About Me: Amanda’s Skincare Journey
Hi, I’m Amanda, and skincare is a deep passion of mine that I have had for over five years now. It’s not just a routine but it is a passion, a way of life, and has been a very interesting journey for me. I have early memories of playing with my mom’s makeup and lotions and that has spanned into having my own skincare collection of effective ingredients.
Skincare has always been a huge part of who I am and how I take care of myself. My love for skincare is not just about looking good or trying to achieve some glow, but it’s about self-care and having a healthy skin barrier which is the basis of beautiful skin.
How My Skincare Obsession Began
As I grew up, I was fascinated by my mom’s makeup and skincare lotions. I remember applying skincare lotions like her night cream and not knowing what I was doing. It was a funny sight, to say the least. But I remembered how her skin glowed and how soft my own skin felt after using lotions for it. This simple act helped me to see how important skincare was and how it was more than just a routine. It was an act of love for my skin.
Then as a teenager, my skin burst out from being perfect and olive to becoming flaky, acne prone, and other skincare struggles. By my 20s, I had experienced all types of skincare types like acne prone, hormonal, winter, combination, and dry skin — to say the least.
This taught me that skincare was not one-size-fits-all and that it would take time to learn, experience, and research a good skincare routine. I became obsessed with researching ingredients and experimenting with products on my skin. I wanted to find the best of the best but within my own budget.
So I learned how different formulations interacted with my skin but better yet— I learned about what ingredients that my skin truly needed and that became a game changer! This need to fix my own skin issues blossomed into a full-fledged passion for skincare, ingredients, techniques, and other skincare science.
The Science of Skincare: My True Passion
What’s one of the biggest joys of my life? It’s to understand the science behind the skincare and delving deep into ingredient lists. I also love to read the latest dermatological studies, stay updated on skincare innovations, and learn about new ingredients like snail mucin. If it’s learning about the benefits of SPF to how to balance a skincare routine, you bet that I have done the work to understand and help YOU find solutions through this skincare blog. Skincare has truly become like second nature to me.
Is skincare just about following trends? No, not at all. It is all about what works for your skin and why. I’m here to break down what works for your skin and the ‘why’ so I can help you! I’ve spent many years fine-tuning my routine, repairing my skin barrier, and using gentle and effective treatments for my skin. I also embrace the amazing power of hydration since hydration is key to preventing acne and flakiness of the skin. No matter the trends, I love discovering products that make a difference and help my skin.
My Skincare Mantra: Simple, Powerful, and Gentle
I’ve developed a skincare philosophy that centers around three key principles:
- Simplicity is Key – I believe that you do not need a big 13 step routine to have great skin. Of course, I teach you how to formulate a thorough routine but it’s really all about the basics. What are they? Cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting the skin is what truly matters.Thus, you can build up a core routine and adjust as needed.
- Ingredients Over Hype – I find that marketing for certain products can be deceiving and sometimes an expensive product is not always the best. Therefore, I focus on understanding the quality and work of a product rather than how popular or trendy that product is. The product’s formulation is more important than how it it marketed or branded.
- Skin First, Makeup Second – I love makeup so much but I am a firm believer in taking care of your skin first. Any person needs a healthy skin microbiome before they put any ounce of makeup on their skin. You cannot coverup unhealthy skin but you can treat it! So when you take care of your skin, you don’t need layers of foundation or concealer coverage.
My Skincare Routine: A Labor of Love
I cherish my personal skincare routine as though it is some type of ritual for me. Every morning, I cleanse my skin with a gentle cleanser, balancing toner, and a Vitamin C serum for extra glow. Then I top it off with sunscreen, which is a non-negotiable!
And at night, I double cleanse my skin by using CeraVe Cream-to-Foam Face Wash two times in a row if I am extra oily. I focus on my t-zone while washing and then apply Thayer’s witch hazel toner on my skin. I top it off with a rosewater toner and apply it in circles into my skin.
Then I treat my t-zone with snail mucin essence and rub it gently into my pores. Then I mix my ceramide serum with my collagen moisturizer with hylauronic acid and squalene into my skin as well. Sometimes I use jojoba oil to seal in the moisture as I bring all these products down my neck. I use whatever remains on my hands and place it on my neck, collarbones, chest, and elbows and work it into my skin.
They say that skincare is not just about products and I have to agree! It is a long-term commitment that takes consistency and patience. It is not an overnight success since it takes a lot of time as well.
Why I Love Sharing My Skincare Journey
I feel like there is a sense of community in skincare. I love to connect with other skincare enthusiasts and share product recommendations that could help. I also love to discuss what works with other skin types and learn from other people’s skincare routines. There is a whole skincare world out there!
Sometimes its nice to even help a friend build a skincare routine or review the latest skincare launch. Heck, I even love to learn about new technology and ingredients that are being used in skincare as well!
Nevertheless, skincare has it’s place of being a form of self-care and also empowerment. I know that I feel great when my skin is glowing, less red, and looking it’s best. For me, it’s a special ritual that I do everyday to care for myself so my skin can be nurtured and feel absolutely amazing! Truly, it is a form of self-respect.
My Dream: Making Skincare More Accessible
With this blog, one of my biggest goals, is to make skincare knowledge more accessible to everyone. I know that there is alot of misleading information out there when it comes to the skincare realm. My desire is to break apart the misleading information and to help you find the truth. I want to help you navigate the world of skincare so you are not so overwhelmed by it.
The ultimate goal is to help you understand the skincare world with honest, science-backed advice that will guide you towards making the best decisions for you! I believe that skincare should be inclusive, affordable, and fit for your individual needs. It is not a luxury that only a select few people could have access too. Skincare is truly for everybody! I want to inspired you to embrace your skin and love your routine because at the end of the day, it’s about finding the skincare that fits YOU.
Final Thoughts
I find skincare to be more than meets the eye for me. It is a lifestyle for me, a science, and sometimes a form of self-care that I love to experience. I lead my skincare with intention and take the necessary steps to nourish myself everyday for the sake of my well-being. My name is Amanda and my love of skincare is something that I enjoy sharing with you all. Thank you for reading this introduction but also coming to my skincare blog.
I hope you enjoy the joy of skincare!