Alletse Aesthetic: Current Daytime Skin Care Routine

Hey everyone!!

This is my first skin care post so I'll include all my exciting skin info.

I have combination skin (oily t zone/dry on the rest of my face).
Most of my issues are pigmentation based. I have light dark circles and pigmentation on my lids, redness around my nose, cheeks, and chin, uneven skin tone, and scarring (splotchiness) on my chin, cheeks, and around my mouth.
My skin scars and marks so freaking easy, most of these marks are from past dry patches and small blemishes.
(my scarring was a lot worse, darker, and almost purple. find out what I'm using in Pt. 2).
I actually don't break out much, sometimes just a blemish or two around shark week.
I have enlarged pores and am prone to blackheads on and around my nose (oily zones).
That's pretty much it for my skin I think, so let's get to the fun stuff.

Current Daytime Skin Care Routine (in order of use)

Olay Total Effects Revitalizing Foaming Cleanser and Olay TotalEffects Refreshing Citrus Scrub:
($9.99 each)
I alternate these daily (so I pretty much exfoliate every other day)
This combo leaves my skin feeling super smooth.
The foaming cleanser works great for my combo skin, no tight dry feeling and not too hydrating for my oily zones.
The citrus scrub is medium grain, for me it's not too harsh for every other day use.
I've used it multiple days in a row before and even then I didn't find it harsh on my skin, plus it smells like minty citrus. I use both of these with a face brush.
I've been using these daily since January. (I've used these off and on for years, started again because my skin was freaking out).

SkinFood Premium Lettuce & Cucumber Watery Toner and SkinFoodPeach Sake Toner:
($15.00 each)
I multi tone because my t zone and face are so different and I have yet to find a single toner that can battle super oily and dry skin at the same time.
I use the Peach Sake Toner only on my t zone. I've seen a significant decrease in my oil production since I started using this. I mean obviously I didn't stop producing oils but on a scale from 1-10, I went from an 8 to about a four. My foundation used to break up around my nose all the time because I was so oily, even matte foundation, even with a matte primer. I haven't had that problem lately so that's a huge improvement for me. I wouldn't use this on any parts of your face that aren't oily, it's strong (in a drying way not harshness). The scent of this is so good, you almost wanna drink it or pour it all over yourself.
I've been using this since January (remember the skin freak out lol).
I use the Lettuce & Cucumber Watery Toner on the rest of my face. The first thing I noticed about this one was the scent, ughhh I'm telling you SkinFood makes amazing smelling products. It's the perfect light and fresh cucumber with a hint of soft floral. I know that sounds crazy but it's not overly scented at all.
This toner feels cool, refreshing, and soothing when applied, and most importantly my skin feels hydrated not stripped after using this. I've been using this since June.

Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Eye Treatment Cream
($22.99)
I use this generously on my eyes (duh). I take it down to the top of my cheekbone and up to my brow bone.
I have mixed feeling about this one. It feels nice when applied, a little goes a long way, and it really did help with the dryness around and under my eyes. I don't know though, seems like it's just a basic moisturizer.
If you have dry under eyes this would be great for you and it really did help with mine but I have dark circles, fine lines, puffiness, and I don't see any changes in any of those areas at all.
I've been using this since January.
I'm almost out of this one and I'm on the hunt for a new eye cream, so spill those eye cream secrets in the comments.

SkinFood Premium Lettuce & Cucumber Watery Emulsion and SkinFood Peach Sake Pore Serum
($15.00 & $16.00)
The Peach Sake Serum I only use on my t zone. I had high hopes for this after falling in love with the Peach Sake Toner, and decided to try it out when I ordered another toner. I have to say I don't really see any differences with this, besides a slight mattifying. I bought this expecting it to minimize my pores, fight blackheads, and help with oil control. You know the things that you would think of when they say pore serum.
Instead it works kinda like a pore filling and mattifying primer, and doesn't actually help with your skin problems, just helps mask them.
All those things are great for a makeup primer but not for a skin care product and not at all what I was expecting or looking for.
I continue to use this mostly just to get rid of it and only as a primer but I wouldn't purchase again.
That being said this really is a good product but not for it's intended purpose.
This would make a great primer for someone with normal to slightly oily skin.
I use the Lettuce & Cucumber Watery Emulsion after on the rest of my face, absolutely love this stuff.
This gives my skin an added light layer of moisture and leaves my skin feeling fresh and hydrated.
It absorbs quickly and a little goes a long way. I prefer to use this light emulsion layer on my face before moisturizer rather than just using a heavier cream moisturizer.
I've found it works better for me because my skin is combination and most combo products target normal to dry or normal to oily and I am neither of those.
Which makes it harder to find one product for my skin.
If I use a heavier cream instead of doing it this way I tend to get little white heads by the next day in oily areas from over moisturizing my oily zones.
I've been using both of these since June.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
($26.00 regular & $38.00 jumbo)
This lotion right here has literally changed my skin. My skin was freaking out bad. I had dry patches that just wouldn't going away and were leaving marks all over my face. The dry patches and scarring got so bad you would have thought I had bad acne and I started getting really bummed about my skin.
I was trying a bunch of different moisturizers, nothing was working on my polar opposite combo skin and I started thinking I was going to have to multi moisturize now too.
I got a sample of this when I bought a Clinique foundation. Within 2 days of using this I noticed my skin and dry patches healing and clearing up. I was super excited because I had gone months with nothing helping my skin. On day 4 I noticed some of my dry patches were completely gone, it wasn't too heavy on the oily parts of my skin either. It was a miracle and I ordered a full size bottle that night. My dryness has completely cleared up and I haven't had any dry patches since then.
I find 3 pumps is the perfect amount for my fat head and also gives me more than enough to drag down my neck. I've been using this since June.
(I used the lotion version in high school when I had normal skin and loved that one too)

*FYI - The Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer comes in 3 formulas, so let's do a quick breakdown.
Moisturizing Lotion – Normal Skin
Moisturizing Gel – Combination/Oily to Oily
Moisturizing Cream – Dry Skin

Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Actively Hydrating Daily Lotion SPF 15
($12.99)
I only use this on days when my skin is feeling more dehydrated and drier than normal.
I apply this after my Clinique moisturizer and since it's very hydrating I only use this on the dry areas avoiding my t zone.
If I'm going to be outside though I will mix 1 pump into my Clinique lotion and apply over my whole face.
This gives me added hydration and SPF without making me greasy.
Make sure you don't get it in your eyes because it burns like hell from the SPF (so I've been told lol).

So that's my current daily daytime skin routine.
I also do various masks, sheet masks, and eye masks a few times a week.
I do my masks after I cleanse and tone, then continue the rest of my routine like normal.

Part 2 Nighttime Skin Care Routine coming soon.

Let me know in the comments below or on my social media, your thoughts on any of the products mentioned, or if you have any recommendations.
Don't forget to let me know of any good daytime eye creams too.

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