Skincare Routine & Favorites: Weekly Treatments, Masks, etc.

Earlier this week I shared my Morning and Evening Skincare Routines, today I wanted to finish up my skincare favorites by discussing the products that I reach for weekly or as needed.  These are treatments, masks, and products that I'll use when my skin needs a little something extra.

When I'm experiencing breakouts, I'll use the Up & Up Maximum Strength Acne Medication (this is the Target store brand version of the Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10 Acne Medication) morning or night.  This is a 10% benzoyl peroxide spot treatment; a white cream that blends in to be completely invisible--perfect for use in the day.  As long as I use it in moderation (no more than twice a day), it doesn't dry out my skin but is effective in quickly reducing the size of active breakouts.  I'll also apply this anytime I notice a breakout forming and it tends to prevent them from growing.

For evening spot treatment, I love the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion which dramatically decreases the size of active breakouts overnight.  This product has two distinct layers, a bottom layer of calamine which calms irritated skin and a top layer that contains a liquid active with salicylic acid and sulfur to treat breakouts.  You insert a clean q-tip through both layers and dap the product onto active breakouts. You'll look pretty crazy when you use this product (pink dots wherever you put it), but it's worth the embarrassment for how effective it is.  I've been through a few bottles of this stuff and it remains my favorite spot treatment.

The Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion is fantastic for healing and shrinking large, painful cystic acne bumps.  This a product that you shake, then apply to the effective area with your fingertip.  It's mostly clear, but it does tend to leave a slightly chalky, white residue, so this isn't a product I use during the day.

Some nights when I have a little more time for my moisturizer to sink in before bed, I'll use a combination of natural oils in place of the night creme I mentioned yesterday in my Evening Skincare Routine.  If my skin is fairly clear with few breakouts, I'll simply use a little bit of organic virgin coconut oil rubbed onto my face and neck.  If I'm having a few breakouts, I like to combine a drop or two each of tea tree oil and lavender oil blended with pure argan oil.  Tea tree oil is antibacterial and helps heal acne while lavender has a calming effect.  Oils like these can be found in most health food stores and the like, though I usually purchase mine through Vitacost as they have fantastic prices.  As long as you buy pure oils, the brand shouldn't matter as they should perform the same.

Once a week at night I'll use the Paula's Choice Resist Weekly Resurfacing Treatment with 10% AHA.  This is a powerful chemical exfolient; it's a liquid that you apply to the face with a cotton round after cleansing and toning.  I notice considerable results when I use this product: the next day my face will be dramatically smoother and overtime the tone of my skin has brightened.  I achieve gentle exfoliation daily when I use my Clarisonic, but I rely on the Resist Weekly Resurfacing Treatment for a thorough weekly exfoliation.  This is one of my favorite products in my skincare routine because I see such dramatic, immediate results when using it.  After having discovered this product, I no longer use any abrasive physical exfoliants on my face.

Another one of my must-have products is the Borghese Fango Active Mud for Face and Body, my absolute favorite mask for unclogging pores and absorbing excess oil.  With having oily skin, I rarely need moisturizing face masks and tend to prefer clay or mud-based masks that detoxify and control oil.  I originally received a sample of this in a Birchbox and fell in love, immediately purchasing it full size once I ran out.  I have never found another mask that absorbs as much oil and gunk as this one.  I could use this mask every day if I wanted, but I usually use it on days when I want my skin to look especially nice (even in texture with smaller pores).  I'll apply a generous layer in the morning, allowing it about 20 minutes to dry and do it's work before rinsing it off in the shower.

That pretty much sums up my Skincare Routine & Favorites!  Hopefully I've introduced you to a few new products that you'll love.  If you have any holy grail skincare products, I'd love if you shared them in the comments!

Don't forget to check out my Morning and Evening Skincare Routine posts.