The Voice of Bates College Since 1873

The Bates Student

The Voice of Bates College Since 1873

The Bates Student

The Voice of Bates College Since 1873

The Bates Student

Skin Care Routine of the Week: An Honest Account

Full disclosure, my skin care routine is average at best. I’m not too great at washing my face consistently, especially when I come home from a night out. I shower at least once a day, and always apply lotion and moisturizer following. That said, I won’t make a seperate trip to the bathroom to wash my face when I really should. But, I have found that Neutrogena makeup remover wipes or Burt’s Bees wipes are super helpful when I’m running low on sleep and rushing to an 8am!

When I do wash my face, I use the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser, and Kate Somerville Glow Moisturiser, both of which I love. The good thing about the Milky Jelly Cleanser is that when I’m travelling, I can use it not just as face wash, but as body wash too! I have also started to use the Glossier face mask duo once a week to make sure my face has some extra hydration. I usually leave my study spot earlier than normal on Sunday or Monday nights to treat myself to a long shower followed by a facemask and some full body hydration. A Sunday night pamper session always leaves me feeling refreshed and loved.

Separate from my face care routine, I have struggled with very bad eczema for about 7 years now. I am from Australia, and the traveling back and forth on planes certainly doesn’t do wonders for my skin because the air on planes always makes my skin extremely dry. I’m also an avid skier and ski racer. All these activities put my skin through a lot of different wet and cold climates which irritate my skin and can cause itching and infections.

So, to control my eczema, I’ve used and tried just about every product out there, from goat milk products to steroid ointments. After trial and error, I finally found a cream from Australia called QV Flare Up Cream, which helps to reduce inflammation and dryness on areas like my hands and back. Coupling the Flare Up Cream with my prescribed steroid ointment (which helps with infected areas which need fixing and isn’t preventative care) has really helped me control my eczema. But, even though I found the right product, the Flare Up Cream doesn’t work unless I consistently use it and give areas of my skin that are normally dry the attention they need everyday (before they become itchy and dry).

Finally, I deal with hormonal acne once a month. Although I’m not very self-conscious of it, I have found the aloe-based Elf acne stick helps reduce inflammation. It’s very soothing and easy to use! I also have used the Kate Somerville Acne Solution which is good for pimples that look infected. I tried the Glossier Acne Stick and it didn’t work for me, which is unfortunate because I love most of their products. But products aren’t always the answer: personally, different types of birth control result in different levels of hormonal acne. Most importantly, I’ve learned it’s imperative not to irritate the skin where my hormonal acne comes in, which is mostly on my chin.

I love my skin regardless of whether or not I’m as caring towards it as I should be. I know that if I don’t wash off my sweat after a workout, it will come back to haunt me in pimple form the next day; I know that if I don’t keep my skin hydrated, my eczema will only get worse. As I get older and more responsible, I think my skin care routine will only continue to get better and, therefore, so will my skin!

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