Summer Beauty Reset.

Oh summer. It’s the best but it takes a toll. From the more serious stuff (sun damage) to the things that are just irritating (dried out hair from the salt + sun, clogged pores from sunscreen), once summer ends, I like to do a post Labor Day Weekend beauty reset. (In all honesty I like to do this little at home routine at least once a month, but after Labor Day it’s essential as I’m a bit of a hot mess.)

In a perfect world I would go and get a professional facial but today I’m outlining an at home routine. Set aside a few hours before bedtime, and get pampering! I did this exact routine last week and it felt so, so good.

Pre-Shower

Dry Brush your skin all over. I wrote a more thorough post about the importance of dry brushing and how to do it, but it is so good for you especially if you are doing a detox or a reset. I love this brush! Then, use a metal foot file to sand down calluses on feet.

In the Shower

First, apply a scalp scrub! These are all the rage right now and there are so many good ones but my personal favorite is this one from IGK. The reason I like it so much (besides the spa-like eucalyptus scent) is that exfoliating beads melt away so you don’t end up with them stuck in your hair. I’ve dealt with a lot of messy ones… this is genius. Afterward, shampoo as usual, and apply a nice thick hair mask. My personal favorite hair mask is this one from Verb. It leaves my hair soooo silky soft. (Comb through using a Wet Brush, and leave the hair mask on for the rest of your shower… if it helps, pull it up off your face/neck with a clip.)

While your hair is soaking up the mask, I like to turn off the water and do a very thorough body scrub. My favorite scrub at the moment is this ultra-minty one from Elemis. I will scrub my whole body with it, leave on, and scrub a bit more. And I’ll use this exfoliating block on my feet to finish off those calluses and smooth my feet.

Once I’ve given my skin a good scrubbing, I will take a few drops of Eucalyptus oil and rub between my hands. Place your hands over your face and inhale deeply!

Then we move onto face. You’re going to want to give skin a proper double cleansing. Start with an oil based cleanser and then use something purifying. My personal favorite cleansing combination right now are Eve Lom’s Gel Balm Cleanser (it’s like an oil cleanser but you can apply to wet skin) and Tata Harper’s purifying cleanser.

Shave your legs (or don’t, that’s none of my business, I just mention it as your skin will be super soft from all of that exfoliation so you’ll get a closer shave) and rinse out your hair. When you get out of the shower, dry off, and apply an organic body oil all over. You can use organic almond oil (cheapest option) but my favorite oil in the world is Everyday Oil. It’s heaven – I use it on my face as well. Once you are dried off and moisturized, slip into your favorite robe!

At Home “Facial.”

First, apply a deep cleansing mask. My favorites are this clay mask from Fresh, Origins’ Original Skin (it gets bonus points for its pretty pink color!), or APTO’s Healing Turmeric Mask. Let the mask dry completely and then remove with a warm wash cloth.

Then, apply a Biore strip. These are a godsend. I’ve been using them since high school! The pores on my nose get so clogged (ew) so this step is essential for me and I find that pore strips are most effective after using a clay/charcoal mask. I don’t know why, I like to think that the mask loosens up the gunk in my skin and makes easier for the strip to pull it out, but I really don’t know.

Next, apply a more comforting mask. I love this one from Fresh – it feels like frosting when you apply it, and it’s ultra soothing. Make yourself a mug of detox tea. Leave the mask on for 10-20 minutes and let yourself do something really calming – write in a journal, read a book, just chill and zone out!

Rinse the mask off and then finish up your bedtime skincare routine. For me that’s eye cream, SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, serum, and locking that all those good active ingredients in with Everyday Oil.

Sweet Dreams!

Tuck yourself into bed with a good book, and prepare to sleep well. Bonus points for sleeping with a silk eye mask… they help prevent wrinkles and/or pillow face, and also just feel glamorous!