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All through high school and college I didn’t take great care of my skin. I wore a ton of makeup and bleached my hair out. I rarely washed my face (other than the shower) and never washed my makeup off at the end of the day. I rarely wore sunscreen and usually suffered immensely for it. I know, I KNOW! It’s absolutely horrible! I was just plain lazy!

We all know how important skincare is, though. Whether you wear makeup or not, your face comes into contact with so many other substances throughout the day (other skincare products, pollutants, microbes, dirt, sweat, and dead skins cells). If you have oily skin, you can suffer from more breakouts. If you have dry skin, your skin will look drier and more dull. If you’ve got normal skin, you’ll have a little bit of both. Our skin repairs itself at night, and if our pores are clogged by makeup or pollutants it can cause uneven skin tone and a deepening of wrinkles. While we all know how important skincare is, it’s up to us whether to do something about it or not! Finally in my mid-20’s I started taking better care of my skin.

Winter has come a tad earlier than I expected in the Northeast and my skin is starting to suffer for it. I’ve got dry, cracked hands and lips. My skin is becoming so dry. Below you’ll find some of the best products I’ve experienced to keep my skin looking and feeling fresh throughout the year! Remember, your skincare regimen is an important part of self-care!

Shower Essentials:

I use the Revitalizing Shea Scrub 2-3 times per week to really remove those dead skin cells from my body. It makes my entire skin feel silky smooth…and it smells absolutely amazing!

The shea wash is what I use on a regular basis during the dry, wintering season. It keeps my skin appropriately moisturized and hydrated. This too smells amazing!

This body scrubber is the absolute best! I usually find it at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx in the health and beauty section. Ever since I discovered these a couple years ago I cannot go without them! If you don’t have a Marshall’s or TJ Maxx near you can certainly pick them up from Amazon here! Yes, you’ll want to make sure you don’t run out of these!

Post-Shower Essential:

Another product I use post shower a few times per week to keep hydrated is the Mary Kay Satin Body Whipped Shea creme. I tried looking on their website and they don’t seem to carry it anymore. 🙁 They do have have a satin body lotion which I might have to try when my creme runs out.

Face Essentials:

This stuff is magic! This has been the best skincare set I have ever had. It keeps my skin free of acne and my face feels amazing and looks amazing the more I keep using it. When I fall off the bandwagon, this set gets me back on track and I can start to see results after 1 day of use! You get the cleansing gel, the blemish control toner, the acne treatment gel, and of course the moisturizer. The travel kit is $20 which I think is a steal. The travel kit alone lasts me 2-3 months when I use it on a daily basis. A little bit goes a long way! I keep the entire box on my bathroom vanity. If I need to travel (which I just returned from a work convention) then I’ve got the perfect travel kit that will pass through airport security!

For those of you like me who are lazy when it comes to washing off your makeup before bed, these cleansing cloths are magic! You can easily remove your makeup while brushing your teeth with these! No face wash, water, or wash cloth necessary, yet you’ll easily remove the day’s makeup, dirt, and grime.

Right before bed I like to apply this night cream to my face and neck after I’ve washed it. I go to bed and wake up feeling refreshed and my skin absolutely glows!

Lip Care:

I have always used lip balm my entire life. I don’t think anyone in the Northeast can survive the winter without it. The one problem I was having though, was that despite my lips being smooth and hydrated, I still experienced cracking around the outside of my lips often. It seemed that no matter what I did, nothing really worked. Then someone recommended a lip scrub. Now I honestly thought that a lip scrub was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard of. I was skeptical at first, but thought I’d give it a try. I was desperate! And low and behold, they were right. Lip scrubs are amazing! If you think about it, you’re washing your face daily to remove dead skin cells. Lip scrubs act the same way. It removes all of the dead skin from your lips so that your chap stick or lipstick goes on smoothly and even (it usually tastes good too!). Your lips are better able to heal and retain moisture when you apply the lip balm (which is super smooth). With this set, you save $2 than if you bought them separately.

Dry Hands:

This lotion is my go-to daily hand lotion. It’s fragrance-free and keeps your hands moisturized around the clock! I’ve tried many other hand lotions that were too watery and left my hands drier, were too “chalky”, or had a slight fragrance that left me slightly nauseous with repeat use. It’s great for those who work in a fragrance-free environment or are sensitive to fragrances!

This stuff is the most amazing product if your hands are dry beyond repair. It’s “heaven in a bottle”. Working in a hospital and washing your hands constantly can certainly wreak havoc on them. A little bit goes a long way (I’ve had my bottle for over a year). It seals in moisture, soothes irritated skin, and helps repair your dry cracked skin.

Not only is skincare very important for the health and wellbeing of your skin, it can also be therapeutic. It is necessary self-care. When you are feeling run-down and your skin and face start to look tired due to overwork and stress, one of the first things you can do is start taking care of your skin. By taking the time to care for your skin you can slow down your daily “madness” a bit. You may even start to love your skincare regimen!

We tend to enjoy taking care of ourself as we start to see positive changes that make us look and feel less run down. By focusing on self-care during your morning and nightly routines, it can help you recognize other self-care you made need as well (more sleep, more “me time” to de-stress, less time in front of the TV or scrolling through social media, etc.).

Now I want to hear from you! What are your favorite skincare products that keep you feeling and looking amazing!?!?