Stressed Skin: Go To's

​With Halloween getting closer (yes!) I think it would be a good idea to tell you how I take care of over stressed skin. Last Halloween I believe I done around 20 looks as part of a campaign for a company. Super stressful on the skin especially toward the end of the month. I use SFX makeup, fake blood, liquid latex, an assortment of paints, etc etc. We're not talking one base color we're talking maybe 3 to get it opaque. I'll drop in some photos that I've done both last year and this year so you can see how detailed it can get. 

By the end of the campaign last year I was toast. My eyes were tired and sensitive. My skin just kinda hurt. However, I was not doing the extra steps to replenish the skin and take care of it while scrubbing all the paint off. So of course it was sensitive, dry, a bit chapped to be honest, and red. It took a week of no makeup and gentle skincare to get it to feeling better but since then I've learned what my "go to" routines are. (maybe I'll make that a series) I have one for breakouts, I have one for stressed skin, I have one for reactive skins. This would be the stressed/tired/sensitive skin routine from constant abuse with paints lol.

So lets get into it:

Right off the bat....double cleanse (Thank you Caroline Hirons for coining the term). Please just do it. For any makeup not just face paint. I prefer a balm for that instead of an oil. That's just me. I do however like the Dermalogica Pre Cleanse but that's really the only one. I love the Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm and Farmacy Green Clean both are very different. A more affordable option is Botanics Cleansing Balm. I feel like it's better suited for oilier skin types. It takes a bit to get the eyeliner off your face with this specific balm so it does have it's draw backs.

For the 2nd cleanse I use something very gentle like Youth To The People, Kate Sommerville Gentle Cleanser, Soco Botanicals Citrus Gem cleanser, etc. Anything gentle will work. I try not to use my Clarisonic too much on sensitive skin. Even with the softest brush it can be too much for my skin at the least amount of pressure. So a warm face cloth is my best bet for this. 

Next I go in with my usual treatments of serums, oils, and sprays. I tend to leave out Acid toning and Retinol during the most intense times unless they're very mild. I love using Martian Water Gel Toner from Sunday Riley when my skin is sensitive. It's meant to be calming and soothing for problematic skin. I don't have problematic skin but it's definitely beneficial for tired and sensitive skin. I always go in with Vitamin C though, everyday. I use a milder version usually a 10%-15%. Keep in mind this is for the times when the skin is very sensitive and tired. Not an everyday routine for me.

Next I tend to go in heavier with oils. I like anything with blue tansy or carrot in it. I'm a big fan of the Mahalo Balm which is more like a concentrate, I love Juno from Sunday Riley because it's packed with antioxidants. May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon balm concentrate is lovely for inflammation and really "feeding the skin" with blue tansy. The serums from The Granola Goat like 24 carrot, and Seeing Clearly. Seeing Clearly  has Blue Tansy in it and obviously 24 Carrot has carrot. I like oils that are super rich and thicker feeling because they seem to be the best for replenishing tired skin or dry skin. 

After oils I use a refreshing spray. My preferred one is First Aid Beauty Vital Greens Face Mist. It's cooling and feels amazing. I also really like the Clinique Moisture Surge Face Mist. Very hydrating and helpful.

Lastly I go in with creams to lock everything in. I like more rich creams instead of water creams or hydrating gels. I love the Dr. Roebocks FACE cream it's very light weight. It's certainly rich in texture. I love it. Some others that I like are Lala Retro Whipped Cream from Drunk Elephant it has 6 different oils in it. Fresh Corset Cream is another good choice because it's very light weight as usual. Also Cicapair from Dr. Jart is fantastic if you notice you're having a reaction/itchiness or inflammation and redness.

Now this step is imperative. A sleeping mask. My absolute favorite is Exuviance Overnight Recovery Masque which you actually use before moisturizer, let it sit for 5 minutes and then put on your moisturizer. The others go on last. For those Laneige Water Sleeping mask. It's like a blast of cold air and feels so wonderful. Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask is also lovely and has soothing qualities specifically.

I tend to use actual masks more than I normally do during this season. So like maybe 3 times a week but I mix it up between sheet masks, hydro gel masks, and mud masks. I love the When gel type of sheet masks, as well as the Miss Spa masks. I like Biobelle sheets masks and Ebanel. For mud masks I like to detox with May Lindstrom Problem Solver,  Shea Moisture Charcoal mud mask, etc. I also like anti-oxidant rich masks like Youth To The People mask, Aveseena Honeyactive Mask, and Farmacy Honey Potion.