My Current Skin Regimen

My skin care/lightening routine is very simple these days. It isn't as elaborate as it was a couple of years ago, but I am constantly in a state of evolving, tweaking or adding new things to it. So this may become a monthly post on here, since it's a work in a progress. I am definitley seeing results with this, and my skin is clearer and healthier than it's been in a long time.

A little background information:

Skin Tone: Medium Olive (cool skinned though, with pink undertones)

Goals: Completley fade some freckles on my upper cheekbones as well as my decollette area. Make face and neck the same shade as the rest of my body (which is a light olive skin tone).

Current Results: I've gotten about 1/2 shade lighter overall with this routine, and my freckles and sun damage are slowly diminishing. I'm really liking this routine.

NOTE: I don't wear foundation, concealer or powder. I find those really aggravate my acne. Instead I just use blotting papers throughout the day as needed to remove shine.

Depending on the day, or how my skin 'feels' I tend to change things up. I don't follow a set-in stone skin routine, but on average these are the products that I use:

AM:

- Cleanse with Marcelle Gentle Foaming Wash (Canadian Exclusive brand)

- Rinse off cleanser, and then spray multiple times with La Roche Posay Thermal Water (not for lightening, it has anti-free radical damage properties, and calms down redness).

- Pat dry with a towel

- Apply Vichy Bi-White Reveal Whitening Essence over face and neck

*wait 15 minutes*

- Apply Sofina Perfect UV SPF 50 over face and neck

- Throughout the day, if my T-zone gets oily I will blot with Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Papers

PM: *I take a shower at night...so in the shower I cleanse my face,neck and body like this:*

- Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil (to remove sunscreen, and eye makeup)

- Rinse off cleansing oil with Marcelle Gentle Foaming Wash

- Use DDF Brightening Cleanser with Luffa over entire body (concentrate on decollete area). Let is absorb for 3 minutes before rinsing off

- Once out of the shower, spray face with La Roche Posay Thermal Water

- Pat dry with towel

- Apply DHC Acerola 100 on decollete, knees and elbows

- Apply Nivea Firming Body Lotion (w/ CoQ10) on the rest of my body

*wait 10 minutes*

- Apply a pea sized amount of Retin-A Gel 0.001% over face

- Apply La Roche Posay Toleraine Fluid only on dry spots (chin)

- Phytomer Soothing Eye Gel around eyes

Once A Week: Niacinamide Lightening Mask (mondays) in the morning after cleansing and Vitamin C Lightening Paper Sheet Mask (friday mornings). Sunday nights I use Makeupartistchoice Lactic Acid Peel. I follow up with Vichy Bi White.

Other Products I Use: I still have some Skinceuticals Phyto + and I like to mix that with my Retin-A gel. Really makes my skin look glowey in the morning. In the summer time I like to use
Belli Pregnancy Acne Cleanser (7% Lactic Acid) or Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser as my facial cleanser. Sometimes, I like to use my DHC Acerola 100 underneath my sunscreen during the day instead of the Vichy Bi White. I like to alternate.