My Evening Routine - T.A. Nieman

*Photo Credit: Photo by Duncan Lauer*

In this blog, I want to talk about the end of the day routine. I feel like this is the most important step of your day, especially if you wear makeup. If you do not properly cleanse your skin to get all the makeup off...well, welcome to acne city!

Your skin needs the breather from all the stuff you put on it, or walked through, during the day. This is your opportunity also to use things that don't work well under makeup, but that your skin needs.

Step 1: Get that makeup off!

You can use a makeup wipe, or regular cleanser, but about a year ago I discovered a different way of cleansing. The first thing I do now just to get the makeup off is use an oil based cleanser. It has a way of just melting off all of the foundation, concealer, primer - and most of them are even safe to use on your eyes.

My favorite of any that I've tried is a brand you can get at Target (also you can find on Amazon and Ulta).

Derma E - Anti Wrinkle Cleanser:



Not only is this totally safe to use on your eyes, but I swear just moderately rubbing this on your face and you will literally see your make up come off. It has added benefits of vitamin A and glycolic acid.

Vitamin A is usually used to help offset extra pigmentation on your face, but can also help to normalize oil production and leave your skin more balanced.

Glycolic acid is like a miracle cure for so much. On the surface of your skin, it helps to create a gentle exfoliation, clearing up black heads and blocked pores.

I think both of these working together is what makes this my favorite. The glycolic acid ensures literally everything comes on.

Now, does that mean all of my eye makeup comes off?



Not entirely, but the next tip is one to remember.

Step 2: Micellar for the win!

Remember when micellar water came out a few years ago and everyone jumped on the bandwagon? Well, I still use it today. But not as a cleanser for my face, but only to get my eye makeup off. It is gentle on the eyes without having to rub, and some of the options out there have some added protectants for your eyes.

REMEMBER: The skin under your eyes is the thinnest on your face. Be gentle in cleansing your eyes. Use the oil cleanser and then the micellar water and then nothing else. Be extra careful in cleaning.

I love micellar water, but let me be clear. I have tried multiple types of micellar water and they all basically work the same. I've never seen any work better than the other, so my tip to you here is find one that has added stuff in it your skin needs, or is the price you want to pay, and stick with that.

TIP: Don't be fooled into thinking because it has a fancy label it's better than drug store.

Here is my favorite micellar water:



When using this product, make sure to put it on this type of cotton pad:



Pat dry your face lightly after the oil cleanser and wipe off your eye makeup softly. Get under your eyes carefully, but make sure you remove all of your eye makeup (including your mascara).

Now, since this is my nightly routine, the next thing I do is my anti-aging/anti-wrinkle and increased moisture steps. Most of these things I cannot use under makeup, but they are wonderful at night.

Step 3: Clean the surface!

In the AM routine I talked about the Aveeno face wash. I will use that if I run out of the below:

ROC - Daily Resurfacing Disks: (Dual Sided)



This has so many added benefits. First of all, it's dual sided. One side is a gentle exfoliator, and the other side is the soft lather. I love using this, because my face feels so soft afterwards.

The biggest con of this is it's hard to find. I haven't found any local stores that carry it, so I have to purchase on Amazon - which is not always in stock. So, when I'm out of this I will default back to the Aveeno.

Step 4: Serum, serum, serum

I always use a serum. There are so many to choose from in this category. I'm going to give you my favorites, but experiment with these. Find what your skin needs. Before I give you the ones I use, here are some general rules of thumb when picking a serum:

Combo: Serums that contain vitamin C or hyaluronic acid are your best bets. Because you have both oily and dry skin, it's best to chose something that will work for both.

Acne-prone: So many things can cause skin to break out. Unfortunately, it could be hormonal, nature or what you are putting on your face. It may take some experimentation to find what works best for you, but I always suggest at least a hydrating serum that contains hyaluronic acid. That helps to dry out oil patches, and should help decrease breakouts.

Sensitive: This one can also be tricky, because the sensitivity could be from many things. Rosewater is generally easy on the skin (and we've talked about the benefits of that already), and of course, hyaluronic acid is a must.

Oily: This is similar to the advise above for combo skin. The vitamin C and hyaluronic acid is always a good choice when oil is involved.

Have we seen a pattern? Hyaluronic acid is essential for all types of skin, so really it's about finding the one that works with your skin the best. Be wary of products that use a high percentage hyaluronic acid; those can be damaging to your skin. The product only needs to have 1% in it to be useful.

Now, because I have combo/aging skin, I actually use two each night.

Under eye treatment: The Ordinary - Caffeine Solution:



I only use this under my eyes. The caffeine actually reduces inflammation around your eyes, making those bags much less visible. It's a very light serum, and I hardly even notice that it's on - I can't stand the ones that feel thick, or make my face feel wet for hours.

SIDE NOTE: Please check out all of the rest of the products from The Ordinary! I have not used anything bad from this company, and their prices are amazingly low. Seriously! You spend $6 on a bottle of serum that will last you 6 months - and is one of the best things out there? Yes please!

The next one I use on the rest of my face, avoiding the undereye area.



This is also light weight, and provides extra nourishment to my skin. Of course it's a wrinkle fader (that's a word, right?), but it helps to trap moisture on your face.

With these steps, your skin is cleaned and moisturized, with a blockade to stop the moisture leaking out.

Step 5: Go to bed!

You can go to bed comforted that in just a few steps, you have beautified your skin.