Get Ready With Me: My Quarantine 2020 Skincare Routine

Aside from being stuck in quarantine, how are you, really? 

Hopefully this new video gives you some new skincare inspiration since we all need to take care of ourselves just a little more during these uncertain times. Whether it be throwing yourself into your hobbies, picking up a new hobby, exercising, reading, or even investing a little more time in your skin, take care of yourself. By doing so, we can become better versions of ourselves. I hope and pray that when this is all over, we come out just a little bit better than when it first started and are able to help each other as we rebuild.

As for me…

Well, I’m rebuilding. It seems April is when things happen in my life with a short prelude in March. I digress — short doesn’t even cover March. March was one massively long prelude that climaxed quickly not too long ago.

But here I am, rebuilding, refocusing, and reworking some plans since COVID-19 rattled them a bit.

I have plans to disappear, but that isn’t anything new to this blog! Haha! Don’t worry though; I’m not disappearing completely since you’ll see posts from me…

Anyway, this is one helluva introduction to a breakdown of my skincare routine. I’ll shut up after this PSA:

Be sure to check in on your friends and loved ones during this time. Be there to listen and know when to draw the line so that your energy or their energy isn’t zapped. Stay connected while staying at home. And be kind to yourself. Always be kind to yourself and people around you.

1. First thing’s first: She wakes up. Yawns, gets cuddled aggressively by her tiny dog, drinks half a litre of water, and stretches.
2. She — wait, why am I talking in the third person? I wander into the bathroom, turn on some music, and do my thing. 
3. I double cleanse using Farmacy’s Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm. Oh man, I love massaging this into my face regardless if it’s my morning or night routine. It’s a peaceful part of my routine. If you’re a first time double cleanser, make sure to massage this in, then take a little water to emulsify it so it removes any makeup and oil from your face. After that, use warm water to remove the balm.
4. To complete the double cleanse, I use either Cetaphil’s Daily Cleanser or Goodal’s Tone-Up Cleanser.
5. Now, let’s add moisture back to my skin. I start by applying Belif’s Moisturizing Eye Bomb around my eyes FIRST. I have a bad habit of forgetting my eye cream, so I put that on before toner. Do you have to use eye cream? Not necessarily, but I know my eyes are always tired and overworked, so I like to give back to them.
6. And now I tone to prep the skin, to bring it to a pH so that my skincare products will be absorbed properly. Lately I’ve been using Thayer’s Unscented Witch Hazel Toner. I alternate between that and COSRX’s AHA/BHA Toner so that I can get some chemical exfoliation in.
7. And now we add some more moisture! I’ve been using Fresh’s Black Tea Kombucha Essence and loving it. I didn’t know until recently (although I should have realized it) that it has some chemical exfoliation, too, since kombucha turns into lactic acid on skin.
8. Once that’s absorbed, I mix a 1:1 ratio (sometimes 2:1) of The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum with Sunday Riley’s CEO Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil and pat that into my face. Vitamin C has been a staple in my skincare routine for as long as I can remember. It provides my skin with the antioxidants it needs to fight off free radicals. Niacinamide was a recent addition, and I’ve noticed it made the biggest difference in my skin. It brightens and evens out my skin tone so I look like a baby’s butt! (Not my words haha. One of the aunties from church said this.)
9. And now we add on the final layer of moisture: Cerave’s Moisturizing Lotion. Nothing much to add here. It’s just a good overall moisturizer that’s perfect for my semi-sensitive combination skin!
10. You thought we were done? No. I always follow up with sunscreen even if I’m indoors or if it’s overcast and rainy out. I’ve been using Neutrogena’s Clear Face Sunscreen Lotion with SPF 55 for the past year and am happy to report I haven’t experienced any breakouts or whitecast from it. I get a little oily in my T-zone, but it’s not more than the usual. I’m a happy camper now that I’ve finally found the one for me!

1. I use the Thayer’s toner in the evening. No need to exfoliate twice in a day.
2. I use retinol one to two times a week and only in the evenings.
3. I’ll throw in a face mask — sometimes sheet, sometimes clay if I feel like my skin needs a little extra love.
4. Sometimes I do masks in the morning, too… If I do a sheet mask, I don’t use another essence. If I do a clay mask, I’ll follow up with essence or use a sheet mask if I have time.
5. I, of course, don’t use sunscreen at night.