I have spent the past year perfecting my skincare routine so I can share my favorite skincare products you need to try out in 2021. I’ve always struggled with skin problems (acne, dryness, clogged pores) but it wasn’t until last year that I really started taking care of my skin.
Before getting into the products, there are a few habits I changed in my life. The first and probably the most important one is increasing my water intake. WATER IS SO IMPORTANT. Just by consuming more water, I found my skin starting to clear up. Along with drinking more water, I also changed my diet to a healthier one (still a work in progress) and tried to get the full 8 hours of sleep that’s recommended to get.
Other habits I’ve changed in my life was making sure I removed my makeup EVERY NIGHT before bed, and also sleeping with a silk pillowcase. In case you weren’t aware, sleeping with a silk pillowcase is said to help your skin stay healthy and can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. I found an affordable silk pillowcase on amazon that I love- you can check that out HERE.
Now to get into the good stuff- the skincare products I’ve been loving.
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Skincare Products You Need To Try Out In 2021
I’m going to share items in the order that I use them- starting with my morning routine and then my night routine, in the order of application. Normally I find affordable alternatives to things I’d like to purchase, but when it comes to skincare I don’t mind spending a little more if its a really good product. So with that being said- some items may be on the pricey side but I wouldn’t post them if I didn’t recommend them!
Morning Skincare Routine
1. Micellar Water / Milk Toner
Drunk Elephant Micellar Water
Kylie Skin Milk Facial Toner
Versed Hydrating Milk
I use one of these three to start my morning skincare routine, unless if I didn’t do my skincare routine the night before (it happens!), then I start with a cleanser. I read that there isn’t a need to cleanse both in the morning and at night because your skin is already clean from the morning. Once I minimized the amount of times I was cleansing my skin I did notice my skin improving acne-wise. The Drunk Elephant Micellar water is lightweight and gently removes makeup, dirt, pollution & bacteria from the face and eye area. This product is great for removing eye makeup because it takes everything off without stinging! Kylie’s Milk facial toner and the Versed Hydrating Milk are very similar to the drunk elephant- has a milky consistency and is hydrating for the skin. Both are great for sensitive skin and also help removed makeup/dirt. Tip: if you work out regularly, this is a must have for your gym bag- a quick wipe on your face after a workout will leave you feeling fresh and awake!
2. Serum
Bauer Beauty Collagen Peptide Complex
Inkey List Vitamin C Serum or TruSkin Vitamin C Serum
I came across an esthetician on TikTok who has a lot of videos on anti-aging products. I always thought anti-aging products were for people over 40 but turns out you should implement them into your skincare routine as early as at 25! Her company sells a Collagen Peptide serum and of course she posted about it in many of her videos so I decided to give it a try. After my milk toner I go in with her collagen peptide serum, followed by a vitamin c serum. The collagen peptide serum softens wrinkles and diminishes fine lines. It also increases skin collagen production and hydration, reduces pigmentation and decreases pore size for overall skin tightening. Vitamin C serum is great for brightening your skin so it doesn’t look dull. All these serums are lightweight and are super easy to blend.
3. Under Eye Cream
Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream OR Inkey List Brighten Eye Cream
After my serums I go in with an eye cream. At the moment i’m going back and forth between these two from Inkey List. Prior to trying these out I was using Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream daily! Also works really well.
4. Moisturizer
Tatcha Dewy Skin Moisturizer OR Drunk Elephant Polypeptide Moisturizer
A little on the pricey side, I know. If I had to pick between the two, I would repurchase Tatcha’s moisturizer over and over again. It literally feels like you’re putting silk on your skin. So smooth and easy to blend in! The Drunk Elephant moisturizer is a close second! Although the consistency is a little different and feels more like a cream than silky, it still helped moisturize my skin. I tend to go back and forth between the both of these throughout the week.
5. SPF
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF
I used to only wear SPF in the summer and on the beach. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered how harmful the sun really is on your skin. SPF should be used EVERYDAY and especially if you spend a good amount of time outside. When I started incorporating SPF into my skincare routine, I started using a drugstore SPF of 100. Wearing this SPF under makeup was the worst- it was hard to blend in, left my face white and just didn’t sit well with makeup. I tried the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen and never looked back at my other one. This Supergoop SPF is perfect for wearing under makeup because it’s actually clear and extremely easy to blend in. Highly recommend!
Nigh Skincare Routine
1. Cleanser
Drunk Elephant Jelly Cleanser, Fresh Soy Cleanser OR Olehenriksen Daily Cleanser
If been using this Drunk Elephant Jelly Cleanser for YEARS and have never had an issue with it. I love that it completely removes my makeup yet is so gentle on the skin. I received the Fresh Soy cleanser as a sample and love that it’s similar to the Drunk Elephant, so I switch on and off between the two. I recently picked up the Olehenriksen Daily Cleanser for the first time and absolutely love it! Because it’s made with orange fruit water, this product is great for dull skin. If I need to cleanse in the morning, this product is what I’m using!
2. Toner
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner
At first I was using the Thayers Witch Hazel Toner but was recommended not to use it. I was told that using too much of it will actually harm you skin and it could over-dry your skin. Since then I have switched over the this Ordinary toner and have been loving it! It’s affordable, helps calm the skin and is the perfect “prep” to your night time skincare routine.
3. Serum
Drunk Elephant Hydration Serum and Ordinary Niacinamide OR Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum
I noticed that using different serums at night than in the morning worked well with my skin. So at night I used the Drunk Elephant Hydration serum followed but either one of the Ordinary serums. Drunk Elephants’ hydration serum is by far my favorite serum- it’s so silky and easy to apply and it really did hydrate my skin. I switch back & forth between the Ordinary serums because they both work well and are affordably priced. The hyaluronic acid serum replenishes the top layers of your skin making it look smoother and plumper. The Niacinamide serum helps reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion. Both are great for all skin types, so I highly recommend these!
4. Under Eye Cream
Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream OR Inkey List Brighten Eye Cream
No need to go into this any further since It’s also part of my morning routine. Whichever one I used for my morning skincare routine, I use the other during my night time routine!
5. Moisturizer
Going back to that esthetician from TikTok I mentioned earlier, she also recommended this moisturizer. Again, I’ve been incorporating more anti-aging products in my skin care routine and this was a great addition. The formula reminds me of the Drunk Elephant moisturizer I mentioned earlier and it it’s full of vitamins that hydrates and smooths fine lines and wrinkles.
Although these are the products I’ve been using regularly, I also use face masks/treatments a few times a week as well. Let me know if you’d like any recommendations on face masks- I’ve tried many the past year for all skin concerns.
What are some of you favorite skin care products??
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