If you missed part one go here! In part one we talked about the moisture barrier, the ideal pH for skin, and finding a low pH cleanser.

Adding a Daily Acid Toner

In addition to using a low pH cleanser, adding in a daily acid toner can help with keeping the pH of your skin low before applying additional serums and moisturizers. I see a big difference in the texture of my skin when I use a daily acid toner. My current favorite is the COSRX Two in One Poreless Power Liquid. It has a low dose of BHA to remove dead skin cells and tannins to tighten pores. For my pregnant mamas out there – no BHA for you! I recommend the Pixi Glow Tonic. It’s also available in Target stores if you don’t want to order online.

Essential Fatty Acids to Strengthen

Now that we have the basics covered – let’s dive into moisture barrier 1.02. The moisture barrier is held together by fatty acids and ceramides. A damaged moisture barrier will have a breakdown of these two things. The good news is that our skin is able to use topically applied fatty acids to repair itself. Essential fatty acids are found in many plant based oils. These oils can also help to strengthen a healthy moisture barrier. Some of my favorite oils and a serum to strengthen your moisture barrier:

• Josie Maran Argan Oil
• Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Oil
• Stratia Liquid Gold
• Red Earth Brighten Concentrate Oil

Nurturing Your Moisture Barrier

Now that you have a strong and healthy moisture barrier, hopefully you are seeing improvements in the health and texture of your skin. Keep these four steps in mind for strengthening and maintaining your moisture barrier:

• Don’t use products with a pH of 6 or higher, especially facial cleanser.
• Use a daily acid toner. 
• Add an oil, serum, or moisturizer with fatty acids into your routine.
• Don’t over exfoliate, over cleanse, or get sunburned.

I would try using a low pH cleanser, acid toner, and a serum, oil, or moisturizer with fatty acids for two weeks and then reassess. If at that point you are still not happy with your skin – you can try adding in a BHA, AHA, or Retinol serum. We’ll talk about those in a later post! 

Hi all! Yesterday I guest posted over on the Live Organized, Live Simple Blog. I am re-posting here. Check out Amanda’s blog for more great posts about how to live simpler to get more enjoyment out of life!

I am obsessed with skincare as self-care and I love trying new products. With that said, sometimes I’m tired or busy and I don’t have time for an elaborate skincare routine. It is so important to take care of ourselves, and that includes taking care of our skin. No matter where I am or how tired I may feel, I always go back to this simple, 5 step basic routine:

Step 1 – Remove Makeup It is so, so important to remove makeup, dirt, and sunscreen from your face every night. You need to have separate steps for removing your makeup and cleansing your face. Many cleansers can’t take off concealer or foundation completely, especially around the eyes and nose. This also allows your facial cleanser to really get in and clean your pores. I love using wipes to remove my makeup because they are so quick and easy, and I don’t have to deal with messy oils getting into my eyes. I reach for my Clean and Clear Oil Free wipes every night.

Step 2 – Neutral PH Facial Cleanser After removing my makeup I cleanse my face. Growing up I always thought that a cleanser needed to be somewhat harsh to really clean my skin – the opposite is true in fact! Harsh, stripping facial cleansers can damage your delicate moisture barrier and invite more bacteria into your skin, causing breakouts. Our skin’s natural PH is neutral and we need to use a neutral cleanser to keep that balance. My current favorite is Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser.

Step 3 – Toner I use an acid toner immediately after cleansing, applied with a cotton round. I find it’s a great way to get a regular dose of exfoliation into my routine without overdoing it. It also helps with keeping the pH of my skin neutral and preventing breakouts. I have been loving the COSRX Poreless Power Liquid. It has a low amount of BHA to slough off dead skin cells and tighten pores. It’s also the only product I have ever used that actually seems to clean my pores and make them look smaller. For my pregnant ladies out there – you can’t use BHA so I recommend an AHA product. I like the Pixi Glow Tonic.

Step 4 – Moisturize After toning we need to moisturize to keep from feeling dry and tight. I like to try out a lot of different types of moisturizers based on what my skin needs that day, but the one I consistently come back to is Cerave Baby Moisturizing Lotion. Don’t worry it doesn’t smell like baby. I like to use this one because it has all the great ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide of the classic Cerave lotion but since it’s suitable for babies it’s also formulated without parabens. I use it on my daughter, too!

Step 5 – Sunscreen The last step may be the most important. The number one thing recommended for anti-aging? Sunscreen! Oh and it lowers your risk for cancer, I mean that’s good too. But seriously, I am all about aging gracefully and I do not want wrinkles and sun spots for as long as I can help it. To get true, age defying, cancer preventing coverage, you need to wear SPF 50. Every. Day. I tend to be a fan of Japanese sunscreens. They’re lightweight, non-greasy, and go great under makeup. One of my favorites is Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence.

One final note – If I did my evening routine of removing makeup, cleansing, toning, and moisturizing – I just rinse my face with warm water in the morning. You don’t want to overwash! (Need to protect that moisture barrier!) Obviously, I do not use sunscreen in my evening routine.

That’s it, just five simple steps! Skincare is very personal and what works for me might not work for you, but hopefully you find this post helpful. If you try out this routine I’d love to know how it works for you! Come visit me over at Lauren Luvs for more great advice about Beauty, Style, and Mom Life! And thank you to Amanda for hosting me today!