First I take off all of my makeup with Yes to Cucumber Towlettes. These are my favorite wipes to use because they smell amazing, remove all traces of makeup, and nourish your skin. They’re also hypoallergenic and are made out of compostable cloths. While it’s often tempting to skip taking off my makeup at the end of a long day, I always feel refreshed and clean after using these.
Next I wash my face with Murad’s Clarifying Cleanser. I’ve been using Murad products for a few years now and they’re amazing. Although they’re more expensive than drugstore products, it’s absolutely worth the investment because of how well they work and how long they last. At nighttime I use the cleanser with my Cleansing Brush from Ulta. If you’ve ever thought about buying a Clarisonic but couldn’t quite bring yourself to drop the money for it, then this is a MUCH cheaper alternative at just $25 (and currently on sale for $17.50!). The brush leaves my skin feeling soft and clean, especially when paired with the Murad cleanser.
After washing my face I use Murad’s Exfoliating Blemish Treatment Gel. When I say this product is incredible, I mean it. It will clear up your skin and prevent future breakouts without excessively drying out your skin. Because of this, I was heartbroken when I found out that Murad was discontinuing it. Although you can’t find this product on Murad’s website anymore, you can still score it for cheap on Ebay.
I used to think that putting moisturizer on my skin would just make it more oily, but now I understand that your skin craves moisture or else it produces its own through grease. Moisturizers are a vital step in any skin care routine – I can’t stress that enough. I’m particularly fond of Murad’s Skin Perfecting Lotion because it’s oil free and soothes redness.
Finally, I apply a few dabs of Acnevir to any blemishes I may have. I’ve tried a lot of spot treatments over the years, but this is by far the cheapest and most effective I’ve found. It’s a little difficult to find in drugstores, but most Walgreens seem to have it. It’s not overly harsh (or smelly) and it won’t bleach your clothes, which is an added bonus.