My Skin Care & Hair Routine: a house log

This post has been updated now that I live in Florida & wear sunscreen every day

This idea for a post was spawned when I listed a lot of this info at the bottom of another post all about our home & personal care products (it was a giant rundown we shared in 2017) but since people were having trouble finding this info buried at the bottom (and I had to keep adding updates as I changed something) this post was born.

Hair/Shower Stuff

This is my current go-to shampoo and conditioner, and I also use this Remarkable curl cream, which I apply when my hair is wet right out of the shower (long story short, I realized my hair is in fact curly and not simply frizzy like I thought – this stuff is strong for thick hair whether it is straight or curly – it tames the frizz and leaves my hair soft & less insane looking). As for the bod, I use this giant body wash (lasts for months and months) and conditioner as shave gel. #rebel

I also enjoy this Burt’s Bees deep pore scrub that gently exfoliates (it has those little beads in it) and leaves my skin feeling soft. I use it 1-2 times a week in the shower on my face, simply to gently slough off dead skin. Occasionally I will also use coconut oil straight from the jar as a deep hair conditioner / mask (you have to wash it out thoroughly with shampoo after you apply it, or your hair will be greasy the next day, but it is strong for softening & detangling).

My Makeup

So this is all of the makeup I own. No basket in the bathroom. No clear plastic drawer system. No caboodles (although I totally had one as a kid and Enjoyed THAT THING). If you see us at a speaking event, this is all I have on my face (and if you see me at Target, I typically have nothing but lip balm and perhaps some salad in my teeth). The bronzer is excellent. I apply that with a big makeup brush and occasionally I use this concealer under my eyes if I need it – but I am fairly lazy about that.

Next I swipe this Nars Orgasm powder, which does magical things, under my cheekbones and I swipe this highlighter stick (which I am obsessed with) above my cheekbones and under my eyebrows and kinda… rub it in? Next, I put some brown eyeshadow on my lids (the darkest color in the four-pack) and on my eyebrows (sounds weird, but it subtly darkens them simply a little). Then I use the lightest color from that eyeshadow kit under my eyebrows sort of on top of the highlighter.

Next I curl my lashes and apply black eyeliner, which I am legitimately terrible at doing (I have a steady hand for cutting in a wall, but the most unsteady hand for drawing on my eyes) and then I add some mascara. Note: this mascara blows every other mascara I have ever tried out of the water (and I stop strangers on the street to tell them about it). Truly. It is a miracle and people ask if I am wearing fake lashes or using some sort of growth serum and all it is is this low-cost grocery store mascara! CAN YOU TELL I AM CRAZY ABOUT IT?!

Last step is consistently some of this Boy Brow stuff, which is somehow both extremely natural looking yet it makes a large difference. It is my go-to beauty find of the year for sure, and many many days a year I simply wear this with lip balm and perhaps a dash of mascara and I feel so much more polished than I did without it. I cannot explain it, you simply have to try it (I get the brown color).

Oh and as for what lip balm – consistently Burt’s Bees! Nothing on my lips but that ever ever ever. I have a giant joker mouth with even the slightest color on my lips, to the point where journal readers see me in magazine shoots when a make-up person put lipstick on me and say WHYYY DID THEY MAKE YOUR MOUTH LOOK SO CRAZY?! Oh and my go-to tweezers and nail clippers are in the pouch too, in case I need to do some grooming with those.

Face Stuff / Skin Routine

Here is where I am gonna get a little unexpected for a second (some people think it is downright weird). I do not buy toner or makeup remover or eye cream or face lotion or cleansing potions for acne or stuff like that. That is right, I DO NOT USE FACE WASH. And I am not a doctor or a dermatologist so this is simply what works for me (my derm knows what I do and her response was “your skin looks glad” so I will take it).

Here is what I do: I buy these three totally natural products that in short do it all for me: Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (it has to be Braggs! It is the best/purest/most concentrated!), Dr. Bronner’s Organic Coconut Oil (do not use low-cost/unpure coconut oil either or it can clog pores and generally be bad for your skin – make sure it is pure/organic and from a good brand you trust like Dr Bronner’s), and Thayers Cucumber Witch Hazel Facial Mist Toner. (I lately brought in this third thing and it is so good along with the other two in the photo below – I simply mist it over my face after the other two). I use coconut oil so much I leave it out on the kitchen counter so I took out the label to make the jar prettier.

I already mentioned coconut oil as being an excellent deep conditioner for your hair – and it is also truly remarkable for skin – it can double as a body lotion, face lotion, makeup remover, you name it. I generally like to rub a small amount on my face before bed (warning: if you rub too much on in the morning you can look a little shiny – and too much can make your hairline grease too – the key is a light dab here and there).

I put it on perhaps 30 minutes before bed and I simply apply a small amount. It does not stain my pillowcase and it soaks in like any moisturizer would. I have sensitive skin, but I never break out from it (since coconut oil is naturally antibacterial, I have a theory that it cuts down on blackheads and breakouts, both of which I have had as an adult when using other products on my face).

Also, a word on wrinkles: when we share photos like this picture or the one below, people ask if I do not age…

I certainly do have wrinkles, but I have noticed in the last year or so of using coconut oil every night before bed that my skin feels more hydrated and plumper if that makes sense – so it is less dry and therefore my crinkly eyes and forehead do not show up as clearly. So yes: coconut oil is my skin secret. I am in short that dad from My Big Fat Greek Wedding and his Windex, except I walk around wielding a big jug of coconut oil.

My Nightly Skin Routine

So as I mentioned above, at night it is simply a light coating of Dr. Bronner’s Organic Coconut Oil (I swear by that brand because it is so organic/pure) that I rub into my face simply like you’d apply any moisturizer. That is it. It even takes off makeup if you rub it on like a cold cream and then wipe it off with a warm damp washcloth after applying it (the warm wet washcloth does most of the work, so do not overdo the coconut oil – simply a dab). All the grime and makeup comes off.

Even Gisele (the runway model) talks about how she uses coconut oil to take off her makeup. It is GOOD. And it is plain and so low-cost. After wiping with the washcloth to take your makeup off, simply dab a bit more coconut oil on if you feel dry after that, but not too much. When I do not wear makeup I skip the washcloth wipe-down and simply rub it on like night cream.

Update as of 2022: now that I am over 40 and have moved to Florida (that is an updated pic below), where I also use sunscreen every morning, I have also brought in this retinol and this lactic acid treatment to my night routine. So it is coconut oil if I am feeling dry or to remove makeup and then I follow with this, and then this. That is it. Still do not clean my face with any cleanser or scrub or anything. Ever. (Makes me break out).

If you feel like coconut oil is not fully getting your makeup off, my daughter uses these makeup wipes that are especially gentle and loves them. In a pinch I will use them to get some gunk off my face and they never irritate my skin, which I appreciate.

My Daily Morning Routine

In the morning, as a toner/skin cleanser I wipe my face down with a light swipe of watered down Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (remember it has to be Bragg’s with “the mother” in it). Water it down about halfway – so it is 50% water and 50% ACV (I premix about 2 weeks worth and store mine in a small lidded tupperware container that you’d use to transport salad dressing). I simply dip a cotton ball in that little tupperware jar every morning and wipe it all over my face as I am pouring my tea.

I in fact keep cotton balls and ACV in the cabinet with my mugs since I do it at the same time (you do not need to refrigerate it). You are going for a light coat, which should not have any smell when it dries. If it does, water it down more and use way less. Do not douse your face like a salad. A little goes a long way, and it seems to also assist with avoiding breakouts, reducing blackheads a ton, and simply generally clarifying my skin.

Once my face dries (perhaps 10 minutes later) I mist some Thayers Cucumber Witch Hazel Facial Mist Toner all over my face. It smells heavenly, and has certainly helped with adult acne (I lately traveled without it and got a zit the day I did not have it! Got back home and put it back on my face and my zit disappeared!). It has over 4,000+ five star reviews (it is a cult go-to on Amazon, which is why I tried it) and it is under $9 for a big 12 oz bottle. Cannot say sufficient good things about this stuff.

I have also brought in this Vitamin C serum to my morning routine. Simply a swift rub of it all over my face. Lately I have been using this jade roller to assist it absorb, because it feels so good and cool on my skin in the morning – and apparently it has a ton of benefits. I also dab this Caffeine solution around my eyes to make puffiness go down. It is remarkable and the $6.70 price tag cannot be beat!

Next I use a thin layer of my go-to sunscreen (I enjoy that it is not greasy and dries matte, and does not break me out). I have tried a ton of sunscreens since moving to FL and it is hands down the best one for me. And as a last morning step lately I enjoy adding this hydrating stick. It simply adds strong all-day moisture to dehydrated spots and plumps wrinkles and gives me such a pleasant little healthy dewy glow (but nothing sparkly, which I appreciate).

Once A Week Stuff I Enjoy

Once a week I have been microneedling in the evening with this and enjoy it so far. It is supposed to make your skin firmer, even out skin tone, assist with fine lines and imperfections, and generally made compact compact damage to your skin which then regenerates stronger and better if that makes sense (most essential thing to me = it does not hurt – feels kind of like scrubbing my face with exfoliating beads). Make sure to clean it well after each use (I spray mine with alcohol in a compact spray bottle and let it air dry). I keep meaning to research some sort of serum to use afterward (this one and this one look good), but as of now… I am simply using coconut oil. Who is surprised? Anyone? Bueller?

On a fully distinct day I also shave my face once a week with this excellent thing! That sounds weird but it sloughs off dead skin and makes my face feel baby smooth (and gets rid of my peach fuzz – cause I am Italian ;)

I also do this face mask once a week (typically about 3 days after microneedling). You can mix it with apple cider vinegar or water AND YOU KNOW WHAT I USE! Ha! Makes my skin so soft and helps with acne. It is crazy well rated too (over 20,000 five star reviews!!!).

How To Use Apple Cider Vinegar To Remove A Skin Tag

Yes, you read that right. We need to circle back to the apple cider vinegar for a second, because a cotton ball soaked in not-watered-down ACV that is held on a skin tag for a few minutes for a few days in a row can literally make it FALL OFF. It is nuts. I know that is gross, but it is also kind of a miracle. I did one next to my eye that bugged me so much and three days later it was GONEZO. See ya later, taggy. (*flashes peace sign at skin tag*).

One warning would be that you do not want to burn your skin, and everyone has a distinct reaction to any number of products (natural or otherwise), so feel free to test that your skin is ok with ACV first (getting a bit of redness after it is totally normal for me – it goes away after 10-15 mins) and you can also water it down for the first few times if it feels like it is burning too much. I have personally had luck with this method multiple times (in my case I do not water it down & simply hold it on the skin tag for a few minutes for like 3-5 days in a row until it falls off).

Still have questions? Wanna see my face in action after I microneedle or watch me jade roll away my bags? Simply watch this series of IG stories for plenty of extra info. And if you are looking for other general go-tos of mine (like fav cleaning stuff, clothes, tools, beach gear, smart tech, etc – this page has you covered).

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