One of the things my mom always told me that I didn’t really buy into was the importance of moisturizer. Why don’t daughters listen to their moms? Sheesh! I’m actually super excited to turn 25 (hello mid-twenties!), but I can absolutely see wrinkles starting to show on my face. Now I’m really wishing I had just taken my mom’s advice from the beginning instead of just now.
I think part of it was that I thought that if I used moisturizers my face would get super oily. I’ve always had skin issues/acne so the thought of making my skin oily sent me running for the hills! Surprisingly, it’s not the case.
The opposite in fact!
There was a little bit of an adjustment period getting used to taking the extra time to moisturize every morning and night, remembering to do it before bed, and also going to sleep with a dewy face. But waking up in the morning with glowing skin is so worth it. (Plus, I hope it really does ward off those wrinkles.) I’ve noticed a huge huge huge difference in my skin– smoother, brighter, and generally healthier!
Kiehl’s Micro-Blur Skin Perfector // The newest addition to my routine; I fell in love with it on the first use. (And even made Garrett put it on his face bahaha.) It looks a little tinted, but applies clear. It has the tiniest sweet fragrance and really brightens up my skin. I could not believe how smooth my makeup went on over it. The perfect base.
Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Cream // This is the first moisturizer that I used on a consistent basis and got me hooked on the benefits of moisturizing. I bought this one day last winter in desperation because my face was extremely dry. I thought it would just be a winter moisturizer, but I use it year-round I love it that much! I use a lot of it every night.
Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Wrinkle Creme// There’s no such thing as too young for eye cream I’ve decided. This is pretty light and airy. Super easy to apply and feels soft around my eyes!
Clinique Super City Block // SPF is totally necessary for protecting your skin from future damage, but sometimes sunscreen can feel greasy and too beachy. This is the best SPF product I’ve used for everyday wear. It’s kind of “frothy” when it comes out of the bottle and that texture makes it go on super smoothly and easily. I wear this with and without makeup.
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Do you moisturize every day? What are your favorite products?
Funny how mothers always seem to be one step ahead of us daughters. No sign of wrinkles for me yet, but I know I am going to regret not listening to my mother when she told me to stop tanning!
…so pass some of that moisturizer over here, please! 🙂
I used to use cityblock, but I'm more into COtZ lately! I would definitely recommend checking it out. It wears like a makeup primer and sunscreen in one, although they don't advertise it that way. It keeps my skin matte and smooth throughout the day.
I completely agree. I have taken yet another step though and also jumped on the serum bandwagon. If you would have told me a few years ago that this would be the case I would laugh. I refused to pay $50++ for a jar of cream for my face. This past weekend I just admitted to a friend that honestly, I would cut other things from my budget before I'd give up my serum, moisturizer, eye cream routine. I love the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery and Wrinkle Reducer (formerly super vitamin C) and layer them on under my moisturizer night and day respectively. I also had the same fear (grease/oil!), but have noticed a change for the better in my skin. Thing is if you hydrate your skin it doesn't need to produce oil to attempt to do it itself!
Hi Carly! Love your blog! — was wondering if you have had any trouble with acne scarring and/or dark spots? I am 24, and still break out, but its not even the break outs that bother me, its the scars/dark spots afterwards. Just wondering if you had any advice or product recommendations!
Thanks so much for sharing! I'm on the lookout for great new skin products all the time, and that Kiehl's skin perfector sounds delightful. xx Sarah sarah kate style
I agree with your old sentiment about moisturizing skin because mine is oily and acne-prone as well. I need to start getting in the habit of moisturizing so my skin doesn't feel the need to get oily to compensate! Thank you!
THANK YOU for including a sunscreen with more than SPF 15! All the bloggers I follow are posting sunscreen with such a low SPF and it's frustrating to read.
If you have oily skin (I do as well!) you might like the COOLA MatteFinish Cucumber sunscreen. I have very oily, acneic skin and I LOVE this sunscreen. It's also cruelty free and organic! 🙂
I've had the same thing for the longest time, I always thought I shouldn't use moisturizer because my skin would become more oily. Thanks for this post, I'll start using more moisturizer from now on, and these products sound like great ways to start that off!
I received a sample of Night-A-Mins a couple of months ago through one of Origins' promotions & I absolutely love it. Like you, I went the longest time without using a moisturizer because I was worried it would make my face oily and I hate the feeling of lotion and/or makeup weighing on my face. Origins' "Balanced Diet" finally got me using moisturizer daily, I love how lightweight it is. During the winter I started using the "Make a Difference Plus+" rejuvenating creme & love it. The "Night-A-Mins" has been the perfect nightly addition to my routine, I can't get enought of Origins' products. love following along, -t forty-fiveohfive.blogspot.com
Aveeno and Neutrogena moisturizers are amazing too! I have yet to find an eye cream that I absolutely love. I will have to try the Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Wrinkle Creme 🙂 Thanks for the post!
I'm 23 and just got on the moisturizer game once I got a job and could afford better products. I have wanted to try Kiehls for a while, so I am glad it comes highly recommended!
I have oily/acne prone skin as well (I thought that was supposed to go away as you got older!?) and I have to say my absolute FAVORITE moisturizer is Clinique's Turnaround Overnight Radiance. It's a little pricey, but something I'm willing to splurge one. When I first started using it, I thought it felt a little oily, but once it absorbs into your skin it is absolutely HEAVENLY. I wake with baby soft, glowing skin and it is fabulous. I don't know what I would do without it! I'm also in love with the Super City Block. Now if only it could solve my acne problem, as well!
Totally agree that moisturizer (especially one with an SPF) is crucial to healthy skin. I hate putting sunscreen on my face and will avoid doing it because of how it feels…but I've been using L'Oreal's new SPF line and it's the best drugstore brand by far. It goes on smooth (not oily) and absorbs right away. It's a great option if the Clinique stuff is out of budget, as it is for me 🙂
Not really in the mood to be in photos right now, but I keep telling myself I’ll want to look back on these moments and remember them. (Right?!) when I look at these photos in 10, 20, 30 years…
I hope I remember Jack “rescuing” Rory from a windy tent, not how I stood in front of my closet with tears in my eyes.
I hope I remember watching Jack roll down hills and play hop scotch and scoot down the sidewalk with his besties, not that I caught a glimpse of my reflection and didn’t recognize myself.
I hope I remember sitting outside with my friend happily watching our kids play (while watching the minutes until bedtime tick by), and not that I spent too much time zooming in and examining every new wrinkle on my face.
I hope I remember the pure joy of these early warm days with my little family whom I love so much 🤍
The weather is warming up and I’m feeling slightly more comfortable in my skin every day ☀️ Here’s what I wore last week as a mom of two. I have a two and a half year old toddler and a two month old so I need outfits I feel good in, can chase a little guy around in, AND that I can breastfeed easily while wearing. 🔗 Leave a comment with “OUTFITS” to get links to every outfit I wore!
This room is so very special 🤍 The little cars sprinkled everywhere (watch your step!). A tiny sock, never two, peeled off and tucked somewhere hidden away. Piles of books that grow almost as quickly as the little boy who sleeps here. Outgrown pants and shoes to grow into mingling in the closet. Often messy, and a little cluttered, but a little boy lives here. 🚘☀️🐶📚🧸
(Rory is still in our room, but eventually the boys will share. I can picture their little twin beds already!)
About ten days ago, I noticed that today’s forecast was looking WARM. I told Mike, “We’re walking into town and sitting outside and I’m getting a beer. Put it on your calendar.” It ended up being warmer than forecasted (almost eighty degrees!) and let me tell you, it delivered. Today felt like the beginning of The Season™: dinners al fresco, beers/fries/ice creams, and late bedtimes. Indulging in it all because the kids are only getting older and we’re the grownups (somehow) and we get to make the rules ✌🏻
Dress is @tuckernuck & sweater is @kiltecollection
@pennylinndesigns and I hosted a “learn to needlepoint” class this past weekend and it was everything ✨ Needlepoint has been such a bright spot in my life over the past five years- and it’s gotten me through some difficult times. Because it’s helped me so much, sharing this hobby with others has turned into a mini life mission of mine. To sit in a room (my beautiful office space designed by @clare.sull!) with pro stitchers and needlepoint newbies alike was one of my dreams come true. I loved seeing women chatting, meeting, and bonding over this beautiful craft 🪡 Honestly, the needlepoint world is (sadly) filled with a lot of gatekeeping and competitiveness; this weekend proved that it doesn’t have to- and shouldn’t- be this way! It’s for EVERYONE. Whether you’ve never picked up a canvas in your life or you’re working on heirloom stockings for your family, there’s room for everyone at this table.
📍 Leave a comment saying “needlepoint” and I’ll send you my go-to resources for getting started with needlepoint!
Motherhood is pure JOY to me– nothing makes me happier than being with my boys! I wear my @haverhillcollection personalized jewelry every day as a symbol of my love for them– it’s a constant reminder for me of my greatest purpose. To celebrate my first Mother’s Day with TWO boys, I sent in my Haverhill necklace to add Rory’s birthstone and initial alongside Jack’s! I also got a second bracelet to stack with Jack’s. Love that this personalized jewelry can be altered as our family grows. Haverhill’s jewelry is designed to be lived in (perfect for busy moms!) made from solid 14k gold with high-quality birthstones so I never have to take it off to exercise, shower, or sleep. Use code MOTHERSDAY15 for 15% off!
We got a mama-approved family photo of the four of us 👏🏻 I wasn’t really paying attention to our calendar while in the end of pregnancy/newborn bubble and realized quite late that Jack had some time off from daycare and preschool this week. Mike and I quickly decided to book a last minute trip to Florida to visit my family and enjoy the warm weather ☀️
Funny how mothers always seem to be one step ahead of us daughters. No sign of wrinkles for me yet, but I know I am going to regret not listening to my mother when she told me to stop tanning!
…so pass some of that moisturizer over here, please! 🙂
Maria
http://mariaefischer.blogspot.com
Actually, some roof of my tanning days right here: http://cheetahfashionista.blogspot.com
I used to use cityblock, but I'm more into COtZ lately! I would definitely recommend checking it out. It wears like a makeup primer and sunscreen in one, although they don't advertise it that way. It keeps my skin matte and smooth throughout the day.
— Alex at Cashmere Kangaroo
I completely agree. I have taken yet another step though and also jumped on the serum bandwagon. If you would have told me a few years ago that this would be the case I would laugh. I refused to pay $50++ for a jar of cream for my face. This past weekend I just admitted to a friend that honestly, I would cut other things from my budget before I'd give up my serum, moisturizer, eye cream routine. I love the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery and Wrinkle Reducer (formerly super vitamin C) and layer them on under my moisturizer night and day respectively. I also had the same fear (grease/oil!), but have noticed a change for the better in my skin. Thing is if you hydrate your skin it doesn't need to produce oil to attempt to do it itself!
Hi Carly! Love your blog! — was wondering if you have had any trouble with acne scarring and/or dark spots? I am 24, and still break out, but its not even the break outs that bother me, its the scars/dark spots afterwards. Just wondering if you had any advice or product recommendations!
Thanks so much for sharing! I'm on the lookout for great new skin products all the time, and that Kiehl's skin perfector sounds delightful.
xx Sarah
sarah kate style
I agree with your old sentiment about moisturizing skin because mine is oily and acne-prone as well. I need to start getting in the habit of moisturizing so my skin doesn't feel the need to get oily to compensate! Thank you!
I love the Aveeno moisturizers! They are wonderful drugstore dupes for some higher end products 🙂
Annie
A College Confession
THANK YOU for including a sunscreen with more than SPF 15! All the bloggers I follow are posting sunscreen with such a low SPF and it's frustrating to read.
If you have oily skin (I do as well!) you might like the COOLA MatteFinish Cucumber sunscreen. I have very oily, acneic skin and I LOVE this sunscreen. It's also cruelty free and organic! 🙂
http://www.birchbox.com/shop/coola-face-matte-cucumber
I've had the same thing for the longest time, I always thought I shouldn't use moisturizer because my skin would become more oily. Thanks for this post, I'll start using more moisturizer from now on, and these products sound like great ways to start that off!
♡ veena | seveninchstilettos.com
twitter/instagram: @veenamccoole
I've been looking for a new moisturizer for summer, so thanks for these suggestions.
-Alex
http://www.monstermisa.blogspot.com
I received a sample of Night-A-Mins a couple of months ago through one of Origins' promotions & I absolutely love it. Like you, I went the longest time without using a moisturizer because I was worried it would make my face oily and I hate the feeling of lotion and/or makeup weighing on my face. Origins' "Balanced Diet" finally got me using moisturizer daily, I love how lightweight it is. During the winter I started using the "Make a Difference Plus+" rejuvenating creme & love it. The "Night-A-Mins" has been the perfect nightly addition to my routine, I can't get enought of Origins' products.
love following along,
-t
forty-fiveohfive.blogspot.com
Aveeno and Neutrogena moisturizers are amazing too! I have yet to find an eye cream that I absolutely love. I will have to try the Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Wrinkle Creme 🙂 Thanks for the post!
Aissa \ Aissa Carmela
I'm 23 and just got on the moisturizer game once I got a job and could afford better products. I have wanted to try Kiehls for a while, so I am glad it comes highly recommended!
http://www.a-touch-of-teal.com
I have oily/acne prone skin as well (I thought that was supposed to go away as you got older!?) and I have to say my absolute FAVORITE moisturizer is Clinique's Turnaround Overnight Radiance. It's a little pricey, but something I'm willing to splurge one. When I first started using it, I thought it felt a little oily, but once it absorbs into your skin it is absolutely HEAVENLY. I wake with baby soft, glowing skin and it is fabulous. I don't know what I would do without it!
I'm also in love with the Super City Block.
Now if only it could solve my acne problem, as well!
Brittany
Fabulously Unprepared
Totally agree that moisturizer (especially one with an SPF) is crucial to healthy skin. I hate putting sunscreen on my face and will avoid doing it because of how it feels…but I've been using L'Oreal's new SPF line and it's the best drugstore brand by far. It goes on smooth (not oily) and absorbs right away. It's a great option if the Clinique stuff is out of budget, as it is for me 🙂
Love, Gigi
Dolce and Gabriella
Thumbs up brother nice and informatic content. keep it up. Her You Can Check Best Korean Moisturizers for Beautiful Skin. https://medium.com/@parafragrance/the-15-best-korean-moisturizers-for-beautiful-skin-para-fragrance-cbcdc5e683cc