Simple Skincare

I've struggled with acne for the better part of a decade. I scrubbed, stripped, and generally tore up my skin for years trying to get my skin to clear up. Around 4 years ago I finally broke down and went to see a dermatologist, who has helped me tremendously with getting my acne under control. One of the first things she told me was to be more gentle with my skin care routine. Now that I've settled on a routine that I love, I've decided to share it with you! 

Cleanser: 

Elta MD Foaming Facial Cleanser: I get this cleanser from my dermatologist and I am absolutely obsessed. It's creamy, foams up slightly, and gets your face really clean without overly drying. I use this cleanser morning and evening. (Cetaphil is a great alternative if you can't get your hands on this.) 

Scrub: 

I don't exfoliate very often, but when I do I use the Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish. Its fine, gentle, and leaves my face super smooth and soft. I use this about one night a week 

Moisturizer: 

I use the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion. I've been using this for years and I love how it keeps my face soft but not greasy. I use this both morning and night. 

Eye Cream: 

This is one of the only steps in my routine that I use two different products for morning and night. For night I use the Peter Thomas Roth Volufil Youth Eye Serum. This product is creamy and effective, and comes with a smooth metal applicator perfect for de-puffing eyes after a long day. For daytime I use Origins Eye Doctor, which is moisturizing and gentle. I've repurchased many times. 

Sunscreen: 

Elta MD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum Facial Sunscreen. This SPF 46 sunscreen is a light, non-greasy formula, which works to help reduce the appearance of discoloration while protecting your skin from the sun. I love this stuff and I use it every morning. 

Spot Treatment: 

When I do break out nowadays, it's usually a cystic pimple. To keep things under control, I'll apply some Murad Acne Spot Treatment. This formula boasts sulfuric acid as it's active ingredient, which is excellent for cystic acne. 

What are some of your skincare faves? I'm always open to suggestions! 

xoxo, 

Caitlin 

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation Review

It's no secret that I love the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer. I wear it under my foundation almost every day and I'm really happy with the way it works for my oily skin. A couple weeks ago I was browsing the beauty section at CVS (As you do) and I found a foundation from the same Stay Matte line! Huzzah! 

Well, I've given it a shot for a couple weeks and I'm ready to give you my thoughts on it. 

This foundation is THICK. It's definitely a mousse type texture, which is helpful in preventing spilling and dripping, but it makes it super hard to blend properly. I have to say, when first applied it gives a gorgeous, matte, airbrushed finish. So imagine my surprise when I went to the bathroom after my first class of the day to discover a greasy, shiny mess!

This foundation did not work for me at all, which is super disappointing considering how much I love the primer. In addition to not controlling my oil, it also clung to some dry patches on my face making them super noticeable. Yes, I have oily skin that gets dry and flaky sometimes. Would someone tell me how thats fair? 

However, to give this foundation a fair review I will give it another try as the weather gets cooler. Because summer in Texas is something akin to living inside a hairdryer. I'll give another update in a few weeks! 

xoxo, 

Caitlin 

My Travel Toiletries

Sorry about the long absence guys. Between the first week of school and suffering from a mild-to-moderate illness, I was left with little time for blog writing.

This weekend I went on a little adventure to see some family and celebrate my grandpa turning 90! He's 90 years old and still plays golf multiple times a week, what a champ. So, I thought I would share with you what I brought with me toiletry wise.

My bag is the Orla Kiely for Target weekender bag, which I absolutely adore. It's got 3 pockets, a spot for makeup brushes, and enough room to hold everything you could ever need. Which is an advantage for me because I'm a serial overpacker.

In the mesh pocket I keep things that are less prone to spilling: 

Neutrogena oil free moisturizer with SPF 15

Elta MD Skincare UV Clear Facial Sunscreen SPF 46 (This stuff is seriously amazing) 

Toothpaste 

Venus disposable razor 

Benefit "It's Potent" eye cream 

Tocca Graciella rollerball perfume 

Cotton swabs 

Baby loofah 

In the plastic pocket I keep all my liquids and gels: 

It's a 10 miracle leave in product 

Lush shampoo bar (in the pink soap box) 

Bath and Body Works shower gel in Country Chic 

Garnier Fructis conditioner (I use this for shaving) 

St. Ives Apricot Scrub 

Tresemme moisture rich conditioner (For my actual hair) 

Biolage Normalizing Shampoo (This helps get rid of chlorine build up if I go swimming on vacation) 

Cetaphil facial cleanser 

Aloe Vera lotion (Because I am tragically prone to sunburning) 

In the center pocket I just keep a few samples of my prescription acne medicine so I don't have to carry around the whole tube. 

Now, I didn't use everything in this bag for this trip, this is just the bag that I keep packed for every time  I go out of town. 

If you would like to see what I brought in my travel makeup bag, or any kind of back to school posts, leave me a comment down below! 

xoxo, 

Caitlin