Day & Night

’m militant about skincare. I know many women who say that they only use moisturiser and are happy about it. I’m not one one those women. My skin was quite bad in my 20s. I blame it on partying hard and not eating well. But now when I’m 37, its better than ever before. For this I credit good products and the dermatologists who pointed me towards them. Because my skin is dry, I like to layer a serum, with a moisturiser, with an oil…you get the drift right? So here goes:

DAY:
Step 1: A creamy cleanser such as the REN Hot Cloth Cleanser. I hate using soaps on my face. If you have oily skin use a cleansing oil, but never soap.
Step 2: A Vitamin C Serum. It’s a necessity these days with so much of pollution. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, so if you smoke you need to eat and apply it on your face. The result: lesser pigmentation, redness, added glow, and softness. My favourite is the Skinceuticals C+E Ferulic, which showed results in just a few days. I use five drops.
Step 3: Moisturiser. I’m using the REN Ultra Moisturising Cream, but honestly any intense moisturiser will do.
Step 4: Day oil. Yup, oils are amazing and if you are over 35, you MUST use one. I was so happy when Kiehl’s introduced the Daily Reviving Concentrate, which is an oil you can use in the day. I use about three drops.
Step 5: Sunscreen. It’s appalling how many women skip this last step and then complain about bad skin. My all time favourite sunscreen is the VMV Hypoallergenics Armada Sport 70. It’s free of any harmful chemicals and doesn’t leave any white residue. My brother stays in Manila (where it’s easily available) and I ask him to bring it in bulk. But you can order it online too.

NIGHT:
Step 1: Creamy cleanser like the one above.
Step 2: A chemical exfoliater. I like to use retinol twice a week. The Dermalogica Overnight Retinol Repair comes with a buffer cream that makes this highly potent product (.5%!!!) super gentle on the skin. To clear my pores and prevent breakouts I use a product with glycolic acid once a week. My favourite are the Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Correcting Pads because they are so easy to use. Please be militant about sun protection if you use chemical exfoliaters, as they work like a mild peel on the face.
Step 3: Wait for five minutes after Step 2 and then apply a serum designed for the night. My favourite is Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair that shows results almost overnight!
Step 4: A thick cream. These days I’m using Creme de La Mer. It’s amazing because it moisturises, balances dry and oily patches, and clarifies the skin. It’s hideously expensive, so once this jar is over I will start using the Purearth Wild Rose and Seabuck Cream, which is as good but comes at a fraction of the price.
Step 5: Seal it all in with an oil. The Clinique Smart Treatment oil makes my skin feel baby soft in the morning and it doesn’t clog pores.