stopped taking it completely. I really haven't felt the same since.

Then another day, I was looking in the Lush forums in the "Other Companies You Love" section, when I found Tval's skincare. My first order from Tval were mostly bath products, but I decided to order some samples of their skincare products. I got samples of the Deep Cleansing Oil, the Oil free Lotion w/ Strawberries and Salicylic Acid, the Raspberry Exfoliating Toner, and the Sweet Cheeks Face Mask.

Boy, did I see some improvements on my face! So I ordered full sized products, including the Cleansing Milk with Geranium.

This is everything I use in a day.

In the mornings I use:

Step 1. Deep Cleansing Oil with Mandarin and Cedar
I pump the oil in the palm of my hand and apply the oil to a dry face with my fingertips. I massage the oil all over my face, and then I rinse it off with warm to hot water in the shower. After showering, I splash my face with cold water. I think this step is very important because it helps close your pores and it tones your skin at the same time. Ever since I've been doing this last step, my acne has improved as well.

Step 2. Raspberry Exfoliating Toner
I pour some toner (only a squirt, a little goes a long way) onto a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face, concentrating on the areas that have more acne.

Step 3. Olay Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream
I take a dab of cream from the jar with my pinky finger and dab it on my upper lids and around my eyes.

Step 4. Oil free Lotion with Strawberries and Salicylic Acid
In the above picture, I show the full sized product, but the first time I only ordered the travel size with the pump. Since I find the pump more convenient, I transferred the lotion from the full size to the travel size container. I only use one pump and it's enough to moisturize my whole face.

Step 5. Makeup
I normally use the Bare Minerals foundation, but just a few days ago, I have decided to switch to the drug store brand that I used in high school. Since I didn't have any acne in high school, I am trying to see if this foundation will work again. It's the Neutrogena Microclear Foundation. It's supposed to prevent and treat existing acne, and so far so good.


At nighttime before bed:

Step 1. Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover
I use this to remove my eyeliner first before using a cleanser.

Step 2. Cleansing Milk with Geranium
The directions do not tell you to use it on a damp or dry face, but like the deep cleansing oil, I use it on a dry face. I use one full pump and massage it all over my face. I rinse with warm water, either in the sink if I am taking a bath or in the shower if I am showering.

Step 3. Sweet Cheeks Face Mask
I don't use this mask as a full face mask. Rather, I use it as a spot treatment. After showering/bathing I dab this clay mask on all my spots. Actually I just cover my whole chin and my nose. I keep the mask on while I am putting on body lotion and then rinse it off in the sink with warm water. After rinsing, I immediately splash my face with cold water. This mask either helps my pimples come to a head the next day or it completely stops the pimple from growing/forming. It takes a few days for the stubborn ones to go away, but with Sweet Cheeks, it definitely speeds up the process.

Step 4. Olay Eye Transforming Cream

Step 5. Oil free Lotion with Strawberries and Salicylic Acid

The last 2 steps in my nighttime routine are the same as the ones of my morning routine. Ever since using Tval's skincare products, my face has cleared tremendously and even keeps it glowing. My mom used to always complain about my acne, and she's been complimenting me on how much better my skin looks. When your face is clear and smooth, your makeup even goes on smoother. If you use concealer it's even better as it doesn't leave that dry, flaky residue on top of your pimple.