My favorite two skin cleansers 🌞
1- Biotherm anti pollution self foaming oil face wash: gentle oil foaming cleanser that removes pollution, dirt and build up without drying and I love the natural scent. This is my favorite to remove makeup as well.
More product info: removes long-wear makeup without drying out skin. Frees skin from every last trace of sweat, makeup and urban impurities. Self-foaming oil; a blend of natural botanicals oils. Skin is doubly cleansed, glowing and totally renewed.
2- Avène cleansing foam: I love this brand, great products I can trust quality and price. Anything from France is going to for the most part be clean, ingredients you can trust. This is an amazing gentle yet effective foaming cleanser. Great for acne prone or oily/sensitive skin types. Non-drying and light-weight. Hypoallergenic, Non-Comedogenic, Paraben-Free, Soap-Free, Oil-Free, Lightweight, soap-free cleansing foam gently purifies the skin and removes make-up leaving skin perfectly matte.
KEY INGREDIENTS
Patented Glutamic Acid mattifies and controls excess oil
Avène Thermal Spring Water soothes, softens and calms the skin
Top 4 Skincare Devices and Tools
Skincare tools I love & actually work:
1. At home facial steamer from @vanityplanetstore: professional steam tool you can use at home to detoxify, clear pores, hydrate and stimulate circulation. I immediately notice smoother, cleaner, and more radiant skin after one 15 minute use. I use this when my skin feels dry, dull and need of some tlc.
2. Gua Sha & face rollers : this flat pink quartz tool has been used across Asia for thousands of years, it helps to stimulate collagen, circulation and firmer lifted skin. I use it in the mornings after applying my skincare oil. I press and stroke along the contours of my face for about 30 seconds and the cooling affect seems to reduce puffiness and awaken. There are quick YouTube videos you can watch as well if you want to see how to use!
3. @ziipbeauty device: uses nano-current technology to treat numerous skin conditions from acne to anti-aging. Boosts radiance, enhances lymphatic drainage and kills blemish causing bacteria and speeds up cell turnover. I love this tool, it feels like I got a professional facial afterwards as my skin feels more plump, firm, lifted and radiant. You can really feel the stimulation working. I like to follow this with a cooling hydrating sheet mask for extra plump.
4. Sea sponge: gentle exfoliant that naturally removes dead skin and reveals younger, fresher looking skin. I love using this in the morning or at night about 2-3 times a week with just water to soften my skin and naturally exfoliate. You immediately notice and feel a difference, your skin is sooo soft afterwards. You can order these on amazon or find them at a local natural food market.
Secret for Soft Skin
One of my biggest tips for softer skin is to invest in a good quality shower head and bath water filter. I use aroma sense for my shower and crystal quest bath ball water filter for the bath. I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin from using these filters (after only a few uses) because the water was drying my skin and causing skin and scalp irritations.
Here are a few more benefits of the filters:
Chlorine Removal: Neutralizes chlorine from unfiltered water
Vitamin C Replenishment: Contains vitamin C concentrate to promote healthier hair and skin
Rust removal: Microfiber filter traps any residual rust, dirt and contaminants collected through water piping systems
Negative Ionizer: Produces up to four times of negative ions--scientifically proven to aid in breathing, increase blood flow, and alleviate stress
My Top 3 Face Oils
1. Organic to Green Rose Gold Face Oil- This is my go-to face oil, day and night! I love how it smells, feels and makes me feel. My skin has never broken out from this and I feel amazing using it during all seasons (winter/summer). Their formula is safe for sensitive skin. It is a super luxurious, weightless face oil create with a special organic blend of essential oils like golden Helichrysum (immortelle), neroli and rose with powerful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to replenish and repair sensitive skin from environmental daily damage. I also love to mix it with my daily tinted moisturizer or night cream for an extra boost and glow.
2. The Goldyn Elixir Face Oil - A beautiful serum with a blend of botanicals, pure plant extracts and actives to repair, hydrate and regenerate skin. “Cold-pressed botanicals, essential oils and active ingredients Vitamin C, CoQ10 and Collageneer provide the antioxidants and fatty acids to restore radiance and protect the skin from free radical damage.” It is safe for all skin types and leaves your face and neck protected and hydrated throughout the day. I love massaging my gua-sha or jade roller over my face after using this oil for lifting, plumping and firming. Ingredients: Kukui Nut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Rosehip Seed Oil, Vitamin C, Collageneer®, CoQ10, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Red Raspberry Seed Oil, Helichrysum Essential Oil, and Neroli Essential Oil
3. La Mer Face Renewal Oil - This is such a divine oil, it smells like a french riviera vacation. I sometimes even use it just as a perfume because I love the smell so much. It soaks on easily and effortlessly and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth. “This multi-tasking, dual-phase oil floods skin with hydration. Soft and ultra-smooth, skin glows with translucency and head-turning radiance. Skin’s natural collagen and overall firmness improve, helping soften the look of emerging lines and wrinkles.”
Pre-Wedding Skincare Tips
Hydration, hydration, hydration!
I made sure to drink lots of high quality purified water. I also used face masks and face sheets at least 2-3 times a week to ensure ultra hydration to plump and juice the skin. I used Beekeepers naturals propolis honey as a face mask once a week as well which is AMAZING to soften and smooth your skin. I also used my at-home Vanity Planet face steamer once a week to really nourish from within the pores (one of my faves!).
Detox from within
About one month prior, I got really serious about prepping and juicing 2-3 times a week with fresh celery, carrots, cilantro, cucumber, lemon, ginger for anti-inflammation, hydration, detoxification and cleansing. This kept me feeling fresh, energized and detoxed.
Sweat it out
I either hiked or did more intensive pilates classes about 3-5 times a week to sweat out toxins, stress and keep my mind focused.
Skin devices
I used the ZIIP beauty face device once a week which is infused with micro-currents to stimulate collagen for plumping the skin. I used my Jade Roller and Gua-Sha face device daily with hydrating oils for circulation and beauty. I also used a Clarisonic once a week to deeply exfoliate dead skin cells. Finally, as stated above, I used the Vanity Planet face steamer once a week to hydrate and open clogged pores (which feels amazing!).
don’t forget about the body
for my body I did weekly exfoliation treatment with coffee grinds and coconut oil from organic to green. I massaged this all over my skin and face to energize, remove dead skin and keep my body super soft. I also moisturized daily in the shower with coconut oil and used Sol de Janeiro bum bum cream mixed with st tropez body tanning lotion once a week to keep a natural glow.
French Beauty Secrets
Favorite French Beauty Products -
Esthederm Sun Protective Spray - You wont see French women at the beach without this essential! It combines cellular protection technology that prevents aging and enhances natural tanning while keeping your body, face and hair soft, silky and hydrated. Plus it smells insane.
Nuxe Hair Oil - An all year round multi-purpose dry oil made up of precious plant extracts and vitamin E to nourish you from head to toe. It contains an amazing blend of oils including, borage oil, st. johns wort, sweet almond, camellia, hazelnut and macadamia nut oil for a beautiful timeless smell. A preservative free formula that French women swear by to keep skin soft and hair shiny and smooth.
Biotherm Lait Corporel - This amazing body lotion instantly hydrates and transforms dry flaky skin while improving suppleness and elasticity. It has a fresh and uplifting aroma that eases the senses and leaves you looking dewy all over. Highly recommend for dry skin, one of my favorite body moisturizers.
Biotherm Total Renew Cleansing Oil - Anti-pollution cleansing oil that gently lathers and foams to remove makeup and impurities from the skin. Gentle enough for daily use and has a light refreshing scent.
Patyka face oil - Super clean organic and 100% natural luxury skincare line from Paris. Made for all natural beauty lovers who want the best of the best. It contains 12 essential oils and plant extracts full of antioxidants to regenerate and plump up the skin.
Klorane Protective Oil Hair Spray - A multi-protecting oil that deeply nourishes and protects dry, colored hair from sun exposure, UV rays, salt, sand and chlorine with a natural waterproof formula. Contains Ylang Ylang for a soft feminine smell and hair is left feeling silky and beautiful.
Boiron Homéostick lip balm - French makeup artist (who we are all obsessed with) Violete Fr, swears by this lip balm to keep her lips loved and hydrated all day long.
Bioderma Micellar Removing Solution - My favorite makeup remover and toning solution. Does an amazing job to clean the skin without leaving it dry (which is super hard!). Super gentle formula made for sensitive skin. It helps to remove environmental toxins, makeup and dirt without drying. I use it day and night with a cotton pad instead of washing my face with harsh acidic tap water which dries the skin.
Other great french brands if you want to explore further are: Avene, Sisley, La Roche Posay.
European beauty standards are stricter than in America resulting in cleaner products for all over beauty (hair, skin, makeup) so if you are looking for quality products that have better ingredients than I recommended exploring these items. Let me know if you have any questions!
Skincare Favorites & Daily Skin Routine
I get asked this a lot as I am a skincare lover and obsessed with good products that work. I have also worked for some amazing aromatherapy skincare companies so I like to make sure that the ingredients are pure and have a beautiful aromatic and therapeutic scent. I love this routine, I look forward to it in the morning and at night because it smells like a spa.
My morning and night time skincare routine:
1. CLEANSE, I am currently using Avene Foaming wash at night, which is gentle, smells natural and nice for removing makeup. In the morning I like alternating with a salicylic cleanser and a gentle cleanser. Another super gentle cleanser I like, If you like rose and super gentle scent, is this Rose Foaming Cleanser.
2. TONING SPRAY, I really like these two, Rosewater from Heritage Store or Rose Mist from O2G. I also like to re-use the bottles and make my own after since it is super easy and saves money. I refill with filtered water or spring water and add few drops of Rose essential oil (I use ones that are diluted in carrier oils like jojoba because they are way less expensive, but if you want high quality they will be over $80-$100.)
3. SERUM, For an extra boost of hydration I like using hyaluronic in the day or night under my moisturizer. This Rose Gel is amazing for healing, super hydration and it feels like my skin is getting a big drink of water that it is craving. I highly recommend this for all skin types to help keep skin hydrated, clear and healthy.
4. MOISTURIZER & OIL, I love to mix one drop of this incredible aromatherapy O2G Gold Face Oil, with Frankincense, Neroli, Rose, Helichrysum (immortelle) with one drop of this O2G Rose Moisturizer to hydrate and smooth my skin. This combo is seriously to die for, the aromas together make me feel like I am in a spa. I take a deep breathe before I apply and massage it all over my face, temples, neck and behind my neck. It smells and feels so good and I look forward to this every day!
*EXTRA CREDIT*
SPF TINTED MOISTURIZER, I don't like to wear makeup during the week, but to still look fresh and have SPF for protection, I like to use a tinted moisturizer. At the moment, my favorite is the Mychelle Tinted. If I don't want to use makeup or I want extra SPF I will add a spray of the Orgo to my moisturizer or to my O2G Rose Moisturizer.
EYE SERUM, Sometimes when my eyes feel dull or tired and need a brighten or lift, I like to use this Vitamin C eye roller, with a metal tip which stimulates and cools under the eyes for extra relief. If I need more moisturizing or hydration and my eyes feel dry, I like to use something with collagen or retinol for anti-aging.
EXFOLIATE, I like to gently exfoliate 2-3 times a week or whenever my skin feels dull, tired or puffy. I currently use the Grown Alchemist polishing facial exfoliant 1-2x a week and a Clarisonic with gentle face wash 1x a week.
MASK, I use a mask 1-2 times per week. I alternate between the Earth, Sun and Star Organic To Green masks at the moment depending on what my skin needs, detox, brightening, soothing or lift. I also like sheet masks for hydration.
MAKEUP REMOVER, I love to use the BIODERMA micellar water from France in the morning and at night after cleansing to remove makeup because it is gentle, smells soft and natural and is good for sensitive skin (so I don't feel dry after) and it removes ALL dirt and environmental toxins. It isn't 100% natural but it is a European product and I trust their products because they have stricter quality standards than the US so most of their products are safe.