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Hello, lovelies!

True confession: I’m a little bit obsessed with skincare. The upside is that taking care of my skin helps it look better. The downside is that figuring out what to use among the zillions of skincare products on the market is daunting. Fear not, friends, because I have forged a path through this maze for you. I’ve tried a lot (a whole lot) of skincare products over the years, and today I’m talking about the six products I use daily. And you'll get a good laugh at me trying to pretend it is completely normal to have someone take pictures while I wash my face and apply skincare products.

I’ve listed the products in the order in which I use them. In the morning, I wash my face with cleanser then apply (in this order) a vitamin C and E serum, face oil, and sunscreen. In the evening, I remove my makeup with micellar water, wash my face with cleanser, and apply face oil and a retinoid. You’ll notice the items in my skincare regimen have a range of price points, just like my clothes and home décor. I’ve included some less expensive options for the products on which I splurge.

1. Cleanser

When it comes to cleansers, I’ve never found more expensive brands to be noticeably better than less expensive ones (though I’m sure some skin professionals would disagree with me about that). I have combination skin, and my favorite cleanser is Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser. For more excellent drugstore products for different skin types, be sure to shop the skincare collection I've put together for you in Your Style Vault Complete. This collection is available to Complete Insiders. To upgrade your Style Vault membership or sign up for a free 5-day trial, click here and start shopping even more categories.

2. Vitamins C and E Serum

There are numerous antioxidants that are great for your skin. Personally, I am a fan of vitamins C and E. This combination protects and improves your skin: win-win! The product I’ve used for years and really like is SkinMedica Vitamin C+E Complex. Another popular product is SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. Both of these serums are a splurge. Style Vault Complete Insiders, there is a more affordable and highly rated product in the Vault.

3. Face Oil

When face oils first became all the rage, I was sure my combination skin would never tolerate them. After hearing many women with a variety of skin types sing some serious praises for oils, I decided to give them a try. Now I’m completely hooked and feel like they have greatly improved my skin. I'm sharing 3 price points with you here, and the most luxurious one comes with an exclusive offer for you Style Vault Complete Insiders.

I use Uma Oils, which are made from natural botanical ingredients and free of all sorts of bad stuff, such as synthetic fragrances and fillers. My favorite Uma face oils are the Deeply Clarifying (I use this one every morning and sometimes in the evening if my face has been breaking out—keeping it real here, lovelies) and Absolute Anti-Aging (I use this most evenings). These oils are a splurge, though a bottle lasts me for many months. Style Vault Complete Insiders, be sure to visit my skincare collection by September 5th for your exclusive offer from Uma Oils. We partnered with Uma to bring you this exclusive offer found nowhere else!

If you're looking for affordable selections, I've added a drugstore face oil option that gets rave reviews. Complete Insiders can shop my entire skincare collection inside your Style Vault Complete. For a mid-priced face oil, my preferred options include three formulations (balancing, hydrating, and soothing) from Beautycounter, a company dedicated to developing safe and effective skin care and cosmetics.

4. Sunscreen

This is the essential skincare product. If you put nothing else on your face, you must use this one. I am vigilant about sunscreen as an adult (surely I am not the only one who did all kinds of crazy things trying to get tan as a teenager?) and do not walk outside without it. Using sunscreen not only decreases the development of skin cancer, but also helps reduce facial brown spots, skin discolorations, wrinkles, and premature aging. That’s a lot of bang for your buck! My current sunscreen is La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra-Light Fluid for Sensitive Skin, and I’ve liked all the varieties of this brand’s facial fluids that I have tried. The fluids come in a variety of SPFs and are available with or without tinting.

I have another favorite (it's Tina's fave, too!), which has a magical tint that looks great on many skin tones. Style Vault Complete Insiders, you can shop our favorite sunscreen inside my skincare collection. Both sunscreens I am recommending last for quite some time even with daily, liberal use. Of course there are a slew of less expensive options at your local drugstore, but I think the ones I've recommended do a superior job of being invisible and not making my skin break out.

5. Micellar Water

The first step in my evening routine is makeup removal, which has gotten easier since I learned about micellar water. This product is great at getting off makeup, even for a mascara junkie like me. You apply the water to a cotton pad then wipe it over your closed eyes and full face.

Some people use micellar water by itself as their cleanser, but I wash my face with a regular cleanser after using the water to be sure my skin is squeaky clean. I’ve tried a few micellar water brands at different price points. My favorite is an inexpensive drugstore brand: Garnier SkinActive, which comes in formulations for both regular and waterproof makeup.

6. Retinoid

Retinoids, which are made from vitamin A, promote faster skin cell turnover. They reduce wrinkles, fade brown spots, and treat a variety of skin issues ranging from acne to signs of aging. The strongest retinoids require a prescription. Retinols are weaker than prescription retinoids and can be found in over-the-counter skincare products. Retinoids do make skin more sensitive to the sun so it is especially important to use a sunscreen with them. I use the prescription retinoid tretinoin, which is commonly referred to by the brand name Retin-A.

Before you go check out all the skincare goodies inside my skincare collection in Your Style Vault Complete, I've got one more major skin secret for you. I have dermaplaning done about every 4 to 6 weeks (Nashville friends, I go to and highly recommend Angela Vance at The Mirror), and it makes a huge difference in my skin. This photo is proof of the gorgeous glow I get from dermaplaning, which I had done the day before it was taken, though I also have to give plenty of credit to the fact that I inherited great skin genes that are better than my youthful bad judgment when it came to tanning and smoking.

Dermaplaning is a form of exfoliation. Regular exfoliation—and there are many product options, including plenty of inexpensive ones and even some you can make at home—is one of the most important things you can do to keep your skin looking great. I'm sharing what I use on a semi-regular basis (aka when I remember) in my skincare collection. Not a Complete Insider yet? Get a 5-day free trial here.

Last thing, lovelies. Some of you may be reading this thinking I must spend a ton of time doing all of this every day, and that is definitely not the case. It takes me about three minutes for the morning routine and three more for the evening routine. Your skincare regimen can be fast and easy. Here’s to beautiful skin!

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Until next time,

Francie