Me, Mary Kay, Lush and My Skin

I was 12 when I was first introduced to a "skincare system".

I know that kind of sounds weird, but hear me out.

My mother had met a woman who sold Mary Kay, and she had us over to her house for one of the parties. It was my first exposure into multilevel skincare, and my first exposure into home sales. It was also the first time I had ever worn make up, other than on stage, and I was mesmerized.

Mascara? Sign me up. Give me the blush, the foundation, all of it. I became a skincare and makeup junkie. That first Mary Kay party was the gateway into the skin care and makeup world for me. I know that my mom thought it was a bunch of hoo-haa and "here, come buy more stuff from me and hey, why not join my selling group?" - but I love me some face stuffs.

Over the years, I've tried various skincare routines. I tried Noxzema for a while, Clearasil, Clinique, and even delved once into a super spendy company that was publicized as providing skincare sets to the stars in Grammy night. I've bought products at grocery stores, speciality stores, Sephora, kiosks in the mall, online - really anywhere you could buy a skincare product, and just about any type, I've tried it. I've tried different soaps, lotions, creams, toners, and on and on. My skin has been buffed, polished, cleansed and otherwise thoroughly prepared for life.

It all began at the Mary Kay party. There I learned about the steps for skincare: wash with a nonsoap cleanser, repair the pH balance with the toner, and then add on some moisturizer. With few exceptions, I've not deviated from this routine, although I have changed up the brands. My skin feels weird if I don't use a toner.

My current products of use have been my favorites for quite a while. I'm not looking to change them, as I get a fair amount of compliments on my skin. (See also: it's not very spendy and it's quick. I am allllll about the quick.)

Currently, I use Lush Coalface soap. Yes, I know above I said don't use a soap, but what can I say – I'm a hypocrite. It seriously one of the best soaps I've ever used to keep my skin acne free. Then I use the Burts bees toner, and I never use moisturizer.

Never. I never use moisturizer or eye cream, although I often think I should. I'm not skilled enough to miss sticking the eye cream in my eyes. I just use those two products, and the Proactiv mask that I swipe from my kids - the big three use that religiously - it's truly the best stuff I've ever found for acne.

I was thinking about this last night, as I washed my face - how it all began at that Mary Kay party. And it lead me to wonder - what products do you swear by for your skin? Let's talk cleansing right now - we'll do makeup next post.

 

Comments

[Kyooty/Mary]

I'm the avon lady, I didn't use the stuff before I sold it, before I was quite happy with a little bottle from the grocerystore shelves. Wow the difference.

[addy]

The body wash in the shower or make-up remover cloth followed by warm water and moisturizer. Always moisturizer.

[Amy]

I love my Clarisonic. Beyond that... Murad Clarifying/acne products, moisturizer on occasion, eye cream daily and a light glycolic peel now & then. But the Clarisonic? Life changing. Everyone I know who has one feels the same way.

[Amie]

Cetaphil, Obagi Clenziderm and rosebud salve lip balm. Rarely use moisturizer.

[carly g]

i loved this post. anything beauty wise and you have me hooked. i LOVE reading what other people do for their beauty routines. can't wait to see what you post for your makeup :)

[Nelson's Mama]

I'm terrible. I wash my face with shampoo in the shower.

I do like Philosophy Anti-aging Retinoid Pads and their Miracle Worker moisturizer.

[Becki]

Wash with Noxzema, moisturize with Burt's Bees Daily Radiance.

[Beth]

I'm an Oil of Olay fan, have been for , decades!? I use foaming face wash and moisturizer every morning, and now that I'm closing in on 50, I use the retinol night cream and a great, non greasy eye cream I found at TJMaxx. And I make sure I use sunscreen everyday. Must work, cause I just got carded and the lady swore I looked late 20s! I don't even care if she's lying!

[Joelle]

I use the Wal-mart brand knock-off of Neutrogena face wash. I'd tried several brands, even the real Neutrogena, but the knock-off seems to work better on my skin to keep the chin acne away (and it being cheaper is a great bonus). Other than that, I don't do anything (don't even wear make-up unless it's a holiday or we're having prof pics taken). Oooh, unless I get sunburned ... then I use Clinique's yellow face lotion. Best. Stuff. Ever. for sunburns!

[Jackie Parker]

I too started with a Mary Kay Party but, my Daughter took me to the party. She was getting ready to get married and wanted me to start wearing makeup and taking care of my face. I still use Mary Kay. I use cleanser, moisturizer, and I use TIMEWISE night solution now that I'm in my 60's. It must work because for the most part people say I don't look my age.

[Melissa]

I'm terribly inconsistent about what I wash with (whatever's on hand, or sometimes just water), but I'm pretty good about moisturizer with sunscreen (I like Eucerin at the moment--fragrance free is REALLY fragrance free!). I'm a convert to Almay eye makeup remover--works well on my sensitive eyes. I've used Mary Kay in the past, but I can't bring myself to pay more than drugstore prices (with a coupon) for cosmetics. I rarely feel there's a difference worth paying for. I'd love to hear some recommendations for foundation, though!

[mbillock]

I am a die hard Mary Kay user. I have been using it for 20 years and don't think I will ever go back to the Macy's brands I used before.
I use the facial bar as my cleanser, the "purple" oil free hydrating lotion followed by a balancing moisturizer. No toner. I love her moisture rich mask every couple weeks and the microderm abrasion set once a month.

[mbillock]

I would love for you to do a post on users who use the Clarisonic. I have been toying with getting one, but wonder if it's worth the $$$.

[Sandy]

Since my 40s my skin has become acne prone(hormones!!!) . I use St Ives exfoliating scrub morning and night. I use a prescription acne gel at night, followed by a retinol cream 3 x a week. I use neutrogena moisturizer in the morning. I do use my clarisonic 2 x a week with a cleanser from sephora. Sounds complicated, but it really isn't. I am a sucker at sephora. Am planning a trip there soon and am looking for a more age defying moisturizer!!

[MelissaS]

I'm so lazy. I wash in the shower with a bar of Dove, and moisturize with Aveeno face stuff. I'm lucky to have clear skin!

[Amy]

Ooh I love me some product! Currently I am using all Annemarie Borlind products. Spendy but its really gentle on my face. Currently use their LL system but be it my age or the dry winter weather my last purchase of day cream I moved into their absolute system. Cleansing milk, toner, naturesome, day cream, eye cream. And a couple days a week I will use there exfoliating peel, though its not a peal at all but a nice gentle scrub. Too much sun and a splash of orange blossom energizer can fix that right up. It's all good and natural.

[mari]

Oh how I love this topic! I could spend forever shopping for face stuff:)
Right now I am addicted to clarisonic. Got it for Christmas and using it daily. My face feels good regardless of what cleanser I use.
I use a retinol serum most days (can't remember the brand, but it's from target)
I love aveeno moisturizer with the sunscreen in the summer. I use a heavier clinique product in the winter, it also has spf.
I also like garnier BB cream some days.

[Karen Z]

I love this topic too. I use Oil of Olay to wash and moisturize. Went from oily skin to dry. I also use Paula's Choice products. In the northeast my skin gets very dry in the winter so during the summer it is mostly cleansing and sunscreen.

[Katie B. of HousewifeHowTos.com]

Ivory soap, Witch Hazel for toner, then moisturize with coconut oil or Olay Regenerist on alternate days. I'm almost 46 and don't have any wrinkles, so I'm not about to change my routine!

[Sylvia]

I just had to comment so I could gross out everybody. I don't wash my face. Ever. Maybe like once every 6 months. I don't use toner, I rarely moisturize and I don't really wear any foundation ect. Every once in awhile I use Garnier moisture rescue if my face feels super dried out. I rinse my face off when I shampoo and every once in awhile I scrub with a wet washcloth.

[Shelly]

I use St. Ive's face scrub and Oil of Olay for my moisturizer and their eye cream for around my eyes. I use Burt's Bees facial cleansers when I wear make-up which is not often, though 3 times this past week. I do wear sunscreen when outside, but I also wear a wide brimmed hat outside at all times.

[maggie]

I admit to being a product junkie, when I can afford it. Even when I wasn't working I just couldn't seem to lay off the better products. I always try new things, too. Currently loving the Clarins gentle foaming wash and my old tried and true Clinique cleaning lotion. My skin is very dry now so I've been using Josie Maran's Argan Oil and love it! I also use the Clarisonic which my mom treated me to a year ago. My skin feels terrible if I don't use it. However, I'm wondering if using it every morning is causing my skin to thin more?

[Megan]

Well, this is going to rock your world...but my facial cleansing routine is to not do it. I alternated between various teen-targeted products for years before settling on Noxema. But as I got older, my acne got worse and worse, yet my skin was getting dryer and dryer. My dermatologist prescribed Tretinoin. I stopped using the Noxema and after a couple of months of applying the Tretinoin once a day, my skin began to look better than it had in years. I still have breakouts, but my skin is way better than it ever was on any kind of Mary Kay-type system. I don't take this for granted and would never try another product just for kicks.

As for the rest of me, for awhile I was on a rigorous eczema treatment system with shower gel, clobetasol and an all-over post-shower soaking in Eucerin. But now that the eczema is under control, I can use whatever cleanser I want (usually goat's milk soap) and just put lotion on my legs and hands. I LOVE the Everyone coconut and lemon lotion, and it's way cheaper than Eucerin.

[Megan]

Sorry for the double posting, but just to clarify...I do remove makeup before bed, but I generally just wear eye makeup so the product doesn't go on my whole face. I vary between brands but look for ones that don't test on animals.

[Brandy]

I like hearing what every one else uses. I find it interesting. I wash my face in the shower with Dove sensitive skin soap and also use Philosophy's MicroDelivery face wash. After I'm out of the shower I apply a light, very light, bit of Oil of Olay (regular) for sensitive skin (Not the one with the sunscreen as it makes my skin burn and turn red.) I never wear make-up and after a workout I wipe my face down with a cool towel. I'm allergic to Lanolin and Shea Butter. So it limited my product usage. (Oh, as for the microdelivery face wash? I started using it after my face would suddenly erupt with red, itchy patches. No scaly skin, just small red patches of skin that looked normal except for color and the fact that they itched. Since using the wash they've stopped. I am never running out of that stuff. Ever. *g*)