Slow-Down Sundays: Night-Time Skin Care Routine

Ahhh, Sundays. The day when we can all slow down before Monday comes and, well, slaps us in the face. So today, I'd like to share with you all my new goodies that will be a part of my night-time skin care routine! (And most of them will also be a part of my day-time routine too). All of these were purchased from The Detox Market . 

Previously, I was using Ursa Major's Fantastic Face Wash, and while I loved it I wanted to be able to purchase all my skincare and make-up needs from one place. So I decided to try out Indie Lee's Brightening Face Wash. I can't give a review just yet (should I do one in the near future?), but I know that I've been loving the Squalene Facial Oil, also by Indie Lee. 

Next up, I purchased the Odacite Black Cumin Cajeput + Peach Cypress Duo as a booster for the Indie Lee Squalene Facial Oil. I've used these two products from Odacite before & I love it! It helps keeps breakouts away. You can either add 1-2 drops to your favorite moisturizer OR use 3-4 drops as an intensive treatment. 

The last product is NOT a part of my night-time skin care routine, but it is a part of my make-up routine haha! It is my trusty Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation. I'll do a separate post on my current make-up routine later on! 

Lastly, here is what I do step-by-step:

• Double-cleansing: I use this method to cleanse my face and to make sure that all traces of make up are gone. The first time around serves to take off make up, and the second time serves to get a deeper cleanse. That is why it's really important to me to find and use a face wash that won't dry me out.
• Treatment: after the double-cleanse method, I use which ever treatment product I feel like my skin is needing. I use Kypris Moonlight Catalyst 2-3 times/week (this is used night time only). And on other nights, I use Kypris Clearing Serum (which I ran out of - So now I will be switching to the Odacite Products). I think it will make the process easier too because I will be able to just mix it in with the third step, which is moisturizer.
• Moisturizer: I actually use an oil to moisturize. This may or may not surprise you because a lot of people think that using an oil product for an already oily or semi-oily skin will make it worse. That is actually NOT the case! I consider my skin as combination-oily (especially during the summer months), and I have found my skin to become more #balanced after switching to an oil as moisturizer. What you do have to be careful with is what TYPE of oil you use. If you have a skin type like mine, use lighter oils. This Indie Lee Squalene Oil is the perfect weight oil for my skin so I am lovin' it! 
• Spot Treatment: If I have a TERRIBLE pimple (and trust me I get them), I spot-treat with Tea Tree Oil. I just use a q-tip and dab it on those spots.  

There you have it! I love having a night-time skin care routine because it helps me slow down and allow myself a form of self-care.

What is your night-time skin care routine? I'd love to know! 

xo, Dorothy

Shop my favorite skin care products at the link below ;)

My Top 3 Favorite Face Masks - A Review.

IT'S FRI-YAY! Happy weekend everyone. I mentioned last week that I would post a review about my favorite face masks, and I'm so excited to talk about these because I've been using them for a while now & have been doing wonders for my skin (In addition to some other skin products, and the way I eat too of course). Here we go! 

1. One Love - Brand New Day Scrub & Mask: This scrub is a go-to for when I'm in more of a time crunch but still want to get the benefits of doing a mask and some exfoliation. The packaging gives you directions on how to use it as a mask vs. as a scrub. If using it as a mask, it says to leave it on for 10-15 minutes but I can usually get away with leaving it on for more like 5-10 minutes. In addition, what I like to do is to use it as an exfoliator once I'm washing it off. The "grains" or powder is fine and not abrasive (as with any masks/scrubs - go easy when working it in your skin!) It says it's good for clearing skin up, but for my skin, I know that this by itself will not keep my skin clear. But I would say it is something that can help. I love the packaging too because it gives you a guide on WHAT it's for, WHAT it does WHEN/HOW OFTEN you use it - all of the One Love products have them & it makes things simple and easy! It has a pineapple scent BECAUSE one of it's main ingredients is Pineapple fruit extract. Lastly, this is a kaolin clay-based mask and scrub which helps with pulling out impurities from your skin.
Tip: Mix with Greek Yogurt for a more clarifying mask OR with Raw Honey for a more hydrating mask.
Price: $39
Rate: 7/10 - Good for if you have a more sensitive skin AND occasional breakouts, OR to just maintain your skin.

2. Gressa - Dirty Pretty Things: One of my favorite things about this product is that it combines a power-house of all natural ingredients for a deep clean that my skin really needs. This is also a clay-based mask, but it uses Red Moroccan Rhassoul Clay instead. (TBH: I'm not a clay expert - I just know from reading online articles that Kaolin is better for sensitive skin, whereas Red Clay is stronger in a sense that it's more mineral rich and is able to pull more impurities out of your skin). I will tell you that this mask tingles a little bit (at least for me), but I'm not sure exactly from what Ingredient - I'm guessing the Neem and/or the Cloves. When I use this I tend to keep it on for 25-30 mins, and I do the same as I did when using the mask above - I gently work the product into my skin to get additional exfoliating effects. Price point wise, I think this is a great product that gives you the luxury of all natural ingredients + the benefits that come with it. I also think it will last you a long time since you really should only be using a mask once or twice a week! 
Price: $48
Rate: 9/10 - Good for those who have more pesky/troublesome skin, but make sure to follow up with a good serum and/or moisturizer! Get all the benefits of those minerals ;) Price-point wise, I think this is far superior than anything I would pick out from Sephora.

3. May Lindstrom - The Problem Solver: Alright you guys - now before your jaw drops at the price of this product please hear me out first. This mask if by far the LARGEST size out of the 3 I am writing about. Which means that I've had the same container for about a year and a half or so (that may be past it's "good until" date, but I made sure to store it well & I think it still works!). Anyway, this is my absolute favorite & is something that I will most likely have to wait to purchase again because it is a more expensive product. BUT! It is one of the BEST face masks that I have tried. Seriously - the name says it all. May Lindstrom's products (and I've tried most of her line), are heavenly to say the least, and this is not an exception. The Problem Solver really does solve my skin problems at least. I would say this mask if better for those who, again, have a more problematic skin (as I have - I really have to maintain my skin well to prevent those pesky breakouts). This mask tingles as well, just like the Gressa one, but that to me is just the product working. I would say the ingredients of this and the Gressa mask is somewhat similar (with the Red Rhassoul Clay as the base), but I would say this one has more "premium" ingredients if you will. It also contains cayenne pepper (say what?!) - which is to help get the circulation flowing for your skin. This mask is by far the longest one I keep on my face because its recommended time is 45 mins on. It's truly a ritual when it comes to using his mask - so I highly suggest this when you're having a little R&R and detoxing. If this is out of your price range (as it currently is out of mine :( - I'm going to have to save up for it!) I recommend the Dirty Pretty Things by Gressa which is half the price BUT is still similar. You can check the ingredients on each individual product by clicking on the links so you can compare!
Tips: Use this for when you really want to treat yo'self ;) Also for when you have a big event coming up soon, use this once or twice a week to keep your skin in check. 
Price: at a whopping $90 dollars, this is definitely a luxury pick - BUT I do have to say, it is one of THE BEST if not all time best, face mask that I have used. 
Rate: 9/10 - I would give it a 10/10 except it's not as budget-friendly for me.

Note: So as you noticed, one of the masks I talked about has a DUAL purpose of being a MASK + a SCRUB. So get a 2-in-1 product. Also, I try to use mostly #greenbeauty products (not all - I'm still having a hard time to completely transition to using ALL green products due to $$  and being in medical school). I guess you can say I try to be #greenbeautyish. Lastly, I'm always trying to find the best products for the best price, and I seriously consider skincare products as an investment. I've had acne for a long time and ever since switching over to green beauty products I have noticed a tremendous difference (compared to when I've been advised to take Accutane - I personally did not want to take it, but if that's your jam or if it helped you, more power to you!). 

I hope that this post was helpful! Do you guys want to see more about #greenbeautyish products and reviews? I honestly truly love them! 

xo, Dorothy 

DISCLAIMER: this post contains some affiliate links. (Read full disclosure here.) Thank you.