Morning Ritual

There is nothing like getting yourself off on the right foot in the morning.  Personally, I am a morning person... I like the solitude of the morning.  So it is important to me to get started with a good feeling and I achieve that by following my morning ritual.  For those of you that have read my blog titled "My Miracle Product",  you already know that I have a night time skin care regimen that puts me ahead of the game  by the time I wake up.  Thank goodness for my Maracuja Oil because I wake up feeling soft and supple.  But, just as it is extremely important to take your makeup off at night - it is equally important to wash and prep your skin in the morning.  The canvas needs to be clean and prepared for what you are about to paint on it.  If you don't wear makeup it's still important to give your skin a bath and prep it to battle against anything that may just be floating around the air. Wash at night and wash in the morning... trust me, you'll be glad you did...

So, my first recommendation is of course a cleanser... afterall this is your first step in the morning.  Here is the deal.... I know that a lot of you out there are probably sticklers on picking a cleanser based on the type of skin you have; dry or oily.  I used to be all over oily so I picked those products that swore to rid me of this pesty condition.  What happened?  Well they sucked all of the oil out of my face and put my oil glands into overdrive!  Think about it - we all know that dry skin shows wrinkles more than oily skin.  But sucking the life out of your skin is only going to give you yet another problem to take care of.  Now, some of you out there may really need help with over oily or over dry skin - but I'm willing to bet that you have been brainwashed into thinking that if you show a little shine you have oily skin or if you feel a little tight, you have dry skin - just so you will buy products to cure these problems.  Do yourself a favor and try using products for normal or combination skin - they are just more gentle on your face.  Another important factor to remember is that great skin starts on the inside.  DRINK WATER - it is the best medicine for your skin.

Clarins Gentle Cleansing Foam with Cottonseed.  It is the god of skin cleansers.  At night it removes all of my makeup to include my eye makeup and in the morning it gently cleanses my face to give me a fresh start.

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed

Use only about the size of your thumbnail and massage gently on your skin (don't forget your neck!) and rinse.  It leaves no oily residue nor is it drying - it's just right!  Now, remember, don't rub your face with a towel to dry it - pat - GENTLY.  Time for your moisturizer.  

Clinique Moisture Surge

I know some of you may feel like using different brands for your skin regimen is equivelnt to cheating on your husband but really ladies... it's not a crime.  I've tried the Clarins moisturizers and all of them were just to heavy for me.  I'm sure they moisturized my skin, but I don't like the feeling of putting a cream on my face at all.  Maybe it's all in my head, but I just think that a cream is too heavy to be absorbed - hence it does nothing more than clog my pores.  Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief gel-creme is just what the doctor ordered.  it's so light and feels like a medicated water is being applied without the medicine smell.  It's so soothing and cooling and it puts just the right amount of moisture on my face.  Within seconds it's absorbed and my face is ready to move on with the rest of my ritual.... the makeup - but that is another 5 blogs or so!  A couple of recommendations when using this product:

1.  Don't use your fingers to grab the product from the container. Instead use a q-tip.  I just do what I can to avoid contaminating it.  I use a dollop for each cheek and one for my neck about the size of my ring finger nail bed .  Spread it gently around your entire face.

2.  Swipe it just enough to spread all over and then before it dries, and then start pressing it into your face.  I've been doing this application method for about 6 months now and it has made a big difference.

So, good luck and happy morning ritual to you all!  Enjoy!