Night Time Skin Care Routine and Josie Maran Product Review

My Current Night Time Skin Care Routine

When headed to bed after a long day, one MUST remember to wash his or her face.  Yes, even guys should acquire a night time skin care routine.  Think about all the stressors your skin has to battle.  The Sun's UVA/UVB rays, particles in the air, Mother Nature, your mental stressors that can cause acne..the list goes on.  You should always wash your face especially if you are wearing make-up.  Your skin needs to breathe as the "night time" is the "right time" for your body to heal itself, this includes the largest organ..your skin!

So, with that said, this article is about my personal skin care regimen that I go through.  This may or may not work for you, and you can customize it to your preference.  As long as you take the time and clean your face, that's all that really matters if you want to have healthy skin.  Think about your skin regimen as removing layers, cornflakes, raisins, and grapes. 

Grapes

The new cells that are produced from the dermal matrix are round, plump and fully hydrated…much like a freshly picked grape. These fully hydrated cells are more resistant to damage when we are young. Increased damage can eventually cause fractures in these cells, making them weaker as we age.

Raisins

As these “grapes” push their way to the surface, the cells, or grapes, lose hydration and start to shrivel or dehydrate and begin to resemble a raisin.

Cornflakes

As the “raisins” continue to move toward the surface, they die and become flat, stacked and compacted on the surface of the skin. These dead, dry skin cells resemble a “cornflake”.

At the point that the skin cells get to this stage, they are dead and can be removed without causing skin irritation. This is why increased exfoliation is necessary to improve cell turn-over. It is the tendency of the skin to become more dry as we age. As the skin becomes more dry, the skin’s metabolism slows down in a defense mode. The skin attempts to hang on to the compacted surface layers in an effort to prevent moisture loss. As the body hangs on to old cells, the production of new skin cells will not occur.

Step 1:  I like to put my hair back with a hair tie/clip, and wear a head band to ensure all hair is pulled away from my face.

Step 2:  Take a make-up remover towelette and gently remove the layer of make-up around your face and neck.  If eye liner or mascara is waterproof, you may need to follow up with eye make-up remover.

Step 3: Cleanse. Cleansing is important because it removes dirt and oil from the surfaces of your skin. Turn your sink on and put the setting to warm.  Warm water will help open up your pores.  Rinse your face with warm water and use a cleanser.  There are so many products that you can choose from that you can purchase in the store, I personally use BeautiControl's Spa Facial Purifying Cleansing Lotion.  Lather and rinse.  This is taking off the "cornflakes" layer.

Step 4: Exfoliate.  After you rinse off your facial cleanser, it is now time to exfoliate.  Exfoliating is an important step because this is when dead skin cells are removed from your face.  Keep in mind, you are removing layers from your skin. You are taking off the "raisins" layer.  You can find a great exfoliator at the drug stores, but keep in mind to not get an exfoliator that is really harsh on your skin.  You want to exfoliate, not scratch your face up.  I personally use BeautiControl's Spa Facial Exfoliating Polish.  After exfoliating, rinse with warm water and pat skin dry with a soft towel.

Step 5:  Tone.  Toning with an astringent will help shrink your pores as it's main purpose is to constrict the skin tissue.  This will help eliminate blemishes, remove any make-up and dirt that may have been missed by the cleanser.  I personally use BeautiControl's Spa Facial Regenerating Tonic with AHA's.

Once I am finished with toning, I used to put on a night time moisturizing cream..but lately, I have been using Josie Maran's Argan Face Oil. I finish off my night time skin care regimen with the 100% Argan Oil Light.  I use 3-4 drops and spread it on my face and neck.  And use the rest on my hands and run through my hair as the oil is multi-purpose. 


I had bought this Josie Maran Escape to Morocco Holiday Lights and Brights mini-set from Sephora.com.  I first saw Josie Maran products years ago while watching QVC or HSN..one of those channels and she was on there talking about the benefits of Argan Oil.  This was before "Moroccan Oil" became such a big hit in the USA.  Then, I started reading and learning about it more in various magazines..so I decided to try her brand out as I had heard about it before.  This particular set was about $25- $35 at Sephora.com.

This set comes with 100% Argan Oil Light, Argan Color Stick in Spice, Argan Luminizer, and the Argan High Gloss Lip Quench in a limited edition shade called "Pink Honey".  I have tried all the products in this set, and let me tell you..everything feels so hydrating!  The color sick is one of my favorites to use on my cheeks.  It adds a beautiful color, and is so smooth.  The luminizer works just as well, I didn't have to use much to get the effect I wanted, and the gloss is fabulous.  It really hydrates your lips and makes them feel silky smooth!  The only down side is that it is very light..I'm medium skin toned, and it didn't look too red at all once on my lips.  It was more clear to me..but that doesn't bother me.  I love the fact that my lips stayed hydrated. 

Overall, I really liked this product.  The Argan Oil Light is so versatile, you can use it on your face, your hair, on your skin..on your hands..anywhere you want.  You get so much for the price, and I found it strange to use oil on your face (even though I had combination skin type), it did not break me out whatsoever.  It was like my skin soaked it up and said "Thank You!".  Argan oil is high in Vitamin E, has essential fatty acids and antioxidants, and many experts beleive it can help with many skin conditions such as dry skin, wrinkles, psoriasis, eczema and acne.  For the amount you spend on this kit, you will get your money's worth.