Top 10 Skincare Holy Grails

2021 was the year of skincare. Products practically jumped off the shelves thanks to Tik Tok trends and new skincare-gurus. In all honesty, I didn’t know anything about how to take care of my skin and bought products because they looked pretty or because I liked what they promised. But then I saw how skincare was blowing up on social media and decided to start doing some research for myself.

I have Rosacea and Keratosis Pilaris on my cheeks and the only "skincare" I ever tried was make-up wipes and facial scrubs. It was an insecurity for me and I thought that if I scrubbed hard enough, it’d just come off. Boy was I wrong. I learned there's so many more things about my skin need to be paid attention to besides my visible diagnosis.

Thanks to good ‘ole Skincare by Hyram (the beginner of my skincare research journey) I soon learned that scrubs were very bad for my skin, but also what ingredients to look for and which ones to run away from. I learned what different ingredients do, and I learned how to properly use them in the correct doses. I even learned that I wasn’t supposed to pop my pimples (WHATTT)!

All that to say, I have now developed a skincare routine that my skin LOVES! The products I use are

vegan, cruelty free, and safe for all skin types. I want to share with you my Top 10 Skincare Holy Grails that I truly believe have saved my skin! I’ve listed them in the order of my routine so you can see how I use them!

(Don't worry, all the photos are linked to the products on amazon! Just click on what you like and it'll take you straight to it!)

P.S. You can also find these products under the "shop my favs" tab at the top of the page ;)

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1 Versed Day Dissolving Cleansing Balm

I used to waste 4000 cotton rounds trying to scrub all of my makeup off with micellar water. It would get the job done but i never felt like my skin was truly clean. When I discovered this little pot of gold that Versed had created, I was instantly in love. This stuff will melt off the most waterproof mascara like butter on a hot biscuit. It's alcohol free, artificial fragrance free, pregnancy safe, and eye safe. This product is oil based so there's no PH level, but no worries, this cleanser leaves NO residue like oil-based products you may have tried before. I always start with this stuff at night to wash off the day.

2 CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

Here's where we get into the science of double-cleansing. While the Versed Cleansing Balm can remove the toughest makeups, there's always most likely some combination of dirt or makeup left on your skin. I don't double-cleanse in the morning, but always at night. The great thing about the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is that it also can remove makeup. So anything left behind is all gone after this product. It comes in two kinds, the regular cream cleanser, and the cream-to-foam. I tend to use the regular but if you're looking for some suds to make you feel like you really got a good clean (without all the stripping ingredients) then the cream-to-foam is perfect! This cleanser contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid, amino acids, and MVE Technology. That means that not only will it moisturize your skin at use, but also repair your skin's natural barrier and continue to release moisturizing ingredients over time. It's non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, allergy tested, PH balanced, and developed with dermatologists. It's a skincare staple.

3 Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush

Now, there's no exact science to these things, but I love them. They're silicone so they don't harshly scratch your skin or irritate it. I haven't been able to find any real evidence that these do anything magical for your skin, but for me they help for those hard-to-reach places. They're a magic worker at getting all the gel out of my eyebrows, getting in the corners of my nose, and under my jaw. It almost feels like a little at-home facial! These are less of a necessity but more of just a personal favorite. Warning though, clean these babies often. They

can gather bacteria sitting on your bathroom

sink or in a drawer. I tend to wash mine with my

facial cleanser. If it's going on my face, it's going

to be cleaned with something that's safe for my skin!

4 The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Serum

TBH, I bought this stuff because it was cheap and a trend, and I never looked back. This is primarily a Niacinamide serum but the Zinc included balances the strength of the Niacinamide so that it's healthy for your skin. This serum has worked magic on my skin. I used to have sebum filled pores all over my face that never seemed to clear and this baby did the trick. This serum is not a treatment for persistent acne- related conditions, but instead reduces the appearance of blemishes, brightens, and balances sebum activity. The ingredients are Niacinamide, Zinc, and a few delivery agents and it's vegan and cruelty free. I never go a night without this stuff.

5 CeraVe Anti-Aging Retinol Serum

In the words of my doctor, "everyone needs a retinol". Retinol is the key ingredient to cater to fine lines, wrinkles, and signs of aging. Spoiler alert: the way you treat your skin now, determines how it's going to turn out later. No amounts of anti-wrinkle creams are going to help once you have all the wrinkles. This particular concoction by CeraVe also includes essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid to improve texture and brightness, and maintain your skin's protective barrier. Like all CeraVe products, it also includes their MVE technology, continuing to deliver the ingredients to your skin after application. This serum is non-comedogenic, fragrance free, and developed by dermatologists. Everyone needs a retinol, and everyone needs this one.

6 TruSkin Vitamin C Serum

Let me start with this: never use your Vitamin C Serum and Retinol and Niacinamide at the same time of day. Your Retinol and Niacinamide are perfectly compatible, but they can interfere with your Vitamin C, making it not quite as effective. If we're going to spend money on skincare and put time and effort into taking care of our skin, we want it to work right?

Vitamin C has 3 main effects on our skin. It fights radical damage, brightens and evens tone, and reduces signs of aging. Alongside those, it brightens dark spots, triggers collagen and keratin production, and limits inflation. I use this product in the morning after cleansing for a bright and glowy base under my makeup. It's not oily or wet-looking, the skin is just super happy to get these ingredients, so you get that natural glow. I have seen huge improvements in my skin's discoloration and dark spots since using this serum and I highly suggest you jump on board with it!

7 Hero Cosmetic's Mighty Patch The Original

You don't even need to leave your house to know about the giant impact this product has made on the skincare community. It took over Tik Tok for a while, and now people even post videos of them removing them, which is cool...if you're into that pimple popping stuff (which I totally am). The secret of these patches is one simple ingredient, Hydrocolloid. It's a plant based gel that, in the words of Hero Cosmetic's website, "gently absorbs and traps gunk." I have put these guys on the angriest blemishes to the smallest ones and it works every time. I tend to stick 'em on at night before my moisturizer (they won't stick if you do it afterwards) or sometimes if i'm having a lazy day at home i'll wear one around the house for a few hours. They work best if you leave them on

for 6-8 hours and always wash your face and let

the blemish breathe for a little before applying

another. I've tried a few other brands but none

of them have been as effective as Mighty Patch.

8 CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

There's so many moisturizers on the market and it can be really hard to pick one. I don't think I've ever bought the same product twice until this cream. This cream contains the ingredients that you need to be checking the ingredients list for when buying a moisturizer: Hyaluronic Acid and ceramides. Hyaluronic Acid helps your skin to retain it's moisture but also brings moisture from your environment into your skin. The ceramides do what ceramides do, they protect your skin and your skin's natural barrier. This product includes CeraVe's classic MVE technology and is non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and developed by dermatologists. This cream is rich, non-greasy, and fast absorbing. A moisturizer shouldn't be

complex and should have one main focus, to moisturize.

This is a great staple and a go-to for me.

9 CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a difficult product to shop for. There's so many cons to the wrong sunscreen. It leaves a white-cast, it's greasy, and makes your make-up slide right off. Well let me introduce you to CeraVe's Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen, the white-cast-less, non-greasy, 30 SPF, best daily sunscreen I've ever used. This is a mineral sunscreen which means that it's oil free and consists of 2 main ingredients: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. This formula is safe for all skin types and has the National Eczema Association Seal of Approval (how cool is that!). It's a CeraVe product so we already know its packed full of ceramides, hyaluronic acid, is fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and developed with dermatologists. This product is allergy tested, paraben free, and suitable for sensitive skin. Alongside the National Eczema Association, this product also has the National Skin Cancer Foundation Daily Use Seal of Approval. This is a product that I use at the end of my morning skincare routine, right before I apply my....

10 Vaseline Therapy Lip Balm with Aloe

I. Cannot. Get. Enough. Of. This. Lip. Balm. I have tried everything, Burt's bees, Chapstick, Aquaphor, EOS, and more, and nothing heals my chapped lips overnight like this pot of gold. It's Vaseline, so the ingredients are so simple, petrolatum and aloe. This little magic-worker makes my lips instantly softer, heals them while getting rid of all the chapped, dead skin, and smells like a luxury product. No worries though, the fragrance is simply the aloe and you're in no harm if you accidentally get a little in your mouth when lathering it on. I'll be really honest with you all, I don't just use this on my lips. I use it on my nose when its dry and peeling after

having a cold, I use it on my cuticles if my hands

are super dry, and I've even used it on my eyelids

when they get super dry in the winter! If you are

planning to disregard everything else I've said,

don't disregard this product.

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There you have it! That is my Top 10 Skincare Holy Grails.

Disclaimer: Not all products work for all skin, these are just my suggestions. If you are struggling with severe skincare issues please consult with your dermatologist to find the best skincare routine for you!

One more thing before you go, I want to remind you that the goal in a skincare routine is to have healthy skin and not clear skin. Healthy skin isn't always clear, and clear skin isn't always healthy.

Let's make 2022 the year of healthy skin!

TTYL,

Carrie