beauty secrets | green beauty blogger skincare tag

Oh how I love to play tag — especially when the only running involved is me going back and forth to my bathroom vanity to scoop up my favorite products to share with you!

Thanks to Lilly of Genuine Glow for tagging me in this green beauty blogger tell-all post. What a fun way to get a little more intimate on the interwebs (and maybe answer some questions that you may have had but never asked).

Enjoy!

Describe your skin care routine in 5 words.

kimberlyloc face oils oil up and beauty begins

{I found this photo on Flickr and layered my skin care philosophy on top of it. Feel free to share it! Original photo by Beth Day / Courtesy Flickr}

“Oil up and beauty begins.”

What’s your skin type?

kimberlyloc vml black and white photo

{This photo is from 2010, back when I worked at a digital agency in Kansas City. I love the shades of black and gray and how creamy my skin looks! Not to mention the mysterious mood it created when my hair could cover my eyes.}

  • Very oily T-zone, slightly oily cheeks. Dry feet, hands and elbows. Soft body skin.
  • Acne-prone (hairline, sides of cheeks, chin)
  • Yellow undertones thanks to Chinese and Vietnamese heritage
  • Redness around the nostrils thanks to broken capillaries and Scottish-ness (gotta blame something on my dad?)
  • Bags under eyes due to night-owl tendencies
  • Very few signs of wrinkles (thanks, Mom!)

What’s your favorite skin care product?

Plant oils! I use them to cleanse, moisturize and treat my skin from head to toe.

I have coconut oil, argan oil, marula oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, rosehip oil, tamanu oil and several beautiful blends on-hand at all times.

If I could bathe in a deep tub of exotic oils, I would. (Can somebody please set that up for me?)

Top blemish zapper?

zum rub frankincense and myrrh kimberlyloc acne treatment

Zum Rub in Frankincense & Myrrh, hands down. When a natural product that costs less than $10 at the health food store makes my cystic acne go away, I sing its praises forever. (Buy it on Amazon for a bit more.)

Face wipes: Yay or Nay?

Yay, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays after yoga class. It’s a convenience thing. I also use the wipes to scrub down my mat after class.

I know face wipes aren’t exactly environmentally friendly, but I’m not perfect. I need to be able to wash up after class in a very small bathroom filled with several yogis and not monopolize the sink.

Toner: Yay or Nay?

Yay, as long as the toner is alcohol-free!

I always use a toner or hydrosol to prep my skin before apply my face oils so that my skin is a bit damp and ready to receive the moisture.

I also like to spritz my face once I’m finished with my makeup application, and I freshen up with a toner a little bit throughout the day to stay glowing.

High-end skin care or high-end make-up?

I believe in investing in high-quality, clean skincare that allows your own natural beauty to shine through. Whether it’s a high-end, high-price brand or a budget-friendly miracle product, what matters most is that it’s beneficial for your skin and allows you to spend less time in front of the mirror covering imperfections.

I prefer to use makeup to enhance my features, and I can spend more time perfecting the glorious cat eye when I don’t have to worry about covering recurring breakouts, redness and inflammation.

I’m prone to all of these issues, but when I eat clean, do yoga, keep my stress levels low and am diligent with my skincare routine, I experience these issues less. There have even been weeks where I’ve felt confident enough to walk out of the house without foundation or concealer! That’s the power of effective skincare.

What’s the most unusual skin care product you’ve tried?

I’ve tried a bee venom mask twice. It’s in my queue for review, but I need to give it another go-round to collect my thoughts on it. It’s … interesting.

You’re in a pharmacy and can only pick up one item — what is it?

beauty blogger kimberlyloc nail polish collection

{Yes, this is my real nail polish collection. Yes, I like nail polish.}

Nail polish! (Most pharmacies don’t stock the skin care products I covet — I buy my oils at Whole Foods or online.)

We all know that there’s no such thing as a natural nail polish. I prefer 3- or 5-free polishes, and many of my favorite mainstream nail polish brands (like OPI) are up to this standard. They just don’t advertise it the way so-called “natural” brands do because it’s not a core value for their target market.

I pick and choose my battles when it comes to clean beauty. Nail polish battles cannot be won.

Tell us your top skincare tips.

1. Stay hydrated inside and out. If you aren’t constantly getting up to pee, you need to drink more! If your coworkers aren’t giving you side eyes for spraying your face and patting on oil mid-morning and mid-afternoon, you need to freak them out a little more!

2. Don’t pick! I am a constant offender in this department. I’ve prolonged a breakout for days because of this annoying little tendency. Just leave it alone! Keep your healing breakouts moisturized (Zum Rub, I’m telling ya!) to avoid the crusty feeling (yeap, I went there).

3. Treat yourself to a mask. I typically get professional facials every quarter, but I’ve been lax on it because there are so many amazing masks on the market that you can do at home. I make Sunday my spa day and treat myself, but sometimes I’ll give myself a mask mid-week if it’s been tough or if I feel like my skin needs a boost.

4. Work out. Whatever it is that you like to do — run, swim, bike, yoga, sports — do something that makes your heart beat faster and your skin sweat like crazy. Exercise is the ultimate body detox, and I can see the effects on my skin when I skip yoga for prolonged periods of time. My breakouts increase and my pores appear larger. Get moving!

5. When you find something that works, stick with it. Being a beauty blogger means that I’m constantly adding new products to my skincare rotation; however, I have my staples that I go to when my skin needs to get back to a balance (coconut oil, jojoba oil and Zum Rub are my absolutes). A minimalistic approach to skincare can really help as long as the edited selection of products you use actually do something for your skin

I’d love to know the skincare secrets of some of my favorite bloggers. 312 Beauty, Neimans Idealist and Seed to Serum, care to share?

So, do we have anything in common? Did anything I shared surprise you? Tell me in the comments section!

 


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