I don’t mean naked. I mean being able to go out without make up and being okay with it.

I used to want to be like fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn, who wouldn’t go out without putting in some effort and on some make up. But now… it’s really not feasible to put on make up just because i’m going to drop by the supermarket to get groceries. I LIKE the idea of me being so polished every time i step out the door, but i would like to be a bit more realistic.

I’d rather have some days where i let my skin breathe and chill from the make up i constantly have on, and be able to go out without feeling so self conscious about how my face looks. I’ve even gone to my neighborhood bar without make up on a few times, because i actually FEEL more comfortable without it! I like how i can slap it on well for a nice event or big meeting, but can forego it when i just want to relax.

The trick to being able to do that – is to REALLY take care of your skin. You can’t possibly allow yourself out of the house if you have bad skin…

I’ve been taking care of my skin since i was in high school, starting out with the absolute basics for amateur skincare – wash and moisturize. I didn’t even use toner cos i didn’t know what it was.

Fast forward 14 years (damn) and i have a much more comprehensive tho unfussy skincare routine (phew). I do the same thing day in, day out. It’s become habit, and if i miss a step because i don’t have the product anymore, my skin feels off.

Twice a day, i do the below without fail:

Wash
Ever since i started using oil cleansers, it’s hard for me to deviate to other types unless it’s a morning face wash, so i don’t feel i need such deep cleanse. For night time, oil cleansers are GREAT cos it removes ALL my make up (no matter how thick it is) without having to use make up remover. If you’ve never tried it, you really should! I just apply two pumps of the oil to my face, rub it around everywhere on my eyes, face and neck; then add a few drops of water to emulsify the stuff; rub some more; repeat emulsification; then rinse off. I get all the make up and dirt off without stretching my eyes (i’m paranoid of stretching eye skin!) and skin.

Tone
I never used to see what was the point of toner. So you kinda wipe a bit and uh that’s it? But after regular use of good toners, i could see how much FRESHER my face is for moisturizing after. I currently use a toner that’s botanical, paraben-free, alcohol-free and silicon-free. I use a cotton pad to gently swipe it across my face, and can usually see traces of dirt on it that only goes to show how paramount it is in prepping your face for moisturizer. Some toners nowadays also help refine pores and have anti-bacterial properties, like mine.

Moisturize
This is the most important step for me. I can’t NOT apply moisturizer. My skin feels dry and uncomfortable, especially when i smile. On some weekends, i’ve got lazy and not applied it, but ten minutes later i’m running to the bathroom to do so cos i just can’t take how my face feels! I used to apply just about any moisturizer i fancied or got my hands on when i was younger, and that’s the key statement here  – ‘when i was younger’ – cos now i’m a lot more CONSCIOUS about how prevention is better than cure and i have to diligently use anti-ageing products from my late 20s onwards. Why  use it at 40 when the wrinkles are already there? As it is, with our constant exposure to pollution and sunlight, and my late night partying and drinking; i can see how tired my skin can look sometimes.

Now i’m using Olay  Regenerist Wrinkle Relaxing Cream, to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and deep eye lines in 14 days. The cream also works over time to reduce the volume of deep eye lines by 20% after 14 days of twice-daily treatment. I’ve been using this for close to a month now and other bloggers who’ve tried it, have agreed with me that you can really see a stout difference in the way our skin looks after even one application. You just have to try it and see for yourself… Just go to your nearest pharmacy to purchase it, try it out and comment here what you felt after using it for a few days. Seriously, i feel even better about going out without make up than i did before. If i had to put it in a non-skincare term – it’s like i got a lint-roller to ROLL out most of the bad-looking parts about my skin so it looks a lot better IRL.

Masks
Once every two weeks (yeah yeah people say you should do this once a week but i rarely have time/remember), i apply a rich face mask on, depending on which i feel like. I use a few types from gel masks to rich cream ones. I don’t usually use the ‘wet paper’ types you leave on your face cos i feel like it’s suffocating me. And i usually leave them on overnight when i’m away and Clem’s not with me cos he hates the sticky feeling of masks on my face, but i WANT to do it cos i know it’s good for me!

Polish
Every once in a while i use an exfoliate. This is oh-so-important..! Get a good organic face exfoliate to really feel amazingly soft skin once you’re done.
Does everyone have roughly the same skincare routine as i do? What do you differently from me? Or what techniques do you swear by that perhaps i don’t know about (and should!)

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