My Makeup and Skincare Routines

Oh, how I love makeup. But oh, how bad I used to be at it.

Luckily, I have come a long way in my beauty journey. Despite having absolutely terrible acne two years ago due to crazy hormones and a poor diet, most people look at my skin today and think I was born with blessed genetics and have never experienced a pimple in my life. This isn’t true, however.

In middle and high school, I was a big fan of “at-home” remedies and DIY skincare. I explored drugstore makeup brands and thought stores like Ulta and Sephora were reserved for the professionals. However, the more I dabbled into makeup and watched YouTube gurus share their tips and dupes, the more I craved quality and ownership of well-known brands.

Now, we all know makeup looks best on a clear canvas. And by that, I mean no one wants to look like one of those strawberry shortcake ice cream popsicles you bought from your school cafeteria just because your skin is textured and you painted it with foundation. No, we need and deserve a clean canvas to creatively express ourselves with the tools that are makeup. For me, this began with a Maybelline CC cream, a free sample of Clinique blush and contour, and some Covergirl mascara. My face was oily back then, so I also carried Neutrogena oil blotting sheets with me.

When senior year Homecoming came around, I finally decided to walk into an Ulta and have them do my makeup. At first? I hated what they did to my face. I thought that I had looked caked up and not natural at all. The truth? The makeup artist didn’t listen to me and wasn’t a true professional. However, I did really like some of the products she used and received many compliments that night for my glamorous look. So, I went back and bought some of the items she used on my face, including a MAC foundation.

Once the more intense makeup began, I started noticing some flakiness and pimples pop off. Why? Because I didn’t realize a simple Noxema cleanser wasn’t enough to remove a layer of makeup on very dry skin. So, I looked into moisturizers and settled on a Neutrogena spf moisturizer. I needed makeup wipes (i know, the Joanna you know today would never even look at a makeup wipe).

I couldn’t shake the dryness, though, so I dealt with it. That is, until I moved to Ithaca and realized makeup looks terrible when it’s flaking off your face. So I weaned off the makeup except for formal occasions and photoshoots, but I didn’t want to. When sophomore year came around, I succumbed to Curology’s persistent Instagram marketing, and voila! My skin was starting to repair itself. To make things better, I purchased some hydrocolloid pimple patches from Amazon and my skin was looking baby fresh within a few weeks. Scars started disappearing, and I began to wear makeup again.

After some time, I realized I didn’t want to keep paying for a “miracle formula” bottle that seemed to have very little product in it for a high subscription price point. So, I began researching the ingredients that made my skin happy. The verdict? Niacinimide in higher doses, with slightly less Azelaic acid and Clindamycin. I kept researching the ingredients and products via Dermatology blogs and respected skincare YouTubers while keeping my Curology subscription. For almost a year, I used Garnier’s micellar water to remove any makeup and my skin loved it. Before I found replacement products, however, I noticed my skin starting to flake again. So, I shifted all of my research towards moisturizers and settled on La Roche Posay’s Lipikar Balm and Cerave’s moisturizing cream (I layer the latter on top of the second). I also did away with makeup wipes, as those can be drying and bad for the environment.

So now, my current skincare routine is this:

• Morning:

  • Rinse with water (my skin is too dry for a morning cleanse)

  • La Roche Posay moisturizer

  • Cerave moisturizer

• Night

  • Then I Met You Cleansing Balm

  • La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Cleanser

  • Paula’s Choice 2% BHA chemical exfoliant

  • La Roche Posay moisturizer

  • Cerave moisturizer

And that’s it for now. I try to keep it simple, but am looking to add a Hyaluronic Acid serum and reduce the amount of niacinimide in my products. After using this routine for a while and having some cult-favorite Ulta products I’ve repurchased the past several years (I’m now a rewards member, of course), I felt confident in branching out into new makeup items too. So now, my makeup routine is as follows:

• Everyday:

  • Elta MD UV Clear SPF 46 tinted moisturizer

  • Tarte Shape Tape concealer

  • Laura Mercier translucent setting powder

  • Physician’s formula butter bronzer

  • Milani’s blush

  • Becca champagne pop highlighter

  • Acquafor for my dry lips

  • Kylie K lip liner and matte liquid lipstick

  • Benefit’s Bad Gal Bang mascara + L’Oreal’s Lash Paradise

• A bit more glam is everything above +

  • Urban Decay’s all nighter dewy setting spray

  • Urban Decay eyeshadow primer

  • the same blush, bronzer, and highlighter trio as smoky orange/pink eyeshadow

  • Physician’s Formula sparkly nudes eyeshadow on top of the above

And that’s it! My skin looks smooth and my makeup looks natural. My pores appear smaller and my features are highlighted. I’m so happy with my current skincare and makeup routines, but I am always looking to improve both. Research in either area is so fun for me, and I’ll continue looking for sustainable alternatives to any of my products as well as items that are friendly to extremely dry, acne-prone skin like mine.

I hope this was helpful for you! Everyone’s skin is different, but let me know if you try any of the products I mentioned above. Good luck with your own journies!

Best,

Joanna