Since nobody asked, I thought I'd talk a little bit about my current skincare routines!
I recently ordered the Be Transcendent Mini Glow Pack for Oily Skin which comes with a cleanser, a toner, and a day moisturizer. So the only thing I truly add to my AM routine is a serum and SPF. I've only been using the Be Transcendent Line for about 2 weeks now, so I haven't formed a complete opinion on it yet. It's a black owned brand, and the products all contain natural, plant-based ingredients. The products are also catered to your skin type (they have Normal/Dry, Oily, and Combo).
Cleanse: Be Transcendent Recharge Cleanser -- I like this cleanser, but not any more than my other cleansers. It cleanses my skin without stripping it of its natural oils, it smells very earthy and very natural (which I like), and its ingredient list boasts castile soap, organic honey, myrrh oil and almond oil. It's a cream like consistency that doesn't lather, which I'm not used to, but I do like the way my skin feels post-cleanse.
If I'm not using this cleanser, I'll use my Panacea The Aegis Daily Facial Cleanser* which might be my favorite cleanser to use right now. A tiny dime sized amount (or even less honestly) works into a satisfying lather and makes my skin feel incredibly clean and smooth but not dry or stripped whatsoever. It contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid, green tea extract and vitamin E to cleanse and hydrate at the same time.
Tone: Be Transcendent Balance Toner -- This product is really the reason I decided to buy from this brand. I saw a few of my InstaFriends™️ rave about it (shoutout to Abiola @skinwithabiola & Funmi @skincaregoalsAF) and I had to get it. Plus, the only toner I've really been using in my routine previously is my tried and true Thayer's Toner with Witch Hazel, so I was down to try something new. I love this toner. It's made with rose water & myrrh oil and feels so hydrating and so refreshing upon application. It has a slightly less rosy smell than the Thayer's toner, which makes me love it even more. Honestly if you're going to try something from this brand, this toner is it.
Serum: Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum -- This is just an okay serum. It's lightweight and seems to absorb into my skin nicely, but I haven't seen any long-term benefits from it (i.e. evening out skin tone with the Vitamin C). It also makes my skin feel slightly sticky after application, which doesn't happen with any other serum I use. At this point I'm just trying to finish the bottle.
If I'm not using this serum, I use the new Sunday Riley CEO Glow Oil with Vitamin C and Turmeric which I know is an oil, don't come for me, but is definitely lightweight to use as a serum. I received this in my January Allure Beauty Box and have been using it some days and most nights and I love how it absorbs almost instantly and gives me a natural looking glow.
Eye Cream: My eye cream of choice has always been the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme, and I've hyped it up enough in past blog posts so I'll skip it here. Just know that I use it every damn day.
Moisturize: Be Transcendent Nourish Day Moisturizer -- This isn't my favorite moisturizer... it's a little bit thicker than I would like in an AM moisturizer, and it leaves me looking shiny, which I don't love. But since I know that it's made with natural ingredients like safflower, aloe vera, and white beeswax, I'm gonna use it up because I know it won't break me out. On days that I know I'm going to be wearing makeup and don't have time for my moisturizer to really sink in, I'll swap this moisturizer for my Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel that I know sinks in quickly and doesn't leave a crazy shine.
SPF (A MUST): Depending on what I'm doing that day (i.e. if I'm wearing makeup or not) I'll alternate between Supergoop's Unseen Sunscreen and Black Girl Sunscreen. I also just picked up Neutrogena's Hydro Boost SPF 30 because I love my Water Gel so much that I wanted to try this sunscreen out and I've heard great things about it. All of these options don't leave a white cast, and are all SPF 30+.
*gifted by brand.
Thanks for reading, PM Routine to come next.