Okay, so I’m a little nutty about skincare.  I’m fairly certain I’ve confessed that before.  And when I began using Rodan + Fields I was wildly skeptical.  How could these products be any better than the things I’d been using for years?

Um.  This was a silly question.  They are amazing.

Nine years ago I quit smoking.  I’d spent the better part of my twenties huddled outside the back door of whatever restaurant I was working at and I will confess, those few moments of quiet during an insane dinner service were blissful.  But I was approaching thirty, and i started to notice that my normally good skin was looking gray and dull.  It would not be a lie to say that my skin was a huge contributing factor in giving up the nicotine.  (Yes, yes, also the terrible health issues and the basic ‘badness’ of it).

I went to CVS and spent far too much time in the cosmetics section, seeing how I could upgrade my routine to something more effective. I chose a great line of products from Finland and was overjoyed that once again, I could go outside without makeup.

And then, a few years ago, I woke up one cold January morning, and saw my thirty-six year old face staring back at me, huge black smudges of puffiness under each eye.  Dull skin again.  This just wouldn’t do.

So I took the plunge and began my Rodan + Fields journey.  The ridiculous amazingness of their products is what finally convinced me to join their ranks as an independent sales consultant.  I’ve spent the past eighteen months manipulating their products so they work for me and my skin.  And recently I had a friend ask what that routine was.  Well, it’s complicated.  So here goes.

Routine #1(morning)

If I’m getting up and immediately hitting the gym, I don’t do a full regimen.  It just seems wasteful and silly, since I’ll probably do it again after my shower.  The thing to remember with skin is that it’s a delicate balance of how much you do.  You don’t want to do too little — then you won’t get results.  But you don’t want to do too much and irritate your skin, causing more problems than you need.

For this a.m. Gym routine,, I splash my face with cold cold water, pat it dry and then apply toner and moisturizer.  My favorite choices?  Rodan + Fields Redefine Toner and Step #3 of the Redefine Regimen, AM Moisturizer (Triple Defense Treatment) with SPF 30.  It’s amazingly lightweight, and I know that I’m protected for my morning walk with Lucy.  I also dab on Redefine’s Multi-Purpose eye cream (I do not believe you can use this too much — since I have issues with dark circles and puffiness, it’s one of my favorites).  You have to make sure to dab the eye cream on the bone, not too close to the eye itself.  But, that’s my wake-up and go skincare.

Routine #2 (morning)

Whenever I shower (whether it’s after a workout or at the beginning of the day) I start with Redefine’s Daily Facial Mask.  I put this on dry skin and try to keep my face out of the water for as long as I can, so it sits on my skin for a little bit.  After rinsing it and finishing my shower, I use my Toner and Moisturizer almost immediately.  I’ve read that it’s really beneficial to apply your Toner and Moisturizer wishin five minutes of getting out of the shower, because your pores are open from the steam.  So, when I can, I do that.  For this routine, I use Reverse Brightening Toner and steps #3 and #4.  Step #3 is a combination of Retinol and Vitamin C moisturizers.  Step #4 is Facial Sunblock SPF 50.  Back in 2008 I was in South Africa and got wickedly sunburnt.  I don’t take any chances any more.

After everything has sunk in, I use Juice Beauty products, because they are certified organic and I don’t like to clog my pores with anything unnecessary.  Their stuff is pretty amazing, too.

Routine #3 (evening) 

Okay, so my obsession with skincare goes back so far, I can’t actually remember not washing my face.  But I will say this — it is ABSURDLY important to wash your face at night.  ABSURDLY.  A little over a year ago, I learned that plastic surgeons recommend doing your exfoliation at night, so your skin is clean while you sleep and there are no dead skin cells (which can cause blemishes, irritation, etc).  Exfoliating in the morning can lead to clogged pores (because of make-up) and more chance of sunburn, because you are stripping away all the protection of the outer layer of skin.  So, my evening routine consists of using Reverse Deep Exfoliating Wash (step #1 of the regimen) and then using Reverse Toner, Multi-Purpose Eye Cream and — if my skin is feeling dry, Redefine’s Overnight Restorative Cream (Step #3 of Redefine’s regimen).

I also rotate in the Microderm Abrasion Paste (a much grittier exfoliator that is amazing) at least once or twice a week, and I use the Amp Roller with the Night Renewing Serum beads.  If I use the Amp roller, I use it after Toner and before any moisturizer.  And on those nights, I just use my eye cream and the night renewing serum.  I don’t usually do the Amp Roller the same night I do the Microderm Abrasion Paste — too much for my skin!

***Also!  I recently began using their Lash Boost (I felt like my lashes were looking so thin!). It is a fairly amazing product, although I didn’t start to see anything note-worthy until I’d been using it for about six weeks.  When using Lash Boost, you have to apply it on completely clean skin and not use anything else for about 90 seconds after you apply it.  But, it’s worth it! 

So, that’s my skincare in a nutshell.  I started out just using the Reverse Regimen, but found that using the exfoliator twice a day left my skin feeling a little tender & vulnerable.  Now that I’ve incorporated the Redefine regimen, I think I have covered all my skincare needs.  Yes, you can do less than all this.  Not everyone is as nuts about skin as me.  And if, after reading this, you have any questions or are curious about the skincare products, don’t hesitate to reach out to me!  simplygwyneth [@] gmail dot com.