I have always found posts from bloggers and influencers about “My current faves” to be pretty confusing. They rave about a product they are obsessed with, and then the next month they share a new obsession. I have found it is hard to catch up with that. The constant product pushing I have never really identified with. But there are a few clean skincare products that I keep re-ordering time and time again. If I like it, you probably already know about it if you follow me on Instagram, because I share about them non-stop.
So, after giving it much consideration, I decided to share my current clean skincare favorites. Note that they probably won’t change in a long long time. So don’t expect another one of these blog posts any time soon. Maybe I’ll do other categories next, but for now, I’ll stick to skincare.
about clean skincare
And just as a reminder, I focus entirely on clean skincare. Even though that word is used a lot for green washing, I can’t seem to find a more accurate term for the products I use. For me clean skincare means that they don’t use any ingredients that could be harmful to our bodies or the environment. They may contain ingredients made in labs based of plants, natural ingredients like oils, and other ingredients from nature. I have tons of blog posts (well not tons, but like a lot) about clean skincare if you want to take a look.
cleanser
For step 1 on my am routine and step 2 on my pm routine, I like to use a cleanser. For years I used a harsh, over-drying, exfoliating cleanser everyday. It was the worst I could do for my skin and didn’t even know it. Herbal Dynamics Beauty Youth Refresh Hydrating Strawberry Antioxidant Cleanser (a mouthful, I know!) has been an instant favorite.
First of all, it is pretty common for me to break out while I’m on vacation. The change in food, water consumption and sleep that happen during a trip instantly show up on my face. I took this cleanser with me on my trip to Europe (pre-COVID) and it managed to keep my skin intact. I love how gentle and slightly foaming this cleanser is. It smells wonderfully of strawberries and it makes my heart happy. The one thing I would say about this brand that I’m not crazy about is the packaging. Mostly everything that are not oils come in plastic containers. I wish they would get rid of this packaging or offered a refill option. That would be incredible.
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how i use it:
After my oil cleanser, I apply a dime size dollop onto my skin and massage it in circular motions all over my face and neck. If I’m using my hands only, I make sure to massage for at least a minute. I have found this makes all the difference to ensure a deep cleanse. If I’m using a tool (see below) I just make sure my face has enough water throughout so it can get properly clean without tugging at my skin. I rinse with cold water and pat dry with a cotton or bamboo towel.
toner
It was hard to pick on toner out of the ones I have tried. I am a sucker for Rose water based toners and I have tried 2-3 that are good, however, Isabella’s Clearly Clearly TONE, 100% Pure Rose Water Facial Toner is my favorite. It is just magical. I wish I could bathe in it, honestly. It smells incredible and it calms my skin. Specially when I’ve been outside in the sun, it helps refresh it and make it feel alive again. This product, along with a few other come in glass, I wish they could implement this for their other products as well.
how i use it:
After cleansing, I do like 5-6 spritzes all over my face and neck and décolletage. I like to be generous with it because I like applying my next step with a toner-damp skin.
oil
My moisturizer of choice is an oil, almost all the time. I just prefer the application, the sensation and the result from using an oil over a moisturizing lotion or cream. The one I keep reaching for is going to be no surprise for a few of you, and that is Esteli Oro Rosa Nourish Facial Oil. For years now it has been the oil that I use and recommend to everyone. It was the first oil I ever started using when I switched from a moisturizer and it rock my world.
The biggest difference I noted when I started using this oil was that it helped to balance my skin. Before it had areas where you would notice the dryness and some others were so oily. I looked like a mirror. The blend of ingredients just make my skin super happy, moisturized and it doesn’t break me out at all. Esteli’s product come in these gorgeous green glass bottles and they look super chic on my shelf.
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how i use it:
On my toner damp skin, I apply making a massage throughout my whole face, paying attention to use upward movements. I glide it along my neck and décolletage as well. This oil is amazing to use with tools like Gua Sha or a facial roller.
eye cream
I don’t usually struggle with under eye dark circles, but I do struggle with puffiness and fine lines. So these are the main two things I want addressed from my eye cream. After trying several over the years, I have found one that has really made me forget about these issues. Which btw was something that I was so fixated on checking every time I did my skincare routine. Wake Skincare Eye Gel has been my go to in the past few months, and has been a product that my mom loves so much she now has switched her beloved Lancome eye cream for this (small steps people). You don’t need a lot and it glides so easily over the skin, making it feel refreshed and frankly, woken up.
how i use it:
After applying my oil, I pump maybe half a pea-size on one of my ring fingers and then use the other to spread it between the two, then start applying by tapping and gliding it under my eyes, then finish up with a little on the upper lid and inner corner of my eye (not in the eye of course). I let it absorb while I get my makeup out and maybe brush my hair or change in the meantime. Or if its nighttime, I just brush my teeth.
FOR LAZY DAYS
Even though I try to wash my face every night, there are just some nights where I don’t have the energy to go through all of my routine. Sometimes I just want to go to bed and before you tell me “ohh! but you can’t go to bed without removing your makeup!!” I know girl, I know. And so in the past I had a stash of makeup removing wipes on my bedside table, but only recently, I discovered the power that is micellar water. I had been meaning to try it I just always forgot I guess. My SIL was the one that introduced me to it and oh boy was I in love.
It removes makeup so easy, even mascara, and smells wonderful. Another super plus I have found is that it doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry at all. I found with makeup remover wipes that they where super drying and I had to tug on my skin to get all the makeup out, specially around the eyes, which is a huge no no. So yeah, I am in love with this option.
A bottle of Burt’s Bees micellar toning water now lives in my nightstand drawer, along with some reusable cotton pads for those days when I refuse to be on my feet for one more second. I have found it has been so useful to have them already there and ready so that I don’t find any excuses not to remove my makeup.
How I use it:
I pour a few drops of micellar water onto a pad and glide it all over my face and neck. Leaving it a few seconds over my eye area to dissolve the mascara and eyeliner then wipe and that has been such a useful tip. It might not the best way to not properly clean my skin this way but it works for the days when I just don’t feel like it.
LASH/BROW SERUM
This may not be part of every ones routine but it has been part of mine for as long as I can remember, even before I started with clean skincare. Even though my lashes are on the longer side, they have never been super bushy or thick. As for my eyebrows, they are basically inexistent, and my mom struggles with this very thing as well. So that is the reason why a lash and brow treatment has been an important part of my routine and honestly, it does make a difference. I love to use Isabella’s Clearly LASH lash and brow treatment. It is a blend of different oils, and let me tell you, has been the best of all the treatments I have used ever.
If I slack off I instantly feel like my lashes fall more, and my lashes don’t look as long, and my eyebrows disappear. After I start using it again I see the results after one night. That’s how amazing it is. It makes me not feel as bare when I don’t wear makeup because my lash and brows look like they actually exist.
how i use it:
I always apply as my last step on my night time skincare routine. I remove the excess from the spoolie, apply on my brows brushing them upwards making sure every hair is covered. Then I go over my lashes, maybe removing excess one more time to ensure no oil slips to my eyes.
TOOLS
Now, because I wouldn’t be me without my tools, I have to include them in here. And even though these are not something that you buy over and over again, I still wanted to include them. And because in my years of blogging I have collected a few tools, and some I just keep on reaching for often.
Qyksonic Cleansing device
This device has only been recently added to my routine but it has quickly become a staple. It gives pulsating vibrations that help cleanse your skin on another level. It is made of silicone which makes it super easy to clean. I noticed right away that after using it my skin felt super soft and even. Like it had just been exfoliated but without the harshness that involves doing that, specially on the daily. Now I use it every time I wash my face and it has definitely helped my skin look better. It has made such a difference on my pores, they are less noticeable mainly because I feel they are cleaner.
This device has two sides, a flatter side that is meant for cleansing and the curvy side, which you can use to massage your skin. This side also helps your products to penetrate the skin better. It feels lovely and I can tell it does help with product penetration.
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Nuovaluce micro current and red light therapy device
I have been using Nuovaluce for a good while now and I love it. It has interchangeable heads, one is microcurrent and the other is red light therapy. The microcurrent head has helped so much with my face feeling feeling and looking firm. My cheeks have always been on the bigger side but with the microcurrent head I feel they look more toned. The red light therapy head helps heal skin tissue and reduce wrinkles and fine lines. My fine lines are less pronounced, and has also helped with some sun spots that have started to fade.
I love this multitasking tool and most importantly that no side effects are involved. It shuts off after 10 mins of use automatically, so you don’t have to worry about overdoing it, which is a great feature. I usually just take it with me to bed at the end of the day and watch some TV or YouTube while I do it. I use it on clean face before I apply any products.
Things I’m missing
oil cleanser
I do like to do a double cleanse on my nighttime routine to ensure I remove all makeup and impurities from the day. Right now I have a few that I have been using that are ok, I’m just not sure that I am totally in love with either. I still have quite a lot of product so it will be a long time until I try some new ones. Essentially I’m looking for something that will dissolve the eye makeup without using too much force and with less strokes.
SERUMS
I am loving my “simple” routine but I feel like I need a good vitamin C and maybe a hyaluronic acid serum. Retinoid oils have also been on my mind but I need to do more research before I jump on that train. I have tried vitamin c in the past and didn’t notice any remarkable results so that is why I never bought any again. If you have recommendations I would love to hear them.
I thought about adding sunscreen on the clean skincare category but because I use tinted sunscreen I am going to leave it for the clean beauty faves blog post. One thing that I like about my clean skincare faves is that they are all pretty affordable but without compromising quality, which is something that is of course a must for me. What is the whole point of doing all the steps if they aren’t going to help your skin in any way.
