6 PRODUCT DRY/COMBINATION SKIN ROUTINE 🧖🏾‍♀️

By Chelsea Gillespie

Our skincare needs change as our lives change. Our childhood skin needs are different than our parenthood skin needs are different than our stressed out skin needs etc. I had adolescent acne, clear skin after puberty for years, and then severe hormonal acne after getting off birth control. Two years later, my skin is back to its new normal: dry/combination skin. Let’s talk about my simple skincare routine and how I use BGLH butters.

*The first photo is me from late 2019/early 2020. I have on makeup but if you zoom in you can see the hormonal acne all along my chin. The second photo is 2021 and my hormonal acne is gone. *

Morning Routine

Step 1: Just rinse. In the morning (assuming I cleansed the night before) I rinse with water, no cleanser. Since my skin is relatively dry, I try not to overuse harsh cleansers.

Step 2: Tone. I use my Fenty Fat Water Toner. Toner preps your skin to be moisturized without stripping your natural moisture.
• Note: My esthetician told me it’s not possible for a toner to shrink your pores. However, they can make them appear smaller so don’t get too caught up with that when looking for a toner that works for you.
Optional: Vitamin C Serum. I use Anne’s Apothecary Vitamin C Smoothing Serum 2 or 3 times a week. Vitamin C serum helps with hyperpigmentation and gives your face a nice glow. Anne’s is also black owned!

Step 3: Moisturize. The right moisturizer for your skin based on the time of year is so important. I have dry skin, so I was advised to look for a light moisturizer with hyaluronic acid. This ingredient helps your skin retain moisture. During the summer, I use the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Gel-Cream with Hyaluronic Acid for Extra-Dry Skin. On summer days where I’m feeling all naturale, I will use a BGLH Blended Butter that I have on hand.
• Note: hyaluronic acid needs water to cling onto. If your face gets a little dry before moisturizing, spritz a little water on your face or on the moisturizer before you use it.

Step 4: SPF me please! Listen, if you’re anything like me. You grew up thinking you don’t need sunscreen because you’re black. My esthetician very strongly corrected me when I was trying to heal my hormonal acne scars. In a nutshell, she told me the sun damage causes hyperpigmentation which can make the dark marks look worse. So of course, I ran and got some Black girl sunscreen.

Night Routine

Step 1: Cleanse. You have to get the day’s journey off your face! With my dry skin, I use the CeraVe Hyrdating Facial Cleanser. This is gentle and does not strip my face of its natural moisture.

Step 2: Tone. I use my Fenty Fat Water Toner.

Step 3: Moisturize. What do we do at night? We sleep, restore, and reset. Your face does the same! That’s why I skip the daytime moisturizer and go straight to my BGLH Blended Butter to repair my skin overnight.

What is your dry/combination skin routine?