skincare routine

Yes / Almost / No / Not Anymore

~ Michele Raiyne ~ 3 Comments

I started my beauty story here back in 2015; below is a summary of my must-haves (I don’t have many; a product must provide great results to make this list), favorite repurchased beauty products that provide great results (yes), particularly bad products (no), those that are close to being favorites (almost) and ones I will no longer purchase (not anymore). For reference, I have oily/combination skin that is prone to congestion, breakouts and hyperpigmentation. My hair is dry, thin and frizzy.

No:

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. Drying. Not much improvement.

The Ordinary Suncare. Heavy and leaves a very noticeable white cast.

Drunk Elephant Slaai. Waxy and irritating. Used on my hands as an overnight treatment and my hands were so dry in the morning.

Abnomaly Petrowhat? Drying. No improvement.

Going blonde ruined my hair. Ended up having to cut about 8 or 9 inches of damage.

Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser. Does not cleanse or rinse well.

Must-Haves:

Follizin Hair Renew Leave-In Hair Masque. Improves frizz, silkiness, softness and moisture.

Your Best Face Skin Care Quench. Antioxidant lip treatment hydrates, protects and heals dry cracked lips after only a couple applications. Rose Otto seems the most moisturizing.

IPL/Photofacial. Improves sun damage, hyperpigmentation, scarring, blemishes, redness and aging skin.

Briogeo Blossom and Bloom volumizing spray. A lot of volume. Extends hairstyle and wash day.

Retin-A. Improves acne, scarring, texture and fine lines (review coming up).

Favorites:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade and brush No. 12. I still need practice, but with this, eyebrows look full and natural.

Mixed nylon/boar bristle brush. Distributes oils. Removes dust, debris and static.

Got these scissors from Amazon. Great for trimming my bangs while the salons are closed. I found a great tutorial on YouTube from A Model Recommends https://youtu.be/EArJrHbbFrA

Boar bristle dry brush for daily body exfoliation.

Keratin straightening treatment. No frizz. Silky, healthy hair (review coming soon).

First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser. Smooths skin and improves redness and bumps.

The Chemistry Brand Heel Chemistry. Hydrates and softens skin on the feet. I use in conjunction with KP Bump Eraser.

Cosrx Blackhead Power Liquid. Took a while to see results, but improved blackheads and texture.

Klairs Toner Mate Cotton Pad. Particularly love the sponge cotton pads for applying products with a thin formula.

Amarte Daily ExfoliPowder. Gentle daily exfoliation as a second cleanse or morning cleanse on its own. Improves texture.

BioBliss Lash Serum. Thicker and longer lashes.

The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics. Layer with toner or water for hydration and plump skin.

NIOD Sanskrit Saponins. As a mask and cleanser, improves texture and oiliness. Skin feels smooth.

Kopari Coconut Deodorant. Fantastic odor protection. I wonder if I can layer with Drunk Elephant’s Sweet Pitti which is really good at absorbing sweat.

Drunk Elephant TLC Happi Scalp Scrub. Exfoliates the scalp. Hair feels lighter and has more volume. Makes a good exfoliant for the face as well.

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser. Removes makeup and sunscreen. No residue or irritation.

Almost:

Laneige Cream Skin. Moisturizes really well. Leaves a layer over the skin and I’m not sure that other products penetrate as well or as fast (review coming soon).

Etude House Sunprise UV Protection. Light weight. No white cast. Enhances dry patches and mixes with thin foundations.

Drunk Elelphant Sweet Pitti. Really good at absorbing sweat with applications throughout the day. Odor protection could be better during activity and when out in hot weather.

Not Anymore:

Your Best Face Skincare Balance. Was a must-have, however, with a reformulation, this no longer functions to absorb oil. The previous version stopped shininess and gave a matte finish to the skin. I no longer had to use blotting papers and this prevented foundation from moving around throughout the day.

Akita Hand Cream. This, too, was my must-have. After a recent purchase, something changed in the formula and it is no longer anywhere near as hydrating and leaves an almost dry feeling on the skin as it is rubbed in.

Thank you for visiting.

Skin Care, Hair Care and Makeup Routines

~ Michele Raiyne ~ 2 Comments

I store my skin care, hair care and makeup on Ikea Raskog carts and wheel them into my closet. This keeps products out of humidity, temperature changes and light in the bathroom.

Below are my routines using some favorites, finishing up others and adding in some new products to try out and review. For reference, I have oily skin prone to breakouts, blackheads, large pores and hyperpigmentation. My hair is frizzy, dry and damaged. I like natural-looking makeup.

Morning Skin Care Routine:

  1. Mask and cleanse with NIOD Sanskrit Saponins.
  2. Tone with Soon Jung pH 5.5 Relief Toner.
  3. Mist with Caudalie Grape Water and pat in The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics.
  4. Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid every second day.
  5. Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel.
  6. Saturday Skin Waterfall Glacier Water Cream mixed with The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder (every second day).
  7. The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30.
  8. Your Best Face Skincare Quench Lip Treatment.

Evening Skin Care Routine:

  1. Double cleanse with The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser and Biossance Squalance + Tea Tree Cleansing Gel.
  2. Exfoliate with Amarte Daily Exfolipowder.
  3. Tone with Soon Jung pH 5.5 Relief Toner.
  4. Mist with NIOD SDSM.
  5. Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel.
  6. Treat with Retin-A.

Morning and Evening Neck Skin Care:

  1. Cleanse as above.
  2. Mist with Caudalie and Marine Hyaluronics.
  3. Dior Capture Youth Age-Delay Advanced Creme mixed with L-Ascorbic Acid.
  4. Biossance 100% Squalane Oil.
  5. Add suncare in the morning.

Evening Lip Care:

  1. As-needed lip scrub with white sugar, L-ascorbic acid, The Ordinary Marula Oil.
  2. Marine Hyaluronics.
  3. Quench.
  4. Squalane oil.

Weekly Skin Care Routine:

  1. Steam.
  2. Foreo Luna 2 for combination skin.
  3. Choice of mask/Foreo UFO.

Shower Skin Care:

  1. Dry brush before shower.
  2. Cleanse with Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash with salicylic acid.
  3. First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA.

After Shower Skin Care:

  1. Mist with Akita Rose Water mixed with L-ascorbic acid.
  2. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration.
  3. Biossance Squalane Oil.
  4. Christophe Robin Intense Regenerating Balm with Rare Prickly Pear Oil on extra dry spots; knees, elbows, heels.

Shower Hair Care:

  1. Wash and condition every 5 days with Briogeo Banana + Coconut Superfoods Shampoo and Conditioner.
  2. Scalp massaging shampoo brush.
  3. Every couple weeks wash with Briogeo Scalp Revival Micro-exfoliating Shampoo and deep condition with Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask.

After Shower/Styling Hair Care:

  1. Alterna Haircare Caviar Anti-Aging Clinical Densifying Leave-In Root Treatment.
  2. Shea Moisture Strengthen and Restore Leave-In Conditioner.
  3. Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil.
  4. Every couple weeks Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector.
  5. For styling, Briogeo heat protectant cream and Blossom and Bloom Volumizing Root Powder.
  6. For my bangs I use Redken 05 Dry Shampoo Paste to absorb oil and add texture.
  7. As needed Redken 02 Dry Shampoo Powder.

Makeup Routine:

  1. Smashbox Primer Water.
  2. Altilis Beauty BFF Foundation.
  3. First Aid Beauty Bendy Avocado Concealer.
  4. Becca Under-Eye Brightening Setting Powder.
  5. Becca Hydra-Mist Set and Refresh Powder.
  6. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette Unlocked.
  7. Morphe 9T Neutral Territory Artistry Palette.
  8. Benefit Eye Bright.
  9. Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade.
  10. Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara.
  11. Nudestix Magnetic Matte Lip Color.

Thank you for reading.

Summer Skincare Essentials

~ Michele Raiyne ~ Leave a comment

Skincare products I use to keep my skin protected and to prevent burns, breakouts and hyperpigmentation in the summer.

summer skincare

Just this summer I’ve started using the Natural Sunscreen Spray by Canadian company, Boo Bamboo.

The natural sunscreen Face Stick by Badger is convenient for kids to use and I use it on my lips.

Another sunscreen I’ve been using for a long time is the Sunforgettable mineral powder by Colorescience. It’s convenient and easy to reapply over makeup and other skincare.

After finishing Medik8 CE-Tetra, I’ve been using YBF-Skincare’s CE Concentrate that uses a 12% vitamin C trio.

To absorb excess oil on my face which gets more oily in the summer and is more prone to breakouts, I use YBF-Skincare’s Balance. This goes over other skincare products really nicely and can be reapplied throughout the day when needed. This product is one of my must-haves.

In the summer I don’t want to use a body lotion or cream that I would use in the fall/winter, and for the past few months I’ve been using Canadian company Deciem’s Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Body Mist. This is a contiuous spray mist that smells lightly of lemons. This spray doesn’t last long in the 150 mL size container, but is worth the money and I usually buy it in threes.

Not quite a skincare product, but essential in the summer is a good deodorant. After finishing Akita’s rose water natural deodorant roll-on, I found Canadian company, Routine, that makes Routine Cream, quite an effective natural deodorant with many scents and four different formulas to choose from.

Skincare Routine

~ Michele Raiyne ~ Leave a comment

It’s been a little over a year since I posted my skincare routine, so it’s time for an update.

morning routine
morning skincare routine

  1. Cleanse with Brad Sea Minerals Purify Healing Detoxifying Gel Cleanser.
  2. Tone with Your Best Face Uplift Toner Mist.
  3. About 4 to 5 drops of Medik8 CE-Tetra, let absorb for 2 minutes.
  4. Your Best Face Balance. This is for oily skin and absorbs oil throughout the day instead of using blotting paper.
  5. Colorscience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush SPF 50 in medium. I like this so much better than a lotion sunscreen.
  6. Michael Todd Knu Anti-aging Facelift Cream. I only use this on my neck.
  7. Your Best Face Quench Lip Treatment.

night routine
nightly skincare routine

  1. Cleanse with Brad Sea Minerals Purify.
  2. With the cleanser still on my face, I use the Foreo Luna 2 for combination skin on the cleansing side.
  3. YBF Uplift Toner Mist.
  4. Brad Sublime Youth Creator Radiance Concentrate followed by the Luna 2 on the anti-aging side.
  5. Micheal Todd Knu on my neck.
  6. YBF Quench.

weekly routine
weekly routine

  1. Two or three times a week I exfoliate with Your Best Face Prep Microdermabrasion.
  2. About twice a week I use a clay mask. I’ve been switching between Your Best Face Clarity Matcha Mask (mixed with Wedderspoon Mauka Honey and Bee Venom), Michael Todd Kaolin Clay Detoxifying Facial Mask and Herbivore Botanicals Pink Clay Exfoliating Mask.
  3. Once or twice a week I exfoliate with Michael Todd Wild Berry Exfoliating Peel.

Daily and Weekly Skincare Routines

~ Michele Raiyne ~ 1 Comment
Daily Morning Skincare Routine
Daily Morning Skincare Routine

I have oily, blemish prone skin with hyperpigmentation. My morning skincare routine consists of:

  • Step 1: Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser over face and neck.
  • Step 2: La Vie Celeste Restorative Illuminating Toner over eyes and neck.
  • Step 3: Michael Todd Blue Green Algae Antibacterial Toner over face.
  • *Toners applied with Delon+ Cotton Rounds.
  • Step 4: ZO Medical Glycogent over face.
  • Step 5: ZO Skin Health Olluminate under eyes and over eyelids to brow bone.
  • Step 6: La Vie Celeste Day and Night Restorative Face Cream over neck.
  • Step 7: Your Best Face (YBF) Balance over face.
  • Step 8: Colorescience Sunforgettable Topical Sun Protection Powder.
  • Step 9: Your Best Face (YBF) Quench Lip Treatment.
Evening Skincare Routine
Daily Evening Skincare Routine

My evening skincare routine consists of:

  • Step 1: Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser over face and neck.
  • Step 2: Cleanse with Clarisonic Mia with Deep Pore Cleansing Brush.
  • Step 3: La Vie Celeste Restorative Illuminating Toner over eyes and neck.
  • Step 4: Michael Todd Organic Lemon AHA + DMAE Toner.
  • Step 5: ZO Skin Health Olluminate under eyes and over eyelids to brow bone.
  • Step 6: La Vie Celeste Day and Night Restorative Face Cream over neck.
  • Step 7: Your Best Face (YBF) Quench Lip Treatment.
Weekly Skincare Routine
Weekly Skincare Routine

On Wednesdays in the evening after steps 1 and 2 above I add in:

  • Your Best Face (YBF) Prep Exfoliant.
  • Michael Todd Kaolin Clay Detoxifying Facial Mask.
  • And continue with Step 3 and onward as above.

On Sundays in the evening after steps 1 and 2 above I add in:

  • Nano Ion Home Facial Steamer.
  • Your Best Face (YBF) Prep Exfoliant.
  • Your Best Face (YBF) Clarity Green Tea Mask mixed with Wedderspoon Raw Manuka Honey & Bee Venom and YBF Private Reserve Antioxidant Treatment Oil.
  • And continue with step 3 and onward as above.

If my face feels dry at any time I add a couple drops of the YBF Private Reserve Antioxidant Oil to my face.

In subsequent posts I will go over each product individually and why I use it. I have also purchased a couple other products to try that I will add in soon.