I’ve come a long way with my skincare journey. I spent my early adulthood battling hormonal acne and struggled to find the right products that worked well for my skin and lifestyle. I also spent those years going out a ton (and sleeping in my makeup), baking in the sun, and eating gut-destroying foods. And on top of it all, I had no clue that my Lyme disease could negatively affect my skin.    

Fast forward to 2020: the year when my skin healed to its fullest potential. Like most other people, my day-to-days were pretty predictable, and spending more time at home allowed me to focus on practicing new forms of self-care. I learned about fasting, focused on hydration, and started giving my complexion some much-needed TLC.

And while I’m not a skin expert, I truly believe that the quality of your skin is mostly determined by lifestyle choices, diet and environment. While I believe those were the biggest game changers for my skin, I also believe that finding clean, effective products for your unique skin are just as important. 

When you look at the products on my vanity, there are three common qualities you’ll find between them all:

1. Non-toxic ingredients: no hormone-disrupting chemicals or bioaccumulating toxins.
2. Conscious Brands: I love supporting beauty businesses that do good for the environment and people behind the brand. 
3. Effective formulations: I have no problem investing more on products that work well for my unique skin type. I read lots of reviews and avoid purchasing products strictly off of branding.

If you’re in the market for new products or looking for a new routine, here’s a little peek of what I’ve been using and loving lately, listed by order of use.