A decade of skincare

No doubt by now if you are on the internet on a regular basis, you've seen everyone doing the #TenYearChallenge.

I admit I did jump on the bandwagon and post photos a decade apart, mostly because I was intrigued to see how much I've changed. And honestly, 28-year-old me doesn't look all that different from 17-year-old me.

(Left: Feb. 2009 - Age 17 | Right: Oct. 2019 - Age 28)

A lovely, kind friend of mine who inspired this post told me I look exactly the same and that she needed to know my skincare routine.

In photos, sure I look the same, but IRL, there are definitely some wrinkles and fine lines that weren't there before, lol. They're unavoidable unless you've found the fountain of youth or something. But I like to think my years of taking care of my skin have helped!

So what I thought I'd do is a little look back at the last 10 years of my skincare regimen. Now, I will not act like I remember every, single product I've used, but there are a few that stick out in my mind that I will share with you!

The early years

When I was young, my mom always pushed me to take care of my skin. Wash your face. Take your makeup off. Moisturize. Most of the time I listened, but sometimes I just didn't feel like it or forgot. You know how teenagers are. My mom swears I have O.D.D. (Oppositional defiance disorder lol) Back then I would have fought her on that one. Now, not so much, lol.

Summer 2009 - Age 18

Anyway, thanks to her, I started taking my skincare seriously at an early age. It's definitely gotten much more complex over the years, but I also feel like the older I get, the more products I need.

The first skincare products I remember using were from Mary Kay. At the time, my mom was a consultant. I had the "Velocity" line, which I'm pretty sure doesn't exist anymore. It was made specifically for teens. Apparently, you can get it on Amazon for an astronomical price, but I wouldn't advise that lol.

Mary Kay Velocity line (Credit: eBay)

Anyway, it was a set with a face cleanser and a moisturizer. Easy enough. I also used Ponds Cold Cream to remove my makeup. Super old school and inspired by my great-grandmother who used it for years and had amazing skin.

Early 20s

In college, I think I probably slacked off more than I did before since I didn't have my mom there to bug me about it, but I remember still using the Ponds Cold Cream to remove my makeup. I didn't wear a lot back then. It wasn't until I got midway through college that I really got into trying new products.

At one point, I discovered that Ponds made makeup wipes, so I began to religiously use those. They were a lot easier than the cold cream! I still use them on occasion, but I've realized they're actually a little too drying for my skin.

March 2011 - Age 19

Also during this time, I discovered Lush. Boy this stuff is great. I was really into using things that were organic and Lush had it all.

Some of my favorites were the Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub, the Tea Tree Water Toner, the Ultrabland all-purpose cleanser (which I used as makeup remover) and the set I still use to this day: Mint Julips Lip Scrub and beeswax lip balm. I will admit, they are the original set I purchased probably at least five years ago and I probably should replace them.

Left: Mint Julips | Right: Ocean Salt Scrub (Credit: Lush)

I've used many other products from Lush over the years and still really love it! It was definitely a step up quality-wise and price-wise from my routine at the time. I added in a toner and exfoliant, plus other things that weren't for everyday use.

Another product I started using around this time—serums. My God, does a good Vitamin C serum work wonders for me. I think the first one I used was the InstaNatural Vitamin C serum.

Mid-20s

After graduating college and starting a blog, that's when I really started to get into testing new beauty products. I discovered many things that were loved and lost over the years, but some of them stuck.

I got to try out everything from drugstore to high-end lines. One line that I discovered is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost line, which I still love today. It's a great range of hydrating products at a reasonable price. But it's still great quality. My favorite is the Hydro Boost Gel-Cream. It's likely my favorite moisturizer ever and is made specifically for extra-dry skin. All of the products contain my favorite ingredient. If you don't already know, that's hyaluronic acid.

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Nice surprise to come home to a box of goodies from @neutrogena !! Thanks so much! 💕 I can’t wait to try the whole line of #HydroBoost products! 😍

A post shared by 🌺 Briana Lauren Isabela 🌺 (@brianalaurenbela) on Feb 22, 2019 at 9:38pm PST

At this point I upped my game, completing a religious daily routine: cleanser, toner, eye cream, serum, moisturizer. I ALWAYS took my makeup off before bed, unless on very VERY rare days that I was too tired/drunk to care. Which I could probably count on one hand, lol.

An example of one of my skincare routines at the time

It's also around this time that I really got into face masks. I love a good face mask and I still try to do at least one a week. But I'm old and tired so that doesn't happen anymore really. Although I've realized I really need to make more time to take care of myself! So maybe that will be my New Years resolution this year.

June 2016 - Age 25

Either way, I discovered quite a few that I loved. My favorite brand for masks though is by far Formula 10.0.6. They have a wide range of different masks and are really affordable. I hands down prefer a mask you squeeze out than a sheet mask. Honestly, I just can't sit still that long.

Another mask I really like is the Yes to Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal SnapMASK Stick. This baby detoxes your skin in only five minutes and has been a lifesaver for me. It's really the only one I've used consistently recently because it's so quick and works really well! I'd really recommend it if you're always on the go!

Today!

At this point I've tried a LOT of skincare products. A lot of the time, I switch off when I am sent something new to try out or if there's something I purchase. More often than not, I don't wind up repurchasing the same products. I'd say the only constants for a while have been Lush products and Neutrogena.

My routine right now, which has been wonderful for me, mainly consists of Erno Laszlo products. Their hydratherapy regimen has made my skin absolutely glow.

I've also really gotten into nighttime products. My favorite at the moment is the REN Clean Skincare Evercalm overnight recovery balm. Whenever my skin revolts on me, I just slather this on overnight and it really helps! Now it's not miraculously going to clear your skin of all imperfections, but if you have a really bad skin day, it will calm the breakouts and make your skin glow!

So that pretty much sums up all the things I remember about my last 10 years of skincare! I have learned a lot and plan to start adding more to my regiment, especially things with anti-aging properties! A girl won't be young forever!

Another thing I've learned, no matter how many eye creams I use, I still have some pretty dark designer bags under my eyes. LOL. So if anyone has found the magic cream for that, hit me up.

XO, Briana