Beauty Bits

It’s been a while since I shared my updated skincare routine for both morning and night. It can take me a few weeks to get into a routine that I feel is working so I finally feel like I have a regular rotation of products to share. While I will try some other products from time to time or switch things up occasionally, this is primarily what I am using for both morning and evening. For reference, I am 44 and have normal to slightly dry skin. I can still get a tad bit oily in my t-zone from time to time but mostly I find that my skin has gotten drier the past few years. My main concerns are treating any uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles and getting all the moisture and plumping I can into my skin. Ha! Here is a break down of each routine and the steps in which I apply the products.

My Current Winter Skincare Routine

Morning Routine

My morning skincare routine is almost always the same in terms of the active ingredients I use (vitamin c and hyaluronic acid) but I just switch up the the brands and formulas from time to time. Vitamin c works best when used during the daytime as it helps to protect the skin from environmental damage which also includes UV rays from the sun. Obviously you can use vitamin c at night as well but my preference is to include it everyday in my morning skincare routine.

Cleanse

I actually don’t use a cleanser in the morning anymore and just simply splash some cold water on my face before applying my skincare products.

Tone/Essence

REN Plumping Essence (discount code: MAREE)

This has been a holy grail product ever since I started using it earlier this year. I pour a few drops into my palm and pat it into the skin. It helps immediately plump and keep my skin hydrated.

Rhode Glazing Milk

After I apply the REN plumping essence, I will pour a few drops of this into my hands and pat it into the skin. It’s a nice added layer of moisture and makes my skin so glowy and fresh looking.

Serums

Medik8 C-Tetra Liquid Vitamin C

This is the first product from Medik8 I have tried and am already in love and want to try more from the brand! The texture of this vitamin c is more like a face oil than a serum so you only need a few drops. If I apply too much, my skin will get super oily throughout the day. However, this vitamin c serum has really brightened my skin and made it look so much more even toned.

REN Everhydrate Moisture Restore Serum (discount code: MAREE)

I have to have a hyaluronic serum in my morning and evening routine because it helps my skin stay firm, plump and retain moisture. This is a new discovery for me and I really love it! It’s thicker than some of my other hyaluronic acid serums which I like and it really helps to plump and prep my skin for applying makeup.

Eye Cream

Colleen Rothschild Illuminating Tinted Eye Cream

This eye cream has sold out so many times because it has gone viral on TikTok and for good reason. It’s an eye cream with a tiny bit of tint to it that helps counteract the darkness under my eyes. It also gives a tiny bit of radiance without making it look too glowy. I add this at the end of my skincare routine right before I apply my makeup. The peach tone in it really brightens and does an amazing job at minimizing any darkness.

Sunscreen

Holifrog Daily Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this sunscreen but have surprisingly loved it so much! It has a slight golden tint to it which just evens out the skin tone slightly and reduces redness. I can wear it alone if I wanted on days I’m not wearing makeup and it will just give me a slight glowy tint, but I love the way it wears under my makeup!

Evening Routine

Cleanse

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

I’m going on 10+ years with this cleansing balm and don’t think I will ever stop using it. It removes makeup so quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft, moisturized and very clean.

Tatcha Indigo Cleansing Balm

While I use most cleansing balms to remove my makeup, I save this one for a second cleanse. The ingredients in this cleansing balm are amazing at helping calm, soothe and nourish so I like to use it after I have removed my makeup.

Colleen Rothschild Balancing Gel Cleanser

I am normally not a huge fan of many gel cleansers because they can foam up and really dry my skin out, but this one was an instant favorite! On the nights I don’t use the Tatcha Indigo Cleansing Balm as my second cleanse, I will use this gel cleanser. It makes my skin feel so fresh and clean without feeling tight or stripped.

Tone

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads

I’ve been using these resurfacing pads for a few years and love how effective they are. I use them every other night to help refine texture and diminish dark spots.

Essence

REN Plumping Essence (discount code: MAREE)

This has been a holy grail product ever since I started using it earlier this year. I pour a few drops into my palm and pat it into the skin. It helps immediately plump and keep my skin hydrated.

Rhode Glazing Milk

After I apply the REN plumping essence, I will pour a few drops of this into my hands and pat it into the skin. It’s a nice added layer of moisture and makes my skin so glowy and fresh looking.

Eye Cream

Neocutis Lumiere Illuminating and Tightening Eye Cream

I have heard so many great things about this eye cream and I can say that I really do love it! It’s rich but not too rich and helps to tighten, moisturize and illuminate the eye area.

Serum/Treatment

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3

It’s been a long time since I used a strong retinol treatment but I have heard great things about this one from Medik8. I started by using it once a week and have worked up to every other night. My skin broke out a bit at the beginning (which is often normal), but is slowly looking clear again. I didn’t get any redness or flakiness with it and my skin is really starting to look amazing – brighter, firmer and less fine lines.

Farmacy Honeymoon Glow

I’ve been using this resurfacing serum for nearly 5+ years and still have not found anything that performs as well. I use this on the nights that I am not using retinol. It’s the BEST at making my skin feel so soft and textureless. I wake up after using this and my skin looks so good and glowy.

REN Everhydrate Moisture Restore Serum (discount code: MAREE)

I have to have a hyaluronic serum in my morning and evening routine because it helps my skin stay firm, plump and retain moisture. This is a new discovery for me and I really love it! It’s thicker than some of my other hyaluronic acid serums. I use this every night after I apply either my retinol or Honeymoon Glow. There is one night a week that I will skip the Honeymoon Glow and retinol and just use this and moisturizer. I find that it helps my skin recover from all the actives I’m using and not get irritated or too sensitive.

Moisturizer

Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair

This is the most nourishing and soothing moisturizer! It helps strengthen the skin barrier and is a great product to use to after my retinol.

Skincare Tools

CurrentBody LED Mask (discount code: ALITTLEBITCB)

I use this LED mask 6 nights a week after I cleanse and tone. I leave it on for 10 minutes and then continue with the rest of my skincare routine. In fact, I did a full review on the benefits here – it’s a splurge but really has made a difference!

Face Masks

Colleen Rothschild Intense Hydrating Mask

I only use face masks a few times a week but this one is a must have at least once. I will apply this after I cleanse and tone and leave on for 20 minutes. It instantly plumps my skin, makes my pores appear minimized and delivers insane hydration. I am never without a tube of this!

Colleen Rothschild Detoxifying Mask

For a mask to detoxify and clean out the pores, this one is a must have. It really cleans out my skin but doesn’t leave my face feeling too dry or tight. I use this once or twice a week depending on how my skin is feeling.

I am a huge Pat McGrath makeup fan but surprisingly have not tried many of her eyeshadow palettes. A product she is known for! I love her powder blushes, powder bronzer, cream blush sticks and lip formulas but am new to her eye products. I was excited to test her new limited edition Bijoux Brilliance Eyeshadow palette in Bronze Ecstasy and see if it lived up to my other favorite eyeshadow formulas. The Bijoux Brilliance collection is Pat McGrath’s holiday 2023 collection and consists various eyeshadow palettes, a blush trio, a mascara trio and so much more! Most of Pat McGrath’s eyeshadow palettes combine a mix of shimmer and matte shades with very intense pigment. The Bronze Ecstasy palette is all neutral tones and would be a perfect palette to play with for the holidays.

Pat McGrath Bijoux Brilliance Eyeshadow Palette in Bronze Ecstasy Review

Most of the products I have tried from Pat McGrath have all had intense pigment and rich color payoff and this palette was no exception. I like that there were only 5 colors in the palette so it’s not too overwhelming to use and every single color is super wearable and suitable for day or night. The Bijoux Brilliance eyeshadow palette in Bronze Ecstasy skews a bit more warm in tone which I like but isn’t too orange on the eyes. It’s a nice neutral bronze that would look good on many different skin tones.

Texture

The texture of every shadow in the palette is smooth, creamy and richly pigmented. There is a slight bit of fallout especially on the shimmer and metallic shades but nothing too extensive and difficult to clean up.

Price Point

Most of Pat McGrath’s products are on the pricier side especially the eyeshadow palettes but this is $36 which I felt was a decent price for getting 5 shadows. And the quality of the shadows is amazing.

Colors

This particular palette contains colors that are super wearable and great for everyday wear. Many of her palettes have some wild card colors but this one is all neutrals!

Related: Fair Skin Approved Bronzers

Pat McGrath Bijoux Brilliance Eyeshadow Palette in Bronze Ecstasy Swatches

As you can see from the above swatches, the color payoff is intense. The payoff is just as intense when applied on the eyes. There is a mix of different textures in the palette and here is quick description of each:

• Starlit Champagne – a metallic rose gold
• Merlot Mystique – a matte deep burgundy
• Honey Nectar – a metallic copper
• Twilight Taupe – a matte rich neutral brown
• Enchanted Bronze – a shimmer deep bronze

My personal favorites are Starlit Champagne and Honey Nectar for the lid and a bit of Twilight Taupe in the crease to deepen up the look. I also like using Merlot Mystique and Enchanted Bronze as liner colors smudged along the lash line.

How to apply Pat McGrath Bijoux Brilliance Eyeshadow Palette in Bronze Ecstasy

With such rich pigment and intense shimmer, here are a few of my tips on how best to apply this palette:

Use an eyeshadow primer

Especially when applying the shimmer and metallic shades, it’s best to use an eyeshadow primer that gives the shadow something to adhere to which will ensure less fallout.

Press the shimmer and metallic shades on

You can either use your finger or a flat eyeshadow brush, but the best technique is to press the color on rather than swiping it. You will get more intense color payoff and less product falling on the face.

Use a light hand

Since the pigment is so rich on these shadows, I prefer to start with a light hand when applying. You can always add more but it’s hard to remove if you add too much.

Dust a skin tone shadow to tone down any places that are too intense

I typically do this technique anything I am applying eyeshadow, but I will use a bone colored eyeshadow (or something nearly identical to my skin tone) to dust over and blend out any areas that are too intense. I find this tones down the color and blends it out a bit more. My go-to color for toning down any eye look that is too intense is Jones Road The Best Eyeshadow in Cream.