Snazzy title, right? 
Lack of title-creativity aside, I have three skincare products I use nearly every single day: Clinique’s Three Step System, St. Ives’ Invigorating Apricot Scrub, and MAC’s Microfine Refinisher.
I’ve been using Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion for years, but it wasn’t until last fall that I splurged for the whole system.
Amidst wedding prep stress, my skin started breaking out like it had in my teens so I immediately ordered Proactiv. I’ll be honest – it felt like napalm on my face, but I persevered hoping all that skincare warfare would pay off. It didn’t. I sent it all back (thank goodness for that money-back guarantee!) and fled to Macy’s to pick up Clinique’s Three Step System… where I should’ve started all along. A Clinique skin consultant determined my skin type and set me up with the products to match.
I use it every morning before putting on my makeup and I’m always amazed how smoothly my foundation goes on after I’ve just cleansed, toned, and moisturized. The best part? A little goes a long way, so I haven’t had to refill my stock. Guess it wasn’t that much of a splurge after all!
I usually remove my makeup in the shower with the St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub. I love this stuff – it’s so cheap and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth.
Most evenings I get into the shower and let the heat open up my pores, then I massage the scrub all over my face and neck, let it “rest” while I wash my hair, and then rinse it off.
One of my all-time favorite skincare products. And I’m not alone! It’s been an Allure Readers’ Choice Award Winner for years, and Leigh-Ann uses it too!
My third skincare obsession is this little beauty I picked up (brand-new) at a garage sale last spring. It retails for $28, so it was a real bargain at just $12 – I love it when college students move out and need to get rid of stuff fast!
Unlike the Apricot Scrub which has nice, thick corn kernel meal, this exfoliator uses microfine crystals – the same ones used in professional microdermabrasions. It’s a gentle exfoliant, never feels harsh or abrasive, but it does seem to exfoliate my skin more thoroughly than the St. Ives scrub, which is why I only use it about once a week.
I always wash my face first with the Clinique mild liquid facial soap to get rid of any surface dirt or oil, then massage the MAC microfine crystals on to reveal absolutely glowing skin that’s soft to the touch.
So now it’s your turn! What are your go-to skincare rituals? And what do you save for use once a week or once a month?
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About Mrs. Perez
I am also a long-time fan of Clinique’s 3-step system. I love the clarifying lotion. Do you have good recommendations for a moisterizing face mask for the fall/winter?
My skin usually tends to be oily, so if I use masks at all, they’re the deep cleaning kind, not moisturizing. But I’ve heard good things about the Clinique Turnaround Instant Facial Mask combined with the Turnaround Visible Skin Renewer. They’re a little pricey though, so you may want to also consider the homemade masks – there are tons of recipes online!