After having Olive, I really got into a funk where I put almost almost no effort into my appearance. I rarely wore makeup and avoided mirrors. It was a little embarrassing when I would run into people I knew on the street since I always wore my bummiest clothes, didn’t have a stitch of makeup on and had unwashed hair, but I didn’t have enough energy to change. I was depressed, but nowhere near the worst episodes I’ve had in the past, so I just chalked it up to the difficult early years of parenting. Earlier this year I finally made some big changes, started taking better care of myself, and started feeling much better. And looking better actually does make me feel better — lately I’ve been wearing makeup 4-5 times a week, instead of 4-5 times a year!

I’ve always loved beauty products, and lately I’ve added a number of new products to my routine that have had a huge impact on my skin, so I thought I would share!

1) DHC Deep Cleansing Oil – Koreans believe in a two-step face cleansing system that involves first removing makeup with an oil like this one. I’ve been using this Japanese product for well over a decade and it does a fantastic job of removing all your makeup before you cleanse. As the popularity of cleansing oils grows, many American, Korean, and Japanese brands carry similar products.

2) Blum Makeup Wipes – When I’m too tired/lazy to use the deep cleansing oil, I turn to these natural wipes. They’re now a must-have in my skincare routine.

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3) Bifacil Eye Makeup Remover – I’ve probably been using this for 2 decades. I’ve tried many other eye makeup removers, and this is simply the best, but it is a little pricey. The closest dupe I’ve found is Milani’s Eye Makeup Remover. The downside is it’s only sold on the Milani website. I would buy 3 eye makeup removers and the Baked Blush in Luminoso in order to qualify for free shipping over $25. The blush is an awesome natural peach, and I’ve been using it instead of my NARS blushes lately!

4) Sulwhasoo Cleanser, Toner, Essence, Moisturizer – I used Korean skincare products for a little while when I was younger (and my mom has used them her whole life), but at the time I thought that American and European brands were better. But Korean skincare has been getting tons of hype in recent years because it really is at the forefront of skin care technology. They believe that layering skincare products is the key to locking in moisture, and skincare has always been of the utmost importance in Korean culture (if you’ve ever seen the older ladies with those huge visor hats!).

After having kids, my skin really changed. It was dull and I had brown spots under my eyes that never faded. Since the products I was using weren’t working (mostly low ingredient drugstore products due to my eczema), I decided to give Korean skincare products another try. When we were at the Korean airport earlier this summer, I picked up products from the Sulwhasoo line at the duty-free… and my skin hasn’t looked this good in years! It’s clearer, brighter, and I haven’t had a single breakout! Now I’m singing the praises of Korean skincare products from the rooftops to all my friends.

There are more steps in the Korean skincare routine, but I think the layering of products really makes a difference. Toners are moisturizing instead of drying, and I’ve always loved essence — I’ve actually used it instead of lotion, and it’s an essential part of my skincare routine. I’m dying to try the Missha Time Revolution Essence, which is supposed to be a dupe for the much pricier SKII version. The Sulwhasoo line is available online, and if you’d like to give it a try, there is a great affordable starter kit. It is pricey to buy all these products, so I’d also recommend the more affordable Laneige line which is available at Target. I’ve used their products in the past and they are made by the same parent company (AmorePacific) as Sulwhasoo.

8) Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant –  I’ve been using Dermalogica’s skincare products for over 2 decades, and this is definitely one of their best products. No matter how lazy I got about my skincare, I always made sure to exfoliate. It makes such a difference!

9) Laneige Sleeping Pack – After you apply all your lotions and eye creams, you apply this sleeping pack to seal it all in. I use this 2-3 times a week, and I think it’s especially great in the winter. I have combination skin that’s dry on my cheeks and oilier on my t-zone, and using more moisturizing products has had a big impact on improving my skin.

You may have noticed that I don’t have any eye cream on this list. That’s because at the age of 36, I’ve never really used it! In the coming months I hope to add 2 more products to my routine — an eye cream and something that lightens the brown spots under my eyes.

H A I R C A R E

1 & 2) Terax Shampoo & Conditioner – I’ve tried a lot, and I mean A LOT of shampoos and conditioners in my lifetime. Since I love coloring my hair, I also love trying out shampoos, conditioners, and hair masks. I typically come back to Kerastase and Terax (because it’s more affordable but still works great).

3) Bumble and Bumble Does it All Spray – I only use hairspray after I curl my hair, and I like that this provides hold but isn’t too stiff.

4) Solano Hair Dryer – I bought my Solano hair dryer over a decade ago and it’s still going strong. I would invest in a nice hair dryer because they last forever, and this one is so powerful it dries my hair in minutes!

5) Argan Oil Hair Mask – I love hair masks and there are so many more affordable options now than there were 10 years ago. Lately I’ve been using this one twice a week. If you really want to deep moisturize, apply this to your hair, wrap your hair up in a towel and keep it in as long as you can!

6) Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray – I spray this on my hair before curling it. It really helps hold the curls all night long.

7) Hot Tools Flat Iron – This is another product that I’ve had over a decade. When I want pin straight hair, this does the job!

8) Hot Tools Curling Iron – Curling iron curls look the best. I would love my hair to look like that every day! I only curl my hair for special occasions, and it takes a long time because I have a lot of hair, but this Hot Tools curling iron has done the trick for over a decade.

9) John Freida Hot Air Brush – This is what I use pretty much every day. I don’t have the time/patience to dry/flat iron/curl my hair daily, and this tool dries my hair and gives it volume at the same time. Such a time saver! I looooove this thing. I only wish that I could find something similar as powerful as my Solano hair dryer!