This Is How You Should Layer Your Skincare Products
I am a self-proclaimed product junkie.
I use toners, AHAs, BHAs, physical exfoliators, vitamin C, oils, and chemical exfoliants at the same damn time. When I started using these different products, my skin was not happy. It was irritated continuously, and my breakouts got worse. How could I have drawers full of products with great reviews and still battle breakouts?
The answer? I was doing it wrong.
I even got a chemical burn because I was trying to get rid of a pimple overnight. Pro tip: Put a spot treatment on the little bugger and leave it alone. Seriously. With so many options on the market that claim to make our skin glow, look younger, and more even, I think it's helpful to break down how often treatments should be used and how to build an effective skincare regimen that doesn't leave your skin begging for mercy.
Start With A Gentle Cleanser
One thing I stay away from is a harsh cleanser that strips the moisture in my skin. Dry, irritated skin and active ingredients like vitamin C and glycolic acids don't mesh. I keep my face wash simple — using Burt's Bees Cleansing Oil with Coconut & Argan Cleanser and Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner morning and night to make sure my skin is balanced and ready to take on my nightly treatments.
Take Care When Using Chemical Exfoliants
The key to using AHA and BHA chemical exfoliants is to use them sparingly — one to two times per week. After using a chemical exfoliant like The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, follow up with a The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum or Rosehip Seed Oil by Kate Blanc to replenish the moisture in the skin. If you use retinoids, skip it on nights when you're using your favorite chemical exfoliant to prevent over-exfoliation or skin irritation.
Pro tip: If you're using an acid on the skin, sunscreen is a must!
Vitamin C Serums
I have tried a handful of vitamin C serums, from drugstore to prestigious brands and have learned one crucial thing — vitamin C is a gamechanger. Vitamin C can reduce dark spots, even skin tone, and protect the skin from free radicals. My go-to is Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum because it's made with good ingredients at a reasonable price point.
While ascorbic acids can have many benefits, they can also be irritating when mixed with other active ingredients like glycolic acid, retinol, and salicylic acid. Instead of using vitamin C in your night routine, add it to your morning regimen. If you have sensitive skin or haven't had much experience using a vitamin C serum, apply your moisturizer first, then layer your vitamin C on top to prevent irritation.
Don't Forget To Moisturize
Because of my combination skin, I didn't make moisturizing a part of my morning or night time regimen until I discovered rosehip oil. I thought more moisture equaled oilier skin — wrong. The key to keeping skin balanced is making sure you properly moisturize. Moisturizing also locks in water-based serums. Most drugstore moisturizers either left my skin too oily or broke me out, so I have opted for oils. I pat 2-3 drops of Rosehip Seed Oil by Kate Blanc into my skin and I'm good to go without becoming an oil slick thirty minutes later. In the summer months, I use hyaluronic acid as a substitute and my skin loves me for it.
Take Your Time
My skincare routine is a part of my daily self-care. There is something soothing about making the health of my skin a priority. If you want to make sure your products are doing their job and not sitting on top of the surface — gently press serums into the skin to ensure the product is completely absorbed. After it's applied, don't rush to put on your makeup or moisturizer — give it about five minutes, then go to your next step. In the morning, that means you can enjoy your morning coffee, pack your gym bag, or mentally prepare yourself for your morning commute.
Skincare is a very personal thing, and what works for me might not work for you, but I wanted to share what I've learned through trial, error, and a few chemical burns.
Want to read more xoNecole skincare stories like this? Check out these essential reads below:
I Cleared Up My Hyperpigmentation With This 5-Step Method
Everyone's Raving About The 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine
xoNecole Readers Reveal How They Get Rid Of Dark Spots
Kelis Keeps Her Skin Radiant & Glowing With These Three Simple Skincare Secrets
Featured image by Getty Images
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Bianca Lambert is a proud Atlanta native soaking up the Los Angeles sun. She is the founder of Mae B: a stationery company for women of color and a digital content creator on a mission to elevate the voices of women of color everywhere.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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