The Skincare Routine No One Asked For

No one:
Absolutely nobody:
Kendra Stanton Lee: Here are the products that I use to keep my skin clean and supple. They may contain affiliate links, but please let me know if you have questions!

A little background: I have 45 years of experience living in a human body on planet earth. I have rosacea. I have never utilized any facial service that entail needles/injections. I have gotten one facial in my life and I heard doves fluttering and angels weeping—it was so beautiful. When I am not daydreaming about that facial, I am doing the following:

MORNING:
Morning Kendra has limited cognitions and deeply resents having to be vertical before 10 a.m.. She believes she deserves a lifetime achievement award for remembering to take her probiotic each morning. While she has been told a morning cleanse would benefit her, she thinks that sounds aggressive.

1. SPRAY OF ROSE WATER MIST to wake up the skin
This one by Mario Badescu is affordable and gets the job done.

2. VITAMIN C
The “sunshine in a bottle” All Bright Vitamin C Serum by Counter is bar none the best. Comes in a glass bottle to protect the early expiry on this magic potion. This is your anti-oxidant fighter formula. It’s spendy, but I have truly seen a difference in the glowiness of my skin.

3. MOISTURIZER
Don’t skip this step. If you skip this step, you will run into the mother of the boy you had a feverish crush on his high school, and she will report back to him that you were looking a little reptilian when she clocked you in the dog food aisle at Stop n’ Shop. Moisturize. Sometimes I like a carrier blend oil, sometimes I use a basic moisturizer like Counter’s Adaptive Moisture Lotion.

4. SPF
Of course I wear an SPF. My skin turns red if I walk by a styrofoam model of the solar system. I like this Korean brand, Innisfree, which is high-coverage and non-greasy. If you prefer a tinted SPF, Supergoop is sort of the gold standard. I like it, as well.

Skincare is Self-care

And fortunately, mine is simple

EVENING:
Evening Kendra is no more nimble than Morning Kendra. However, she has the presence of mind to know she should put her cleanser on before she goes into the shower. She slathers on a pump of:

1. Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil - it’s thick enough that it gets the makeup off, but gentle enough that it’s not stripping my skin of its natural oils. Works well, smells lovely.

After my shower, I finish with:
2. Paula’s Choice Exfoliator - This is the biggest difference-maker in the bunch. Life before this exfoliator is simply not as baby’s butt smoove. But I only use it a few times a week because hashtag sensitive.

3. Retinaural Advanced Super Serum - gentler than a retinol, I really like the idea of this serum. I am told it’s reparative and will improve the elasticity of my skin. I do what I’m told.

4. Moisturizer, repeat.

5. Hyaluronic Acid - this one by The Ordinary is inexpensive. I know the skincare sages are offended by it, because it’s for the peasants, but it’s worked really nicely for my peasant skin.

These are all my boudoir secrets. I had once hoped to be a woman of great mystique and aloofness. Those dreams are dashed. When I die, though, I’ll have told my story.