At Night, I Apply a Mask of Noxzema to Damp Skin

Trying to trust the research

You didn’t ask, but I’m going to talk about my Doing-The-Most week of skincare.

Most days, I use just a cold cream or Albolene in the morning and wipe away without any water. I try to emphasize adding layers of toner or “essence” between creams, more than obsessing over fancy serums. If I had to pick just one, it’s Niacinamide, hands down.

Cold creams can be used so many ways. I love Ponds. The Jergens All Purpose Face Cream is an ideal plumping final layer too. If I have time, I leave it like a thick mask and let it absorb. I love its pink color, its oddly comforting smell. I imagine grandmothers scratching my back and telling me about their gardenia bushes.

At night, I apply a mask of Noxzema to damp skin some days, or my favorite L’Oréal Honey Night Balm. It’s THE thickest if you’re wanting something more than a Ponds, Jergens or Albolene. The latter is great for dry cleansing (cocoa-butter-Vaseline and micellar are my fav for taking off makeup), or a rich primer before makeup (drag queens and Gran queens recommend).

I still use Tretinoin but am unsure, always. Trying to trust the research. I use on damp skin (do at own risk) at night, often. I used to “double acid” - which is my version of the popular celebrity acid pads and peels- with AHA, but lately I decided to take a step back and reevaluate if my skin benefits from chemical exfoliants at all or if it just enhances things I’d rather soothe. I can report back if the investigative journalist in you is curious to such druther… but for now, I’m on a slow reevaluation of what really befits me best and what is just Trend trickling it’s way to my frontal lobe. Instead, I’m obsessed with “Buff Puff data” (physical exfoliation)… but that’s its own write up.

I want my SPF to be incorporated into my day cream (feeding 2 birds with 1 scone) and want higher than 30. I hate that the thing we are supposed to be the least stingy with is the most expensive. I struggle very frequently to own sunscreen, or have enough for my fair skinned and burn prone children… and yet I’m someone who suffers emotionally when I’m not outside as much as possible, and believe that being near water solves all problems. I can’t tell if I was a lizard or a whale in a former life. If someone knows the secret to affording the thing we need most, in the amount we are told (especially with CF medications and my own genetics leaving me at risk of skin cancer, other than the fact I’ve had it before): please share with the class.

For now, L’Oréal Rose day cream with SPF smells lovely and gives a flush to the face. I dig the $8 Elizavecca Milky Piggy stick so long as I rub it in gently and apply sans streaks (otherwise, data on SPF sticks isn’t great); Perhaps I was a piggy in another life. Finally, Kinlo has 1 that was $4 with a golden undertone; A day cream with glimmer and guts. (Multitasking is sexy.)

Many of these things go against current trends or can be analyzed as imperfect or “wrong” by beauty crusaders…

But so far they work for me, through routines loved and nurtured by others.

I’d love to know what tradition has nurtured you?

Part One.

(Yes, you get to endure my repeating things- because how can you trust someone if they’re always recommending new things?!- tomorrow to finish out the week)

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