Daily Skin Care Routine - Connecticut in Style

February in Connecticut can get bitterly cold. When the winter weather arrives and the heat gets cranked up, it is time for me to make an adjustment to my daily skin care products.

My routine remains mostly the same, I just switch out a few of the spring/summer Clinique products I use in favor of ones that are designed to protect skin against the cold and dry air. I should note that I started using Clinique skin products when I turned 16 years old and have used them ever since.

Every once and awhile I will try something new, but I have found that most facial moisturizers just simply don’t work as well as Clinique does for my skin. Clinique products are 100% fragrance free which is a must for me, and they are allergy tested.

Step 1 – My morning routine begins with the rinse-off foaming cream-mousse cleanser. I use a pea-size amount and apply it to my face and the moment I start rinsing with water, the foaming activates. Many people wash their face with bar soap which can be extremely drying, so I think it is worth the investment to buy a gentle cleanser designed especially for the delicate skin on the face.

Step 2 – My night-time routine is the same as my morning routine, but I add the rinse-off eye makeup solvent if I have worn mascara. I love this product, it dissolves mascara quickly but doesn’t irritate the eyes. Even though this solvent doesn’t burn my eyes, I’ve found that it is hard to apply any liquid directly to the eye area without it getting into the eye. I make it a point to rinse my face with water again leaving my eyes open to flush out any lingering residue.

Step 3 – Next, I use the 7 day scrub cream, being careful to completely avoid the eye area. The scrub is one of the products that I use daily in the winter that I don’t use in the summer months. Exfoliating daily removes flaky skin and leaves my face looking polished. I find that removing dry skin with regular exfoliation “primes it” to more effectively absorb moisturizers which is especially important in the winter. I put it on my finger tips and rub into my face in circular motions covering all areas from my forehead to my jawbone.

Step 4 – When I have washed off all the scrub, I am ready to moisturize. I start with a luxe cream-gel eye cream. I use repairwear anti-gravity and start at the bridge of my nose and end at my cheek bone. I dab this in and avoid any tugging motion that pulls the skin from one side to the other.

Step 5 – I follow that with moisture surge intense. This moisturizer is thicker than the one I use in the summer months and it puts a very effective barrier against the dry air while still absorbing easily. This product is simply amazing and leaves my skin looking naturally radiant. One the the BEST beauty tips I ever received was to treat my neck with the same level of attention as my face, so I use this on my neck as well.

Step 6 – Did you know that the skin on your lips age faster than any other skin? I finish my routine with repairwear intensive lip treatment, it works better than chapstick at filling in the fine lines that seem to instantly appear on lips in the cold months but it doesn’t leave a waxy layer. I use it under my lipstick.