Summer Wind: The Best Skincare Product I've Ever Used + Some Recent Favorites

bioderma micellar water and tula eye serum

Products in this post:

A really fun part of blogging is getting sent different skincare and beauty products to test out. They're usually products I have not tried or heard of, so it's fun to be introduced to amazing products and brands. Especially as I get older, I'm very into skincare as well as the ingredients I use on myself.

I recently just found two of the best skincare products that I have EVER tried in my entire life (here and here) thanks to Aveda! It's really interesting to see how the skin care market is evolving. In the past few years, I've been loving that there has been a huge increase in organic and natural products. Like I said, I'm very conscious as to what I use on my skin and it's so refreshing to see so many companies and products that are focused on creating products that are safe and healthy for our bodies.

But first, to give you a little background about my skin journey. In high school and college, I pretty much had perfect skin (no, really, it was #flawless). Then, around when I turned 23, my skin started to freak out with acne. I then started going to a dermatologist religiously and overhauled all of my makeup products and started on a strict skincare regimen. I'm still managing my adult acne, but it's gotten much more manageable. I know it's brought on by stress, so I kind of needed to start at the root of the problem and go from there.

In terms of skincare that you can't really buy in a store, I use tretinoin cream nightly (aka Retin-A) and in the morning I use glycolic acid (both were prescribed to me at The Skin Center in Pittsburgh). I think those two products alone are amazing and definitely something you should look into if you want to prevent fine lines/wrinkles as well as keep your acne under control. They work to slough off dead skin to reveal fresh skin. If you aren't looking to have something prescribed to you, this product is the most similar to tretinoin but has retinol. Tretinoin really dries out your skin as well as irritates it. It takes some getting used to so starting slowly and building up is the way to go. I also get a chemical peel every 4-6 weeks to keep my skin fresh. It literally cures any breakouts I may have and brings out the brightest and freshest skin. I couldn't recommend the (painless and quick) procedure more!

Other than that, I use all over-the-counter products. I've tried super pricey products and drugstore products and I love $5 things just as much as some of my $100 products. Check out some of the latest products below and why I love them.

Aveda Wedding Masque// This is truly one of the best skincare products I've ever used in my entire life. Where do I start? First of all, I love Aveda products because it's naturally derived, made in the US and dermatologist tested. This particular product is even labeled as non-acnegenic and I can totally vouch for that. So what is it? It's an overnight moisturizing mask. The formula is super thick but very smooth, so if you have acne and you feel the consistency of the product, it might make you shy away, however, don't!! It has a wonderful, light scent (that is totally natural) and you basically just spread it all over your face at night. It's thick so it makes you shiny, but your skin absorbs pretty quickly. The morning after the first time I used it, I noticed results. My skin was SO soft and clear. I've been using it for a few weeks now and it's a Godsend. I seriously think it clears up my skin, refreshes it and gives it a deep moisturizing treatment. And this is all while you sleep! It's somewhat pricey, but I'd buy it ten times over, that's how much I love it.

Aveda Wedding Eye Masque// This is the eye cream version of the face masque. It's super thick, too, even more so than the face mask. I just put this on at night and let it sink it. It's amazing and totally takes away puffiness and it definitely has smoothed out my under eyes just the short time I've been using it. I don't think I could go a night without using this now. It's a must.

Bioderma Micellar Water// Bioderma sent me a bunch of products to try out and I'm impressed. They have a lower price point, which is really awesome. I had been using the Garnier Micellar water for a long time, but now I'm definitely a convert to Bioderma. I love that the ingredients and products by Bioderma are reviewed and studied by dermatologists, allergologists, and toxicologists. They have several micellar waters that are worth checking out. I use mine to remove my makeup.

Bioderma Sebium Micellar Water// This is my favorite micellar water from the group. This is designed specifically for acne-prone skin. It leaves you with a matte finish and works to reduce the production of sebum in your skin (which is what turns into acne). I just put some on a cotton round and wipe all over my face.

Tula Eye Serum// This eye serum is the best. I love that it is housed in a compact tube. It makes for easy travel and is something I always keep right in my makeup bag. I use this one in the mornings when I wake up and before I apply my makeup. I swear by Tula products becuase they have never made me break out and they're super gentle, so I was really excited to try out this eye serum. The applicator is metal, so it's cold when you apply the serum to your eyes, which really helps with puffiness and the formula itself contains caffeine to calm puffy eyes. I don't really have too much in terms of wrinkles around my eyes but I'm all about prevention. This helps to firm and lift eyes and it also helps to fade dark circles. It's definitely a keeper in my morning routine. Use code sydneywinter20 to get 20% off and free shipping (only good through 3/1).

Bioderma Pore Refiner// HELLO amazing new primer! It's really a moisturizer but it totally works in place of a primer. Primers typically break me out, and this one does not. It's specially formulated with the same ingredients as the micellar water to help acne-prone skin. I put this on right before I apply makeup. It definitely gives me a great matte finish and doesn't break me out at all.

Goop Exfoliating Instant Facial// This is one of those products where you can actually feel it working immediately. It contains AHA and BHA (exfoliating acids) and really gets rid of all the dead skin. I use this about once or twice a week. You only need to put it on for 3ish minutes as it really works. I've been reading a lot into using acids and vitamins for skin care and this one contains B5. I also take it in capsule form but this is one of the vitamins that is supposed to help regulate your sebum production. It's also made up of 86% organic ingredients. I do this at night when I know I'm not going anywhere afterward because it does make your skin red for a little while afterward.

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