Skin Care Must Haves & On-Line Shopping Tips

For someone in my early 40's with oily skin that also has to deal with the effects of Melasma I wanted to share my skin care "must haves" that I depend on to help keep my skin clean, clear, wrinkle free & also keep my Melasma in check.

My first "must have" is the Clairsonic.  Unless you have been living under a rock you have all heard the rave reviews about the Clairsonic.  It's a little on the pricey side but well worth the investment and a staple in any skin care routine.  QVC almost always has the Clairsonic on Easy Pay which allows you to break it out into 2 or up to 5 payments, depending on which one you want.

I like to mix it up so in addition to my Clairsonic I also use Muslin face cloths.  You can use just about any brand but I prefer Pai Organic Muslin Face Cloth.  The Muslin cloths gently exfoliate your skin and leave it feeling clean & smooth.

Next up is cleanser.  I alternate my cleanser depending on how my skin is acting but lately I have been loving the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil.    DHC Deep Cleansing Oil works like a dream and removes excess oil, makeup, dirt and other pore-clogging impurities and its water-soluble.  I know, I know you are wondering why on earth would I use a oil on my oily skin but I have to say it is a fantastic product and my skin loves me for using it!

Every skin care routine would not be complete without a great exfoliator!  I have probably tried over 10 exfoliates and I always come back to Meaningful Beauty Superfine Exfoliant.  I use this at least twice a week and usually at night.  The exfoliant is formulated with a multi-crystal refining complex to gently exfoliate the layers of dead, dull surface skin cells to help reveal a fresh, radiant complexion which makes it another "must have" product.

Another exfoliator that I use is in liquid form and I use it in both my morning & night routines is the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant and it is a gem of a product!  The BHA in this product stands for Beta Hydroxy Acid and it's a little miracle ingredient if you ask me.  BHA helps increase collagen production and helps smooth the surface of the skin.  I know you can purchase similar products with more than 2% but 2% is really all I need since I am using it along with other exfoliant products so the 2% is the most beneficial for my skin.

For my daytime moisturizer "must have" I use DDF Ultra Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew.  This light weight moisturizer is perfect for my oily skin since it hydrates without causing blemishes or adding to my oiliness.

My last but certainly not least is Josie Maran Argan Oil.  I know, here we go again with adding more oil to my already oily face but trust me this stuff is amazing and does NOT contribute to any additional oiliness.  I only use Joise Maran Argan Oil at night as the last step in my nightly routine.  The oil absorbs into my skin fairly quickly and little goes a really long way.  Overnight the oil heals, repairs and conditions my skin.  Plus, as an added bonus you can use it for just about everything like hair, feet and nails.  Another little miracle product if you ask me!  I realize this might be a little pricey for some of you peeps but the 1.7 oz. bottle really does last a long time.  You can also look for it on the QVC website.  This is where I usually purchase it since they usually have it on Easy Pay AND the have special packages where they also include some of the other great products in the Joise Maran line.

So there you have it!  My "must haves" in my everyday skin care routines.  Have you tried any of these products?  I would love to hear your comments & any suggestions of products you are currently loving so be sure to post a comment below!!

Special On-line Shopping Tips: 
Tip #1:  Before you complete any on-line purchases ALWAYS do an on-line search for a "coupon code" for that product/website.  You can almost always find one for at least 10% or Free Shipping.  

Tip #2:  Also, before you make any on-line purchases check to see if they have the website on Ebates.  If you haven't already done so you must sign up for Ebates since it pays you to shop!  Yes that's right PAYS you!  For those of you not familiar with Ebates it is an on-line shopping hub with a million websites to shop from and they offer cash back just to shop through Ebates.  I know it sounds a little sketchy but I know first hand that it is the real deal.  Once set-up your account you can choose to have your cash-back payments sent to you via your Pay Pal account or have a check mailed to you.  I have my cash-back paid to my Pay Pal account and that way I can just transfer the money directly into my checking account.  Love it!