Learning about skincare has always been a side passion of mine. I truthfully think it started at such a young age because I was born with bushy eyebrows, and begged to get them waxed at age 11 (I don’t think I understood how I was lucky at the time). I would always ask the aesthetician for products and loved when they would try them on me. This continued as I got older and started shopping for products, and the more I’ve asked, the more I’ve learned.

Truthfully, I’m dying to get out and schedule a facial, I have only ever had ONE and It was the most heavenly hour of my life. With time and money tight, and now an understanding of my skin type, I love to research new products and then try them for myself – like a little DIY spa! I’ve shared some of this process with you all on Instagram stories, and I’m definitely always trying new products, but here is a roundup of the ones I’m loving lately. I’ll also shout out my more recent favorites that weren’t pictured here, as I am currently LOVING the products in my rotation. You can also find an older post of mine HERE and a non-toxic make-up one HERE.

I do my best to choose clean products. It’s definitely easy to find skincare that works and is free of chemicals, sulfates, phosphates, etc. as long as you are in the market. 🙂 All products linked at the bottom of this post and can also be found on my products page! Please also note that we all have different skin types, and it’s important to find what works for you, these are just my personal faves that I wanted to share as this post has been long requested and is long overdue!

Remove

The obvious step one for any skin care routine is to remove make-up. While I love the “Yes to” line for wipes, I recently started using Kopari beauty’s coconut melt. It works wonders in removing stubborn mascara and doesn’t leave you feeling sticky whatsoever. Like most coconut oils, it’s also great for added moisture.

Wash

It is SO easy to buy your usual cleanser from a drug store, trust me, I’ve done it too, BUT you truly don’t know how different and much cleaner your skin feels until you try something a bit more luxurious. Most cleansers from drug stores are completely diluted with water, and have a tendency to dry out your skin without the deep cleanse you need!

My favorite cleanser for a long time was the Soy facial cleanser by Fresh. It’s cream based concentrate softly nourished skin while rinsing it clean. Every time I was at Sephora, I was finding myself picking up the travel sized bottle by the register. I ran out of this quickly, to no surprise given the size, and I have been wanting to try a non-toxic cleanser for a long time now.

Research led me to Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser, and WOW I am in love. Typically I opt for more cream based cleansers, as I have a dry skin type, but the clean list of ingredients was designed for sensitive skin, so I knew it would be gentle and hydrating. Product descriptions say “ideal for cleansing, hydrating, tightening, firming, and complexion control” and the reviews agreed, and now, so do I! It foams and exfoliates and overall feels extremely refreshing. The bottle is also HUGE which is an added bonus, because It will last me a very long time.

Tone

Toner sometimes feels like an unnecessary step, but truthfully, finding one you like is easy and lasts FOREVER as well. Recommended by my eyebrow spa, Aveda’s clean line of Botanical Kinetics is perfect for balancing the skin while minimizing surface oil build-up. It feels super refreshing and cooling, so I love it in the morning after my shower!

In the same vein, this line also has a liquid hydrate product and exfoliant that were also recommended for me and I’ve used for about a year or so. Hydrate is intended for the morning, and exfoliate for nights. In the dry months, the hydrate feels like a great extra step to ensure the layer of skin beneath your makeup is getting the nourishment it needs. I do not use these products every day, however, you totally can. When you have dry skin like me, a gentle exfoliant like this is perfect for helping clear pores and remove dead skin cells.

Oil

Ah, my FAVORITE step and product, and I’m about to order some more right now actually! Facial oil is one of those products that you think will make your skin more oily (and for some, it might) but if you use the right amount for your skin type, it could completely change the game. I feel like growing up and in recent years I would hear how people would put coconut oil or olive oil on their skin, and those people always had the most beautiful, glowing, clear complexions. I LOVE a good shiny face especially for bed, and I am OBSESSED with this Maya Chia facial oil.

This was one of my favorite Credo finds. I seriously love that store insane amounts (it’s on N. Damen in Bucktown if you haven’t been!) and they have non-toxic finds for everyone. This oil, in particular, is superfood chia-oil which helps to hydrate the skin without clogging pores. It feels so good to apply to face and neck, smells nice and absorbs quickly. I love using my jade roller to get it to soak in even more! I’ve recently also looked into the Youth to the People oil, but for now, going to stick with this one ;).

Moisturize

Okay, BEST PRODUCT EVER. Not kidding. This Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream truly is magic. I have to admit, I’m a sucker for good packaging and when I see adaptogens or superfoods, I know it has potential, but this really surprised me. This cream is so thick and creamy, not sticky, and immediately smoothes and calms your skin, reduces any redness (thanks to the adaptogens) and soaks in for a deep moisturizing experience. This brand is now at Sephora, and as I mentioned before with the oil, I’m definitely interested in trying other products from the line. Non-toxic, good for all skin types, with a mission to alleviate dryness, fine lines and wrinkles, and redness.

Eyes

Low key, I think eye cream is the hardest thing to shop for. When searching online, SO many reviews are mixed and It’s hard to tell if it really works. Personally, my eyes are super sensitive and get irritated, red, and dry very easily. Non-toxic beauty automatically helps solve these solutions by providing more gentle ingredients. My current issues are really just dark circles, but If I can tighten/lift in a more preventative way, I’m sold on that too!

For about a year, I’d been using Pai gentle eye cream (pictured below). I absolutely loved it and how it felt, and it was certainly the best I had used up until that point. Using it as my last step in the morning and at night, I wasn’t sure if it soaked into my skin that well before makeup application, and I wasn’t positive it helped the dark circles, as well as I’d liked. While it definitely worked and I recommend it, I just started using a new serum by Eminence and I think I’ve fallen in love with it. This is a bit heavier duty in the anti-aging and less focused on just brightening, but its made with a retinol alternative to keep my red eyes at bay :). Also comes in a big size, so the price is totally worth it.

Also on my eyes is my Kate Somerville Goat Milk eye-depuff balm. Truly one of those “can’t live without” products for me. I like to believe I’ve convinced many to buy it, and they all love it as much as I do! It’s the perfect pick-me-up in the morning and midday.

Others

When it comes to self-care + skin care. I’ve definitely continued to explore trends and add more to my routine. Jade rolling and dry brushing are my favorites due to their many benefits and how great they feel.

People always ask me about the benefits of jade rolling. It increases circulation in the face, helping to prevent fine lines and wrinkles. It also debuffs and reduces inflammation by draining the lymphatic system. It feels AMAZING at night (to do mindlessly while watching TV is my fave) or if you put it in the fridge/freezer it’s an amazing way to wake up in the morning. On a similar note to drainage, the smaller side of the roller is awesome for sinus tension. Linked a couple of my favorites below!

Dry brushing has similar benefits. It helps with vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, while also exfoliating the skin. I’ve been trying to do this 5+ days a week before my nightly baths. I have no shame that this is my favorite thing in the world.

Masks

Currently loving the Goop Instant facial mask because it is SO quick and easy, and apparently Gwynneth Paltrow’s secret (I’m in ;)!) It only takes a few minutes to tingle and then you rinse, so it’s super easy to do in the shower/bath daily. The Cocokind Organic Chlorophyll mask for some other gentle, plant-based exfoliation and pore purification. Also pictured here is a Youth Glo Baby Facemask. It gives the skin a youthful glow, nourishes, and firms aging skin. It goes on thin and feels super gentle! Masks that take 10-20 minutes are something I only do about once a week, but I love them and am happy to do a deeper round-up on this later.

Shop it all here!

Highly recommend asking a professional what works for your personal skin type, but I absolutely LOVE all of the products shared here and wanted to spread the word. These are all my personal opinions and not sponsored in any way! Happy to share more information if you’d like, and please let me know your thoughts if you tried.