My College Skincare Routine

My College Skincare Routine

As college students, we get caught up with exams and presentations, trying to wake up on time for our 8 am classes and grabbing a quick coffee along the way. What most of us might forget is to focus on our skin care. I know for me personally I had so much more time, and even money, to spend on my skincare routine, and as a busy college student it’s hard to keep on top of that. So I’m here to share with you some of my favorite skin care products to help you out.

I’ve used most of these products for over a year so I would say I have a pretty good idea on how they work as well as their results. For me, this has been my skincare routine for a while now, and I don’t see myself changing it up anytime soon! These products have helped my skin go from dull and a hangout spot for pimples, to glowy and acne free.

Makeup Remover
The first step in any routine should be a clear dirt, oil and makeup-free face to work with; so I have two different makeup remover options for you. If you’re a makeup remover wipe addict and can’t seem to use anything else than that’s totally fine! Hey, I still use wipes often enough to keep a stash around the apartment. My favorite is the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes which retail for $6.99 at Ulta. Regardless if you have an everyday look or a nighttime college glam on, these wipes will take all that highlighter and foundation off without causing any irritation.

If you want something more planet-friendly and less expensive in the long run, one of my favorites is micellar water. I use the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water which retails for $8.99 at Ulta, and this bottle seriously lasts me months! Even when I use it almost every night! The great thing about micellar water is that you can use it even when you’re not wearing makeup because it cleanses your face of any dirt and oils you’ve managed to accumulate throughout the night.

Pictured: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Cleanser
Let’s move on to the bad boy that’s actually going to be cleaning out those pores; I have two of my favorite daily cleansers. The first is the Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel which retails for $14.00 on their website. For starters this stuff smells heavenly and is super gentle on the skin, making it the perfect everyday cleanser! Sometimes I even use
this with one of those spinning facial brushes, and it cleans all the junk out.

This next product is one I’ve been using for literally seven years, and I swear by this stuff. It’s the one product I recommend to everyone, and it’s perfect for oily, acne prone skin. It’s Herbalism by Lush, and it retails for $16.95 in store and on their website. This product is a bit expensive since the container is relatively small and the product has a short shelf life, but it’s worth every penny. The best part is you can get a free sample from any Lush store; so you can give it a try before splurging because I know we’re all college students on a budget.

Pictured (from left to right): Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion, Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel, Herbalism by Lush

Toner
To this day there are still so many people who don’t know what toner is and have never used one before and that shocks me. Where do I start? This bottle of liquid is essential in any skincare routine. It literally cleans out your pores after makeup remover, and a cleanser is used, and it helps to clear up the skin. There are also toners aimed to make your skin glow and others to make your pores appear smaller, so there are tons of different uses. Once again I have two different options for you because I love these two toners and can’t choose my favorite. My first favorite is the Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion which retails for $15.00 on their website, and I’ve been using this for over a year now. I use it before bed, and it’s so refreshing and gentle on the skin and gets any makeup that my remover missed.

Another favorite of mine is the Glow Tonic by Pixi Beauty which retails for $15.00 for the 100 mL bottle and $29.00 for the 250 mL one. This is a product I’ve had my eyes on for ages but only started using about two months ago and honestly, I don’t see myself ever stopping. This is my favorite morning toner; so every morning when I wake up I wipe some of this with a cotton pad across my face, and it’s given my skin such a youthful complexion!

Serum
So my last skincare favorite and a new addiction of mine are serums! I’m guilty of being one of those people who never invested in one simply because I didn’t understand the purpose. I’ve been using the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum, which retails for $20 for the .5 oz bottle, for the past six months and I know I won’t be stopping anytime soon. This serum is filled with vitamin C and helps to add a glow to a dull complexion, and with college stress I know we could all use some glow in our skin! It is pretty pricey for the average college student, and that’s why it took me forever even to get the small size of this; however, Sephora gives out decent sized samples in store. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who has the money to splurge or simple get a sample and give it a try for yourself!

Pictured (from left to right): Glow Tonix by Pixi Beauty, Ole Henriksen Truth Serum

I’m such a skincare fanatic and have tons of other products I’ve loved and used in the past, but these are hands down my personal favorites. Give them a try and let me know what you think! If you have any other skin care favorites that you’ve been loving, comment them down below!