A Chemist Answers All My Questions About Clean Beauty

I’m always one to be open to trying new products to see how they can benefit my skin. If it doesn’t work, I simply move onto the next product. If I ever come across something that works extremely well, I’ll add it to my list of must haves and will usually not steer away from that product unless I happen to stumble across a better working product. ESTĒE LAUDER - Advanced Night Repair Limited Edition ESTĒE LAUDER - Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Crème For my skin care routine to keep my skin hydrated, I’ve consistently been using Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night repair and their Revitalizing Supreme+. These two have worked great in keeping my skin hydrated which helps keep my dry skin away and whenever my skin is more hydrated, I look younger. These two also have great anti-aging affects on your skin, and you can really see the difference after a few applications. Your lines and wrinkles start to disappear after a few application, that along with the more hydrated skin really makes your skin feel amazing. The Revitalizing Supreme+ creme is non-acnegenic, so it doesn’t clog my pores and helps me reduce my acne. This works great with the advanced night repair because that serum is oil free. I’ve always had acne prone skin, so using these two has helped my acne and even helped reduce breakouts. I highly recommend these two products if you have acne prone skin, dry skin, or have dehydration. These two products go hand in hand and will work wonders for anyone with similar skin issues as me. Results may not show right away, but constant application will show great results!

Absolutely do not over-exfoliate! Over-exfoliation can disrupt the skin barrier function by just simply breaking down too many skin cells and disrupting the moisture content on the epidermis. Often times, especially people with oily skin and acne prone believe exfoliating is going to answer all their acne problems, and go on scrubbing 3+ times a week or using an exfoliating mask too often. This is actually counter intuitive for acne as if can actually make you break out more, and it can create sensitivities you dont need. How do you know you’re over exfoliating? If your skin lets you know. Yes, very confusing, but the reality is some people can actually tolerate more acids and scrubs than others, and the best way to figure out how much your skin can take is to incorporate little by little, one product at a time. If your skin is going red for prolonged periods of time, or tingling, even burning, for long or for the entire duration of having the product on (ie. With a mask) you’re probably overdoing it. Another way to prevent over exfoliation is just knowing when to stop. If your skin is happy and glowy and not breaking out, you may not need that new glycolic acid mask, adding an exfoliating mask to your regimen may just tip the scales into skin barrier disruption and dehydration! Be careful with exfoliation!

Sunscreen is the last and most important part of my AM routine. It protects skin from UV rays and prevents uneven skintone, dark spots, and aging from sun damage. I make sure to re-apply it every 2 hours even when it’s cloudy/rainy! That being said: This tinted moisturizer is my favourite SPF!! It's perfect for my oily-combo skin. The slight tint gives a sheer coverage and evens out my skin tone a little, and the matte finish keeps it from looking greasy. It’s easy to blend and absorb into skin due to its light texture. I still apply moisturizer beforehand cause I feel like it's not enough to moisturize my skin but overall I’d say this one is sooo worth the try!

Georgette Klinger and Cherie gifted these products to me so I could review them honestly! I have been using them for ten days now, and I have thoughts to share! I supplemented this routine with a moisturizer, spf, and eye cream, as well as hydrating masks every three days. Pre-Information — I’ve used many vitamin c products in the past, and my skin likes the ingredient! I have combo skin, which is sensitive and acne prone. I also have rosacea, which makes my skin red, especially when using actives. Every product here has fragrance and all the products smell like an orchard (it’s strong!). If you are sensitive to fragrance, keep that in mind. GEORGETTE KLINGER - Vitamin C Cleansing Gel 6.7 oz I like this cleanser, and I don’t usually reach for gel cleansers because they tend to be fairly stripping. This one is gentle and doesn’t dehydrate my skin on impact; I use it as a second cleanse at night following an oil based cleanser. It doesn’t irritate my skin, but kind of soothes it instead — which is a lot to ask for from a cleanser. Not the best for daytime use for me, I find that in the mornings my skin is better off with water + toner. Three stars because it smells like dollar store hand soap and I cannot ignore it. GEORGETTE KLINGER - Vitamin C Toner I think it’s an okay toner! I don’t like the dispenser at all, because product comes out fast and it’s hard to control. The viscosity of the toner is pretty thin, but my skin feels smooth after application. It sinks in fast and isn’t sticky! I use this with a reusable cotton round and it preps my skin nicely for the rest of my routine. It’s not really a “special” product for me, and I’m the kind of person who wants skincare routines to be ritualistic and also make me feel good on the inside, so I’ll have to pass on repurchasing. GEORGETTE KLINGER - Vitamin C Complex This might be one of my favorite vitamin c serums! It’s a little tacky, but sinks in faster than some serums I’ve used, and once you apply a moisturizer, the tackiness disappears. It’s pretty gentle and I didn’t experience any discomfort, tingling, or excess redness after application. I really like the packaging on this, and it’s an easy product to slip into your routine. GEORGETTE KLINGER - Vitamin C Mask This is my favorite product out of the four! I LOVE the packaging — pump top for a mask? Revolutionary. The pump makes getting product so easy, and you can control it easily. The texture of this mask is like a thick smoothie, and it smells good, too. I noticed my skin becoming brighter when I use this for a midday pick-me-up. I can guarantee that I’ll run out of this one first. Overall, my skin looks GOOD. I can’t tell if it’s just because of my cycle, or if these products did wonders for me (ten days is a short time to tell I think). I did notice some dehydration towards the five day mark, but overall my skin looks better!

In my opinion, all skin is sensitive- but people with particularly reactive skin have to take extra caution, especially when you have a condition like eczema (hey fam!) and rosacea. Personally, I have combination sensitive skin and eczema, but nowadays my skin is pretty normal. Here’s some tips to follow when building your basic skincare routine... • Don’t: Jump into a ten-step routine. Overwhelming skin with so many products can easily aggravate sensitive skin, while also making it harder to figure out what one is irritating your skin. Take your time. • Do: Iron out the basics! Before introducing serums, make sure to find a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen combination that gently nourishes skin. Avoid exfoliants in these so that they’re a safe fall-back if your skin starts flaring up. My favourite sensitive skin cleansers are HOLI FROG - Tashmoo Water Lily Nourishing Milky Wash and PAULA'S CHOICE - RESIST Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser , as they cleanse without stripping skin of protective oils. My go-to sensitive skin (and all skin) sunscreens are PAULA'S CHOICE - Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 (mineral) and PAULA'S CHOICE - YOUTH-EXTENDING DAILY HYDRATING FLUID SPF 50 (chemical). • Don’t: Use products with fragrance, alcohol, or essential oils. Alcohol is drying and can weaken the skin barrier, your skin’s defense against environmental damage. Fragrance and essential oils not only have a high chance of irritating skin, but also oxidize upon contact with the air, releasing free radicals that break down collagen. Avoid these. • Do: Incorporate antioxidants. Antioxidants battle environmental aggressors, neutralize free radicals, soothe skin, and calm redness. These and a good sunscreen are going to be your best combination for calm, youthful skin! I utilize a couple drops of The Ordinary - Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3% on mornings I forgo vitamin c, but I also enjoy the silky texture of PAULA'S CHOICE - Retinol Super Antioxidant Serum for a gentle, moisturizing retinol that is also loaded with antioxidants. • Don’t: Try to smother skin into submission. Piling on layers of the heaviest cream may provide temporary relief, but it can lead to congestion and acne, which will only inflame skin more in the long-term. • Do: Combine fatty acids, ceramides, peptides, and/or hyaluronic acid treatments to repair the skin barrier, promoting moisture retainment in multiple levels. Layering different types of hydration/moisture from thinnest to thickest is better for your skin and will promote healing the root cause versus treating the symptoms. I love combining PAULA'S CHOICE - Resist Anti-Ageing Omega+ Complex Serum and NIOD - Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex underneath my moisturizer to hydrate + nourish my skin and reduce frequency of my eczema flare-ups.