Skincare Favourites By @Actually.Skin!

Introduction by Sally

 My name is Sally and I’m an NYC native, born and raised in Brooklyn. I run a skincare Instagram account called Actually Skin; where I talk about skincare, acne, self-care, and a TON of memes! My first dive into skincare was when I first started getting acne in middle school. At the time, anyone ever knew of just Clean & Clear and Neutrogena, AKA products that were harsh and drying on your skin.

From there, I started researching and discovered beauty channels such as Michelle Phan and BubzBeauty on YouTube (YT was really new back then!). That’s when I got to learn a lot more about the skin I’m in. However, I didn’t fully get into a solid skincare routine until I started this account. I was tired of dealing with my cystic acne and thought, why not? I needed a creative outlet. Fast-forward about 3 years, here I am with basically no acne besides a little whitehead here and there and a community of like-minded people who share the same interest of skincare and beauty as to me 🙂

Sally’s Current Skincare Favourites

What are your current skincare favourites + how do you incorporate these products in your everyday routine?

My favorite skincare products have to be cleansing oils/cleansing balms. They’re the first step in my nighttime routine and I find it to be the most important step to changing my skin. For cleansing oil, I really enjoy the KOSE Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil. It really viscous and easily removes all my makeup. My favorite cleansing balm is the Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm. It’s a soft, buttery, oil-based cleanser that easily melts makeup off without being drying at all. 

So these products (dubbed the “first cleanse”), functions as the makeup/overall grime removal. Makeup and sunscreen (which you should be wearing everyday BTW!) contain oils. They can’t be broken down as easily as with a normal cleanser since those are water-based. See it this way, when you try to put water on top of oil, it won’t mix. So you use an oil that contains emulsifiers to breakdown all the oils in your makeup and sunscreen. Bonus, it washes clean! Then follow up with a normal cleanser. I prefer non-foaming cleansers as they’re too drying. Continue with the rest of your routine. 

Any holy grail skincare products? 

 Hmm, when I think of holy grail products, I think of products that have changed my life. As dramatic as that sounds. I used to be very insecure about my acne and paired with low-self esteem, it was a recipe for self-doubt. 

The products that changed my life are:

The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid Toner. Honestly, I haven’t bought this in a hot minute but it was the one product that changed my skincare routine. It’s inexpensive, accessible, and effective. The toner is used after the cleansing step. Either with a cotton pad or swept across your face. For a more eco- friendly way, pat it evenly onto your skin with your hands. This toner removes any dead skin cells that have built up on your skin. As well as, effectively unclogs pores. 

Nivea Sun Super Water Gel SPF50 PA++++ Sunscreen -. Normally, I’d say the Biore Skin Aqua sunscreen but I switched over to this one. This is because it’s more cost-effective and I can buy refill packets for the bottle. It’s a lightweight, gel sunscreen that leaves no white-cast (doesn’t contain zinc oxide!) 

Dr. Jart Ceramidin Cream – This has been a staple for me every winter. It’s thick and creates a nice barrier for my skin. So that I can wake up with a beautiful glow in the morning! 

Where can our readers find you?

 You can follow me on IG at @actually.skin!

If you enjoyed this Skincare Favourites BY, please check out the previous one here!