I used to hate washing my face in the morning. When I woke up, I would almost dread having to groggily go through the steps I knew I was “supposed” to follow to start the day with clean skin. But somewhat recently, I began looking at my morning cleansing, toning, and moisturizing as a soothing ritual — a pampering start to the day before a full schedule takes over. And once this baby arrives, I’m undoubtedly going to have even less “me time,” so finding ways to carve out and savor these moments of self-care becomes priceless. I definitely enjoy my skincare rituals way more when I’m using products I love, and right now, I’m hooked on this collection from S.W. Basics. Remember when we featured author Adina Grigore and her homemade skincare recipes on the blog last month? Well this is her amazing all-natural, five-ingredient-or-less skincare company that is perfect for those of us who want to use simple whole ingredients on our skin… but don’t usually have time to mix up our own in the kitchen.
The cleanser is perfect for sensitive skin since it doesn’t contain alcohol, soap or other harsh ingredients that can be drying. Instead, it’s made with organic rosewater, glycerin, and tea tree oil. There’s no foam and no suds… just a wonderfully-scented liquid applied with a cotton pad and then rinsed, transforming skin into the softest clean slate imaginable.
I went years without using toner, but now we are fully, 100% reunited thanks to this elixir made from organic raw apple cider vinegar, witch hazel, and organic essential oils of clary sage and sandalwood. It clears away any remaining traces of oil and dirt (pore-clogging offenders) that might have been left behind after cleansing, and balances the skin so that it’s prepped and ready for a dose of S.W. Basics Cream, made with fair trade shea butter, organic coconut oil and organic olive oil. It sinks in and leaves skin feeling hydrated all day.
Add in a few minutes in bed with a fresh green smoothie and catching up on the days’ news on my iPad, and I’m officially ready to face the day with a smile on my face! At night, my routine has been looking pretty similar except I throw the heavenly-scented makeup remover (made from organic sweet almond oil, olive oil and jojoba oil) in the mix to takeoff my eye makeup.
Do you guys have a morning skincare ritual that you tend to follow everyday… or do you mix it up depending on your mood?
This post is brought to you by Target Style. Shop the new Beauty collection in stores and online.
*photos by Kate Zimmerman
