Does Showering Count As a Hobby?
And other skincare favorites
Today’s letter is sent in partnership with our friends at Violet Grey, in honor of their 20% off BEST OF BEAUTY event.
If one thing is true about me, I’m consistent. Consistent with my beauty routine, and consistent with my love and admiration for Violet Grey and the expertise behind it all.
I have fan girled over Violet Grey for years, so it feels extra special to be partnering with them now. Out of all the PR I receive (I tried to make this sentence read less obnoxious, but no real way around it), it’s the packages from Violet Grey that always feel the most surreal.
I’ve struggled with my skin for as long as I can remember. I’ve been in and out of dermatologists, experimented with a round of accutane in my early 20’s, and underwent extensive trial and error with much of the skincare on the market.
Finally! My skin is in a good place! So I’m excited to share a rundown of all the products in my routine, almost all of which are stocked at Violet Grey, and almost all of which are 20% off, starting today (including the incredibly splurge-y clinical-grade, at-home laser I recently added to my routine).
I keep things fairly simple. For reference, my skin is sensitive, dry, and acne-prone. My main goal is to avoid a perioral dermatitis flare up, and keep my skin looking as even and nourished as possible. Not to say these recommendations will only work if you have similar skin, but felt this was worth noting! Most recently I’ve been wanting to target discoloration and increase collagen production.
Morning:
A brief morning routine: I rinse with water and do a very abbreviated facial massage with The Super Intensive Face Oil, following it up with Westman’s Skin Activator*, focusing the application under my eyes. I have repurchased both products at least 5x over, which I feel like is worth mentioning.
If I’m feeling extra fancy, or extra desperate, which is most days lately if we’re being honest, either one, I’ll reach for these Cryo Depuffing Eye Masks, and 10 minutes later look like I got at least an extra hour or two of sleep. If only they could make me feel that way too, but I’ll take a win where I can. The full facial masks are great too. I first found the masks at the store on Melrose Place, when I stopped in for recommendations ahead of my wedding. I left the store with those masks and Susanne Kaufman’s Eye Cream.
A natural base:
I keep my makeup minimal, mostly because I don’t like the feeling of heavy makeup, but also because 1. most of my day is spent at home and 2. I want to keep it quick.
I’ve been open about my disdain for sunscreen, and have shamefully admitted that it wasn’t part of my daily routine. I can’t stand the feel, look and smell of nearly every sunscreen on the market. But that all changed when I tried The Rejuvenating SPF 30 Primer, developed by dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon, Dr. Antony Nakhla. It feels like a silky serum, and has a faint tint to it, instantly evening out my complexion. There’s no white cast (I feel like people say that all the time and it’s always a lie, but I promise). It acts as at least 3 products in one: a serum, SPF and a tinted moisturizer. On minimal days, this could easily serve as the only step in your routine. I love this stuff.
For extra coverage under my eyes and on the sides of my face, I use the Essential Face Compact* in sable, although I have to admit that it might be time to switch to the creme shade. It’s that time of year, sadly. I apply it with the Buffer Brush*.
If you leave here with a second takeaway…it’s Victoria Beckham’s Contour Stylus. Another multifunctional product, I use the shade marble as lip liner, contour, and eyeshadow. The shade travertine also makes for a beautiful eyeshadow. The product is creamier and more bendable than you can probably imagine.
For blush, I’ve been using Ami Colé’s Cream Multistick in deep dune, a soft, earthy neutral. I finish it all off with a coat of my favorite mascara, in le brun, a little lip balm, and lip liner (02) and we’re good to go.
Night time:
I’m a double cleanser girl, triple even, if I have the option. And I’m a sucker for a good cleansing balm. If you wear SPF (my subtle flex, now that I do), and makeup, a cleansing balm is a gentle way and effective way to ensure you’re getting everything off. You don’t need to go in with a second cleanser, but because I’m crazzzzy (🤪), I follow it up with this. I had been on the hunt for a good, simple cleanser and am happy to say I’ve finally found mine. If I have nothing on my skin from the day, I’ll skip the cleansing balm and just wash with Sofie Pavitt’s cleanser.
Now back to my most recent obsession, Eighth Day. After cleansing, I use the Resurfacing Tonic, which gives me the same clean sensation and serotonin boost as an old-school toner. It helps to remove dull skin, reduce hyperpigmentation and pore size, and fights wrinkles… What more could you ask for? But really. And it’s somehow gentle enough that I’m able to use it daily. After applying this product I instantly notice a brighter, smoother, more even complexion.
I follow it up with the Regenerative Serum. In a clinical trial, 100% of users agreed that this serum smoothed fine lines and wrinkles and left skin firmer and tighter after four weeks…so ya, sign me up.
I’m a Rich Cream Girl through and through. I don’t want to know how much money I’ve spent on this product over the last 5 or so years, but I’m happy to share it’s included in the sale. Because I’m a bit precious with this stuff, I only use at night or pre special occasion makeup.
Bodycare:
The other day in the shower, I realized my hobby is...taking a shower. What do you like to do in your free time? I personally like to take a shower.
I’m proud to be a bar soap girl (who’s with me?). I also notoriously love a cleanser that has some grit to it, leaving me feel squeaky clean. Enter, the Nudist Exfoliating Bar, a two in one, cleanser and exfoliator. On the topic of good scrubs, I also love this one.
This sale is the perfect time to stock up on the deodorant I can’t live without, specifically in the neroli and basil scent. I’m ultra picky when it comes to scents, and this one does it for me every time. It smells natural, not overly fragrant and is described as “captivatingly calm”, and I would have to agree. Petition for them to make the body wash in the same scent.
Speaking of scents, this is hands down my favorite candle*. I’m realizing I’m partial to calming, forest adjacent scents? Boring, but I actually care a lot about the type of candles I burn in the house, and stray away from most due to the paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances. So I extra love this one for its 100% natural and plant-based wax.
You may have already heard me praise this body balm, but it’s worth re-mentioning. If you’re looking for an extremely extra experience, find yourself someone who will give you a foot massage with said balm. Absurd, I know, considering this stuff is basically liquid gold, but yes I’m suggesting to use a face-grade, anti-aging product that lifts and firms, on your…feet. At least once. The texture is unlike any other lotion I’ve tried, and leaves you with the most beautiful satin glow.
I’m also a fan of The Sculpt Arm Compound, which visibly tightens and sculpts the skin on your arms.
If you’re looking to be transported somewhere cozy and mountainous, via a bath, this is the product for you*. It’s made with minimal ingredients, and a little goes a looong way. I also love the packaging and it looks great in the bathroom.
And for all the Nécessaire fans, their products are also included in the sale.
Because this is a safe space, I’ll admit that I rarely wash my own hair. Some people like a glass of wine or a cocktail a few nights out a week. I like to get my hair washed, preferably followed by a blow dry. I realized I now justifying nearly everything by the fact that I don’t drink, but I’m afraid we’ve reached a point where the justification no longer works. Anyways, I do have a few hair products I’m passionate about. Mainly from Crown Affair: their hair clips, dry shampoo, leave-in conditioner and the infamous towel. I’ve recently started incorporating this to combat my postpartum hair loss, and on the days I do wash my hair, I use this hair brush when wet. I have the airwrap and wish I could say I was a fan. Instead, I prefer this. It’s easier and quicker.
Lyma Laser
The newest addition to my regime, the Lyma laser, which is considered by many to be the beauty breakthrough of the decade. I’ve held off on in office lasers because of the pain, commitment, and downtime, so I’m so excited to be able to incorporate this clinical strength, pain free laser at home. I had been looking into LED masks, but the laser technology of Lyma takes things a step further. It firms, reduces fine lines and dark spots, improves texture and tone, and calms rosacea…yes, yes, yes and yes. I don’t want to get too sciencey on you here, but the laser instructs existing cells to produce more proteins to fight free radicals, which leads to an increase in collagen and elastin. *They say* that you begin to lose collagen in your mid to late twenties, and I have certainlyyyyy been feeling that recently. I’m hopeful (fingers crossed) that the Lyma laser will make a difference. It’s too soon for me to give a full report on the efficacy, but these before and after photos speak for themselves.
And on that note, I’ll leave you with a few other gifts: a patent makeup bag in the perfect shade of red ($40, $32), an at home spa experience ($65, $52), the Mutha Glows Best set ($149, $119) and Augustinus Bader’s set of revitalizing essentials ($185, $148).
*denotes extra giftable product for this holiday season
PUHLEASE say more about your Lyma experience! I have been flirting with that product page for far too long…