Who wants gorgeous skin? I do, I do. *raises hand with excitement!*
Who wants a glowing complexion? I do, I do, I do. *Jumps off the chair with excitement!*
Who wants to work hard for it? *rolls eyes and walks away*
I feel you chicas! I can sugar coat to say that healthy skin requires minimal effort.. but y’all know it’s a lie. Nothing worth having comes easy and I can totally vouch for it. I am blessed with decent skin (thank you mommy and daddy!) and as expected, it made me complacent. It’s human tendency to take advantage of something that never complains. So what did my skin do? It started making a fuss by losing its glow and acting dull. I took notice, was mad for sometime then got my act together and decided to give it lots of TLC!
Healthy skin is a reflection of our habits that include nutrition , water intake and skincare regime. In this post, I’ll be discussing my skincare routine along with the products I use during winters (you know winter time = dry, parched, flaky skin.. which mean some extra love). I have normal skin type with some intermittent dryness and these products work great for me. Please note that the products listed may not have the same effect on you. However, the routine is universal and anyone can follow it by tweaking the products. I highly highly encourage all of you to start (if not already) putting in a little more effort because healthy skin, no matter your skin type, is possible 🙂
p.s- continue reading till the end. I have few close-up pics to add some visual credibility 🙂 (I promise they are not too scary). Click on the image to shop for the products.
Cleanser
A cleanser should never make your skin feel taut or dry. If it does, it is too harsh for you. This is a great mild/gentle cleanser and claims to be 96% natural (yay!). Top ingredients – carrots, aloe vera and shea butter. Yes, I am sold! 😀
Serum
Are they worth the money? Yes, absolutely! In simple terms, serums are extremely lightweight moisturizers concentrated with all the good things your skin needs and penetrate deeper to deliver the ingredients. Here is a great article. I have mild pigmentation on my cheeks and chose this serum because it’s primary ingredient is vitamin C, known to brighten and smooth the skin. Definitely seen some improvement 🙂
Eye cream
I have always had dark circles under my eyes. For a very long time, it made me super self conscious. And then I was introduced to the world of concealers! 😉 But hey, that doesn’t mean you should not use a good eye cream. The area around the eyes is extremely sensitive and needs some extra moisturizing.
Moisturizer
What is the one product your skin needs the most during winters? Moisturizer, moisturizer, moisturizer! If nothing else, definitely invest in a good moisturizer.
Argan Oil
This is my holy grail product! It does exactly what it claims – hydrate and nourish skin, hair and nails. This oil is even beneficial for acne prone skin. I whole heartedly recommend the Josie Maran brand. You can read more about the general benefits of argan oil here.
Sunscreen
Yes, you need sunscreen even when you can’t see the sun! If you need convincing, read this. During AM, I skip the moisturizer and apply the sunscreen on top of the argan oil. I like the one by Clarins as it does not leave a white residue behind(don’t you hate when that happens!) and has SPF 50.
Face mask
I love face masks. A girl gotta pamper herself! There are so many face masks in the market for every need/problem area. Do a little research and find the one that best meets your needs. The ones I love are listed below-
I absolutely love Origins mask! It’s super hydrating and has been my go-to mask this winter. I apply it atleast twice a week and always wake up with soft and smooth skin. 🙂
I reach for this mask for some deep cleansing. It refreshes and brings life to my skin:)
If you are still with me, you go girl! 🙂 I know there are a million products listed in this post, but trust me all it takes is 10-15 minutes of your day. Women do so much for everyone around them. Why not channel just 10% of that energy towards yourself? After all, if you are not going to be your own champion, who will?
Do you guys have any tips or tricks up your sleeve when it comes to skincare? I would love to hear them in the comment section. – Love, M
18 comments
I know what I am going to try next 🙂 Thanks M for sharing your routine with us.
You are the sweetest!! <3 Have a great week!
Great post!
The Body Shop’s vitamin e moisture cream is also very good. They say it works well with dry skin but I have oily skin and it still goes well. I use it as a base whenever I apply make up!
Thanks Harini! I am so glad you stopped by 🙂 Oh yeah the vitamin e moisture cream is pretty awesome! I did use it for sometime though I didn’t know it works for oily skin as well! Yay for sharing! Have a fantastic week <3
No wonder you have such a glowing skin.:) Love all the products you listed in the post. 🙂 These days I have a more organic-based beauty routine. Everyday, I take about 10 mins to spray a toner mist, apply serum, eye cream, moisturizer lotion and sunscreen and pop on a lip balm. And I totally agree with you, all it takes is just 10 minutes of my day. Haha!
Thank you for sharing! Have a great day, love! 🙂
Thanks alot Kavya! You are very kind 🙂 You have definitely nailed the skincare routine!I want to incorporate a toner in my routine but cannot find a good one! Natural/organic products are very gentle and great for the skin. Hope you have a great week ahead 🙂
You look fabulous!
Thanks alot Val! Hope you are doing great 🙂
Really informative. Can you share some info about the frequency and method of application of these products?
Thanks Anam! Glad you liked it. I apply the products (except the masks) twice a day. Keep a gap of 10-20 seconds between applications to allow the previous product to sink into your skin.
Order of applying products (lighter products need to go under the heavier ones) –
AM : Cleanser, serum (you just need a small amount), eye cream, argan oil(alternatively moisturizer if your skin gets too dry), sunscreen
PM : Cleanser, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, argan oil
Masks –
Origins mask is an overnight mask so I skip all my other products (PM) on the days I apply it(twice a week). Apply this mask the way you would apply a face cream. Wash it off with the cleanser in the morning.
Caudalie mask is an exfoliating mask. So wash your face with the cleanser, then apply this mask for sometime (10-15 min). After it dries out, just wash it off and continue with the normal routine i.e apply the usual products.
Hope this was helpful! Let me know if you need any other information 🙂 Have a great week!
Love the tips. I so need an under eye cream. Been ignoring that for the longest now. Good going girl. 🙂
Thanks love! haha I too started using an eye cream couple of months back and it definitely definitely makes a difference 🙂 Have an awesome week ahead <3
Haha.. firstly I love your style of writing! 😀 You look so happy in all the pictures and you have great skin! You know from the time I’ve consciously begun taking care of my skin,I have to say one thing that’s made a hugeee difference is a vitamin C Serum! They’re god sent 😀 Love this routine, thanks for sharing Monika!
Thanks alot Swati! This is one of the best compliments ever:) You made my day! Oh yeah vitamin C serums are the bomb..I am so glad they are working well for you too. Thanks for stopping by and hope you are having the best time in India! 🙂
Hey Manmeet,
Awesome blog! Not sure you’d know, coz ur skin looks flawless, but I was wondering, do u know of any products/remedies for blemishes, acne marks/redness ?
Thanks alot Sunitha! I definitely don’t have flawless skin but it’s alright 🙂 I have heard that tea tree oil(pure as well as products made with it) is beneficial for acne prone skin/blemishes. It has antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic products. You can check out the Body Shop range of products. Click heree. Also, products with salicyclic acids are recommended.Click here for the article.
I would definitely recommend doing some research around it or getting expert (maybe a doctor) opinion. I hope this is helpful! Have a fantastic week 🙂
Your Skin in Flawless – I have not tried many Fresh products but will def look into the eye cream!
Aww thanks Kamana! I liked the Fresh eye cream. It does not exactly work for dark circles but is extremely moisturizing! If you ever try, do let me know how you like it. Have a great week <3