It’s hard to start a discussion on makeup without covering the skincare behind it. After all, makeup is only going to be as good as the skin underneath. We pay so much for makeup, so it’s in our best interest to stay informed about maintaining your unique canvas.

Where To Begin: F.A.C.E

There’s so many products out there, it’s hard to actually believe that we can narrow ourselves to a small list for our shelves. I love products that smell nice and do what they’re supposed to as well. For our roadmap to maintanence bliss, I’ve pulled together a clever, if not totally cliche way of remember where to begin: F.A.C.E:

Facial Cleanser. Whether you’re a bar and soap kinda gal or you like to really get into the good stuff, you gotta find what works for your face. You should be washing your face when you get up in the morning, and when you go to bed. This said, I do like to clean my face during the day, usually after I’ve finished having my lunch. Good cleanser: St. Ives Apricot Radiance Deep-Cleaning Cream Cleanser

Astringent. Some call it toner, some call it astringent. Either way, you really need astringent in order to return your skin’s natural acidity after getting it clean. I really like astringent, and tend to use it as much as possible. Good Astringent: Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner

Cream. My personal goal to better face-maintenance is to get more liberal with applying moisturizers. My skin needs to be able to stay hydrated in order to look its best. I really like to have a moisturizer for the day, and a good night cream to work into my face before I sleep. Good choices for face creams: Pond’s Dry Skin Cream

Exfoliant. Out of all the words I’ve used today, I think exfoliant is the one that’s going to make you shiver. No, I don’t expect you all to run something jagged and icky over your faces to slough off dead skin. I do encourage everyone to use a good exfoliant to add the finishing touch to their face. The frequency of exfoliating should coincide with the severity of the exfoliant. For example, I honestly don’t use my St. Ives Apricot Scrub as much as I should; it’s too scratchy on my skin. However, that end-of-week exfoliating extravaganza? Bring it on! For simpler, gentler times, a soft exfoliator is best. Good facial exfoliants: Clinique Exfoliating Scrub

Taking care of that beautiful, unique canvas we’re all given is a good idea. Plastic surgery aside, it’s the only face we’ve got!

This is the second post in the Makeup Madness collection. No affiliate links were harmed in the making of this post.

Tags: skincare, skin care, cosmetics