What is my secret to healthy, glowing skin?

It’s a combination of things that I am so excited to share with you in today’s post!  I get asked about my skincare routine often and while there are a combination of things I do, at the end of the day, I really feel that it all comes down to the food you eat.  What you put into your body directly impacts everything – including your skin.  So if you’re eating a diet high in sugar, additives, caffeine, alcohol, and dairy – and your skin is always breaking out – well then it’s time to re-evaluate what you’re eating.  Simple changes like eliminating those items majority of the time, drinking enough water, and eating healthy fat will turn your skin around within days – I promise!  Here are all of my skincare secrets, tips, and tricks!

Diet

As I mentioned above this is #1 most important contributing factor to the way your skin looks.  Eating healthy fat, staying hydrated, and cutting back on sugar, artificial flavors, and dehydrating things like caffeine and alcohol are key.  While some say coffee is good for you, I personally find that it doesn’t work for me and completely dehydrates me, gives me stomach pain, and actually raises my anxiety/cortisol levels. I love matcha but even matcha was making me feel anxious, so I limit it to once a week!  

Moisturize

I am constantly sent different products to test out every single week.  I love rotating products and am always down to try new things – especially if they’re all natural – which many new products are starting to be!  At the moment, I have these products on rotation; La Mer eye cream and Sisley face cream (any of Sisley’s face creams are amazing – I particularly love this heavy duty anti aging one (a celeb favorite) or the hydrating booster.)  I’m also obsessed with any moisturizer from L’Occitane (they use high quality ingredients and are super affordable – I’ve used their Divine line for years and love to travel with their Aqua line.)

Water

Every morning I splash my face with cold water.  Cold water stimulates the blood flow in your skin and reduces pore size.  It also wakes you up and is so refreshing!  I then lightly dab my face in a towel – I never rub that creates wrinkles!!!!!  I also try and carry around a Swell bottle and drink from it religiously.  If I feel dehydrated I add a pinch of pink Himalayan salt into it – salt attracts water so it instantly hydrates you!  This is great to do after an intense yoga session, workout, or hike.

Cleanse

I don’t use a cleanser when I wake up in the morning which is probably bad but whatever it’s what I prefer!  I like just a simple splash of cold water!  At the end of the day, I use Simple makeup wipes to remove my makeup – they’re so gentle and really take everything off.  I’ve heard makeup wipes are terrible for you and have been urged to stop using them because they pull your skin and don’t fully clean it, but I haven’t found a cleanser that I like that removes eyeliner!  After my wipes, I use this milk cleanser to really get the makeup wipe film off and deeply clean – it makes my skin feel so soft and supple after.  I’ve heard amazing things about the GOOP cleanser and apparently it does remove all eye makeup – so I will be testing that and report back!!!  

Exfoliate

I have been using this Dermalogica exfoliator for 7 years.  It’s gentle and makes my skin feel so smooth.  I use it in the shower 2-3 times/week – never more.  Exfoliation is important, but I don’t think we should be doing it everyday since it is abrasive.  

Face Oil + Lymph Drainage Massage

Every morning I use a face oil – either the Indie Lee face oil, The Buff face oil (my new favorite!) or Mara face oil.  I put a drop of it in my hands and rub it all over my face, then I use this Clarisonic Uplift vibrating tool to do lymph drainage on my face – if you already have the Clarisonic you can just buy this massage head.  This helps me de-puff my face, chisel my jawline and also allows the product to seep in deeper.  I use face oil at night rather than moisturizer before bed.

Face Masks

I have tried tons of masks and my two favorites are; Sisley Black Rose mask and Tata Harper Resurfacing mask.  The Sisley mask is 1000% worth the money.  It really is.  It’s just incredibly hydrating and will make your skin feel INSANELY soft, dewy, milky…and it lasts for a long time.  The Tata Harper Resurfacing mask basically deep cleans your skin and washes away any dead skin so that you’re left with a super clean, seamless, glowy palette.  

Serums, Toners, Face Mists

I use these things sparingly as I like to keep my routine and products short and concise.  Also, I add these items in when I’m feeling extra dehydrated or depleted.  I love SKII Facial Essence, Olga Lorencin toner, L’Occitane face mist, and have heard THE BEST things about this Drunk Elephant Vitamin C Serum – seriously like 10 girlfriends have raved about it to me.

SPF

This Supergoop sunscreen is my favorite face sunscreen and I apply it everyday pre-foundation and post moisturizer.  My Cle de Beaute concealer has SPF in it which is great – and crucial for the sensitive under eye area!

Facials

Surprisingly enough, I do not get facials very often.  I adore them and feel so pampered when I do, but I either don’t have time or don’t make time to get them!  I go a few times a year to different places.  In LA I see Olga Lorencin (Jessica Biel and Halle Berry’s facialist) who is very knowledgeable and really takes the time to evaluate your skin, and then I go to Heyday – which is also in NYC, and focuses on clean/all natural beauty products!  The decor in there is to die for – and you’ll for sure want to buy everything in their shop!  

Blemishes/Pimples

I get a handful of pimples a year and they are always from either eating too much dairy + sugar or touching my face when I travel.  I do eat dairy and sugar from time and time – I’m not completely a clean eater and hate being overly strict with myself (a girls gotta live!), but I really try to be 80% of the time since I want to look and feel my best.  Traveling is so tricky because the plane air is dehydrating, your skin has to adjust to new air and climates, and there are germs everywhere.  I got a huge pimple on my cheek on our second to last day in Italy from all of the above and was sooooo annoyed!  Luckily, my girlfriend who I was traveling with taught me the best tricks.

First, wait to pop it until it’s really ready and only do so with clean hands.  Then, dab eye drops on the spot since it reduces redness.  Finally, cover it up with concealer, then foundation, then a dab of powder to seal it.  This works wonders on hiding it and within 2 days it was gone completely.  If you do suffer from frequent acne or breakouts, I highly recommend not only evaluating your diet, but looking into PCOS and a hormone imbalance.  

Cosmetic Procedures

I’ve never had a cosmetic procedure/botox/plastic surgery on my face but I am totally open to it if I feel the need someday.  I would absolutely get botox in my forehead since I have a ton of expression in my forehead when I talk!  I’ll share the experience if and when I do because I think it’s all quite fascinating.  My girlfriend who is 35 and has gorgeous skin, uses the Nuface device religiously. It’s an at home system/device that is clinically proven to reduce wrinkles, tighten and tone – so a great option if you don’t want to go the cosmetic route.

Makeup

I have always used Giorgio Armani foundation in shade 6.5, and recently added the Cle de Beaute concealer into my routine which helps tremendously with dark circles.  I set my face with the Laura Mercier translucent powder (also adore this Chanel one) and use the Charlotte Tilbury highlighter on my cheekbones. Recently, I tried the Hourglass Ambient Lighting blush which is soooooo pretty on.  It blends beautifully and really makes your skin pop!!!

I hope you learned a few things from this post :)  I will add and update things as I try them too!  This weeks Wellness Wednesday giveaway is 10 of my favorite skincare products worth over $1000.  To enter this giveaway; follow me on Instagram and like/comment on 3 of my photos, follow me on Youtube, subscribe to my newsletter, and leave me a comment below telling me your holy grail skincare product!  Winner will be emailed directly this Friday at 6PM PST!