In January 2019, I made a New Year’s Resolution to make a skincare routine and actually stick to it. But, I had no idea where to even start! So, I went ALL OUT. I made a routine of getting chemical peels, dermal infusion, and microdermabrasion. I worked with a nurse esthetician to pick out my products. We settled on Retin-A, Glycolic acid, and a medical grade moisturizer and face wash. It was just a lot. Not only were the products crazy strong and harsh on my skin, but it was also financially unsustainable for me to keep up with every few months. I was so discouraged!
Around this same time, Ryan and I started talking about trying for our first baby. In preparation, I discovered that none of the skincare products I was using were pregnancy safe. I was oddly relieved to discontinue them. I did tons of research on natural and pregnancy safe skincare products and found Drunk Elephant! Luckily, they offer a sample pack called “the littles” that includes mini versions of their best-selling products so, that’s where I began! And I completely fell in love! My skin has seriously *never* been clearer. Drunk Elephant products can be confusing at first so, here’s a breakdown of the products I use in my daily skincare “cocktail”.
B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
- What it is: A water-based hydrating serum with Provitamin B5.
- Why I love it: It’s like a drink of water for your skin! Have you ever watered a plant in soil and watched the plant just totally absorb the water? That’s what this product does. My skin just soaks it all up! It’s very lightweight, so you can easily combine it with other products too. In fact, it’s not meant to be used alone. Your skin needs hydration AND moisture, so seal it in with an oil based product (I mention two that I use below).
- How I use it: 2 pumps all over my skin, neck, and eyes.
C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum
- What it is: A Vitamin C serum packed with antioxidants.
- Why I love it: After applying C-Firma, you can see and feel your skin tighten instantly. Vitamin C is sooo important to have in your skincare routine. It stimulates collagen production, evens out your skin tone, and brightens dark spots. It’s basically THE anti-aging formula. Some reviews mention that C-Firma feels sticky, and I agree. But, it’s a small price to pay for its immense benefits. Let it absorb for about 10 minutes before applying your makeup and I bet you’ll hardly notice. C-Firma is pricey, but it remains on your skin for 72 hours (even after washing your face) so, you can alternate days to get the most out of the product.
- How I use it: 1 pump mixed with B-Hydra all over my face and neck (avoid your eyes!).
D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops
- What it is: Self tanning drops that you can wash off.
- Why I love it: It’s like you just got back from vacation! The color is a perfect, natural bronze that looks like you tanned in the sun (without all the damage!). Unlike most self tanners, you can wash this off each day! No splotchy color and no scrubbing it off at the end of each week. You must combine it with a moisturizer or serum, so it sort of acts like a tinted moisturizer that provides color and light coverage. It also acts like a barrier for your skin – an added bonus for its protection against environmental stressors.
- How I use it: 1 pump mixed with B-Hydra or Protini Polypeptide Cream.
Protini Polypeptide Cream
- What it is: A creamy protein moisturizer.
- Why I love it: It’s not too heavy and not too light. It moisturizes well on its own without feeling greasy, oily, or shiny. Drunk Elephant advertises it to be like “adding a shot of protein to your smoothie.” It strengthens your skin and helps it retain its elasticity. If you have dry skin, this is the product for you! If you have oily skin, I would skip this one until the winter.
- How I use it: 1 pump mixed with B-Hydra, C-Firma, or D-Bronzi. I also use 1 pump by itself at night.
Step-by-Step Daily Skincare Routine
STEP 1: I use 1 pump of B-Hydra under my eyes and on my eyelids. (I really need an eye cream, but I just use this to avoid buying another product haha). My mom got me hooked on this one years ago, but I couldn’t definitively prove that it’s pregnancy/nursing safe so recently, I’ve left it out.
STEP 2: I mix 2 pumps of B-Hydra and 1 pump of C-Firma and apply all over my face and neck (avoiding eyes and under eyes).
STEP 3: I Mix 1 pump of Protini and 1 pump of D-Bronzi and apply all over my face and neck (avoiding eyes and under eyes).
FAQ
Q: I don’t have any idea where to start with skincare. What recommendations do you have?
A: Start by washing your face every morning and night! It’s important to establish a simple and doable skincare routine before investing in products. Once you’ve formed the habit, then experiment with the products I mentioned above.
Q: What kind of skin do you have?
A: Normal/combination skin. I’ve never had a major issue with acne. I get occasional breakouts and hormonal flare ups and I have pretty sensitive skin.
Q: If you could only pick 2 products, which would you choose?
A: B-Hydra and C-Firma. This combo is SO powerful. These two come in a sample pack for $23 if you want to try it out before committing to the full size bottles.
Q: What face wash do you use?
A: I use this one by Cetaphil. It’s very mild and only $8! My nurse esthetician said “if you’re going to use a drug store brand, use Cetaphil.”
Q: Are Drunk Elephant products pregnancy/nursing safe?
A: Yes! That’s actually why I switched to the brand in the first place last year. The entire line except 2 products, A-Passioni (retinol cream) and Baby Facial (glycolic and salicylic acid), are pregnancy and nursing safe.
I hope this was helpful! As always, let me know any questions you have in the comments! I’m happy to help!
Xx – Gabie
p.s. Sephora is having a huge sale! $15 off a $75 purchase or $20 off a $100 purchase (which is basically 20% off!). Drunk Elephant products rarely go on sale. The sale ends tonight, so if you want to try some of these products, now is the perfect time!
