I've Spent Countless Hours in the Sun—Here's How I'm Reversing the Damage

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(Image credit: Adrienne Faurote )

Over the past decade or so, I’ve subconsciously become my own beauty guru. From testing hundreds of face serums and acclaimed moisturizers to enduring the latest facial trends and gadgets, I’ve taken myself on quite the skincare journey and learned one profound lesson: Listen to your skin. The importance of understanding your skin is the key step to any beauty regimen. For instance, I now know I have combination skin, I am susceptible to hormonal acne, and I have regrettably spent too many hours in the sun, resulting in a bit of hyperpigmentation and dark spots. What does this mean exactly? After years of experimenting, I know that certain products don’t react well with my skin, and I also am aware of what exactly my skin goals are and which ingredients are necessary to achieve them. 

Already thinking you don’t have years to spend testing products? Do not stress. Fortunately, I have tried enough skincare and beauty products that I have narrowed it down to a strict beauty routine I shockingly haven’t changed in months—nor do I plan to. I’m sharing my routine to show that once you find your go-tos, consistency is imperative. These products, when used properly and consistently over time, have proven to transform my skin in a way that, at times, truly felt impossible. My dark spots have become faint, my texture has improved, my acne has subsided, and the list goes on. The below products have withstood the test of my time (which is, honestly, pretty hard to do with all the new beauty products surfacing) and have remained a constant in my beauty routine.

Morning 

For me, morning skincare is everything. In the morning, it's super important give yourself that extra bit of time to allow products to soak in prior to applying makeup. No matter how much time I have, I always make time for skincare practices. It's essentially my refresh button to start the day. My morning focus is to freshen up my face by de-puffing, thoroughly cleansing, and moisturizing. 

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(Image credit: Adrienne Faurote)

Makeup

As a skincare-obsessed individual, my makeup routine is naturally heavily focused on my skin rather than intense eye shadow work or dramatic lip contours. I opt for products that keep my skin matte and less oily while also creating a dewy glow.

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(Image credit: @adriennefaurote)

Evening

My skincare goal for the evening revolves around the three Rs: rejuvenation, restore, and repair. As most evenings entail relaxing and unwinding from the day, that's exactly how I treat my nighttime skincare routine. I opt for products, like thicker moisturizers, that work to replenish my skin overnight. 

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(Image credit: Adrienne Faurote)

Extracurriculars

Below are products I don't use every day but rather weekly enhancements I find beneficial to my overall skin's appearance. Also, dermaplaning, a service that removes all dead skin cells, once a month is something I owe some of my skin's success to, and contrary to popular beliefs, it does not cause hair to grow back coarser. According to Lisa Guidi, the founder of Erase Spa, "Dermaplaning will not cause hair to grow back thicker and darker. Don't be scared to try dermaplaning, as it has amazing benefits. Your hair will grow back the same color and texture it was prior to the treatment." 

Freelance Editor