I have always been a firm believer in good skincare – while I love applying makeup, I feel there is no substitute for healthy skin. and in this post, I am going to show you my current morning, anti-aging skincare routine for dehydrated, sensitive skin. Let me clarify at the start that this is NOT SPONSORED. I have bought all these products and have been using them regularly. They have proved to be effective for me which is why I am featuring them here.
Our skin – the largest organ of the human body, undergoes changes as we age, as the weather changes and according to our lifestyle and so, a skincare routine needs to be dynamic where you can add or subtract products depending on your skin’s needs. With the dryness in the air these days, and as I approach my 40s, my skin is becoming increasingly dehydrated – it is still combination with the T-zone having the tendency to get oily – and yet, it is dehydrated. The area around my mouth is also very sensitive and prone to peri-oral dermatitis if I use the wrong products. Hence, the products mentioned in this post are gentle and great for sensitive, dehydrated skin.
Cleanser
The Body Shop Foaming Aloe Vera Facial Wash
Price – Rs. 995. Available here.
The Body Shop Aloe Calming Foaming Wash is one of the gentlest face washes I have used. While foaming washes have got a bad rep for being very harsh and drying, this one from The Body Shop is very gentle and non drying. It has no alcohol, artificial fragrance or colour and no preservatives and hence is great for dry, dehydrated and sensitive skin.
This foaming wash doesn’t remove any makeup but is a great gentle wash for the morning when you simply need to get rid of sweat and sebum and the remnants of the previous night’s skincare residue. This is also great for use anytime during the day when you want a quick cleanse (after a workout for example) – just remember, it will not remove makeup.
Acid Toner
By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water
Price $22 (approx Rs. 1500). Available here.
Acids like AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) and BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid) play a very important role in skincare. If you want to get some more information on acids in skincare, you can check out my blog post here. AHA helps in cell turnover and skin rejuvenation and thus is useful for reducing acne marks, dark spots and keeping skin looking youthful. Mandelic Acid is an AHA found in bitter almonds and is among the gentler ones which makes it great for sensitive skin.
This is the only acid toner that doesn’t irritate the sensitive skin around my mouth. It has helped in improving the texture of my skin, making it really smooth and radiant. Because it gently exfoliates the dead skin cells, it also helps to bring blackheads to the surface of the skin and ultimately exfoliates them as well. So you don’t need any painful blackhead extractions during cleanups.
Serum
Serums usually have a smaller molecular size than regular moisturisers making it easier for the active ingredients in them to get absorbed. It is usually light in texture and non-greasy, yet hydrating. I have been using (and loving) 2 serums recently, both of which have Ginseng as an active ingredient.
Just Herbs Gotukola Indian Ginseng Rejuvenating Beauty Elixir
Price Rs. 1825. Available here.
The key ingredients of the Just Herbs serum are cold pressed oils of rosehip, wheatgerm, safflower and moringa. It also has extracts from licorice, nagkesar as well as Indian Ginseng (aka Ashwagandha) to help nourish and brighten the skin. It has a light milky texture that gets absorbed quite easily. As with all Just Herbs products, this one has no harmful chemicals or GMOs or artificial fragrance / colour etc and are made using Ayurvedic herbs and recipes.
I’m From Ginseng Serum
Price $28 (approx Rs. 1,900). Available here.
The I’m From Ginseng Serum is a Korean product that uses the Korean Red Ginseng extract. This too, has no ethanol, paraben, steroids or artificial colouring. While I love the Just Herbs serum, for the current dry weather, I would say I prefer this one because it has a thicker, more viscous texture and adds more hydration.
Eye Cream
Just Herbs i’Clear Nourishing Undereye Gel
Price Rs. 894. Available here.
This is a wonderful, lightweight, hydrating eye gel that refreshes the eye area and helps with reducing puffiness around the eyes. I haven’t really noticed any difference in my dark circles but that is because I routinely get around 5 hours of sleep only. I am also anaemic which is another cause for dark circles. This one has oils of almond, avocado, grapeseed, jojoba as well as aloe vera and extracts of cucumber, mint, green tea and a whole lot of other wonderful ingredients.
However, because the other products I use are so hydrating, I feel like I don’t really need a separate eye cream. Just my opinion.
Moisturiser
Just Herbs Plumpup Age-Defying Anti-Wrinkle Gel
Price Rs. 895. Available here.
This moisturiser is WOW! Simply WOW. It is a light gel-creme and is like a burst of hydration on the skin. I keep this and the eye gel in the fridge for some cooling, soothing effect in the hot Bombay weather. It is hydrating without being heavy, sticky or greasy and is absolutely perfect for oily / combination skin as well as for those living in hot cities. I do, however apply it sparingly around the nose since that does tend to get a bit oily during the course of the day.
It has extracts of Indian Ginseng, grapeseed, apricot oil, vetiver, fenugreek and carrot seed and I highly recommend this moisturiser.
Sunscreen
Innisfree Perfect UV Protection Essence Water Base SPF 50+ PA+++
Price Rs. 1050. Available here.
This is my current favourite sunscreen because this is hydrating yet non-sticky. It is a milky lotion that doesn’t take too long to blend in and doesn’t leave a white cast. I love that this has high SPF to block the UVB rays of the sun and a PA+++ rating as a shield against the UVA rays which are the ones that cause photo-aging.
The ingredients list is also quite impressive – extracts of Jeju green tea, aloe vera, turmeric, sunflower oil feature here. It is also water resistant and sweat resistant.
So this is my current morning skincare routine. Yes, it does take a good 15 minutes to apply all the products. Also, I wait for a couple of minutes after applying the serum so that it get’s absorbed into the skin better before I follow with the moisturiser. You can see me in action, applying all the products, on my IGTV so do go check out that video.
Let me know your thoughts on this post. I shall be doing a post on my night time routine soon as well as one on my favourite face masks. Any other posts / videos you’d like me to do? Let me know in the comments.