Little Changes Making a Big Difference in My Skincare

A few changes I’ve made recently that have made a big difference in my daily routine and how ChatGPT helped.

Hi friends, I wanted to share some things I’ve been doing lately that have made a big difference in my skincare routine. After having Sophia, my skin texture, pigmentation, and fullness changed a lot. From what I’ve read, it’s common for women’s skin to shift after pregnancy because all those hormone changes combined with sleep deprivation can really show up on your face. Most of these changes are still pretty new, so I haven’t seen huge results yet, but I’ve noticed enough to keep the routine going.

1. Skin Cycling

The first is skin cycling. I think a lot of us have been doing this for years without realizing it, but it’s really popular on social media right now, so I wanted to explain what it actually means. It’s all about rotating your actives like retinols and exfoliants and then giving your skin a recovery night. I wasn’t that familiar with how to build this kind of routine, so I turned to my best friend ChatGPT for some guidance. I actually took a picture of my current skincare products and asked, “Can you create a skin cycling routine with these products?”

Here’s my current routine. I’ve noticed it gives my skin some time to recover and there’s a lot less irritation with these low-maintenance nights. I personally love it because I don’t have ten products layered on my skin before bed. Just using a few products each night feels a lot more doable for my current lifestyle.

Here’s a look at my schedule. I like having a specific day for each part of my cycle because it makes it so much easier to remember what to do each night.

2. Retinols

After Sophia weaned herself from breastfeeding, I added retinoids back into my routine. Before having Sebastian (eight years ago), I was really consistent about using retinoids. After the kids, I mostly stopped because of pregnancy, breastfeeding or the hope of getting pregnant.

I decided to start simple with my retinoids. Right now I’m using the RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Anti-Aging Wrinkle Eye Cream and the RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum. I’m also a huge fan of the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Retinoid Night Oil. This is a lot less potent than a retinol serum, but it’s a great oil to add at the end of my routine every so often. According to ChatGPT, it’s a little too much to use the retinol night oil daily, so I compromised and use it just a few nights a week.

3. Over exfoliating with harsh scrubs

I grew up in the St. Ives Apricot Scrub era and it was all the rage. I remember using that exfoliant every single night on my skin. My young skin could certainly withstand the damage. Now at 41, my skin is a lot more sensitive to harsh scrubs.

Over the years I’ve tried other types of exfoliants, but lately I’ve been using gentler options like The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA and the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Exfoliating Toner for clear skin. I love waking up in the morning and seeing how the lactic acid brightens my skin. For $9.20, The Ordinary Lactic Acid is honestly one of the best I’ve used in years. It gives me smoother, more even skin without the irritation I used to get from other exfoliants.

*The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA is supposed to be comparable to Good Genes All-In-One AHA Lactic Acid Treatment.

4. Gua Sha for Lymphatic Drainage

I added Gua Sha to my skincare routine to help with puffiness and sculpt my face. A lot of people do Gua Sha at night, but I tend to wake up a bit puffy, so I’ve been adding it to my morning routine instead. It helps with lymphatic drainage, which can reduce swelling and give my face a more sculpted look. It also boosts circulation and just feels so relaxing, almost like a mini facial massage at home.

To figure out what to do, I just searched “Gua Sha routine” on Instagram and TikTok and watched a few quick videos. You could check YouTube too. After practicing for a few days, I started to memorize the steps and now it feels so easy. Of all the things I’ve added lately, this is one I know I’ll stick with because it really makes my skin feel fresh and lifted. Here’s a highly rated Gua Sha tool from Amazon.

Below you can see my face right after using the Gua Sha, a lot more sculpted and defined.

5. Double Cleansing at Night

For years I was really good about double cleansing, but I started to skip it here and there. Now that it’s summer, I’ve been slowly adding this step back in. Double cleansing helps me take off mascara, lip stains, and sunscreen so much better. I use the Bobbi Brown Soothing Cleansing Oil first to break everything down, then follow with the RoC Barrier Renew Gel to Foam Cleanser to hydrate and cleanse my skin without drying it out.

6. Got professional treatments when needed

After having a baby, my hyperpigmentation was at an all-time high. Over the years I’ve tried every serum out there, but honestly the only thing that really works for my skin is IPL. If you’re looking for something non-invasive, quick, and actually effective for dark spots, I’d definitely recommend it.

My lady recommended two sessions, but for me, freckles come back the second the sun comes out. So my plan is to do another session this winter to clear things up again. The treatment has come such a long way. After Sebastian I got IPL and it was one of the most painful experiences of my life. Fast forward eight years and it was so easy with zero pain and no downtime. Let me know if you’d like to share more about this, probably the best money I’ve spent on my skin ever.

Below was September 2024, about a month after having Sophia and then about two weeks after getting IPL done. My skin was so clear! It was incredible. The freckles get dark and then slowly flake off.

7. Eye Patches

Lately I’ve been loving adding eye patches in the mornings, especially when I wake up a bit puffy. They feel so nice and fit in perfectly with my Gua Sha routine. I’ve been using the Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber De-Tox Hydra-Gel Eye Patches and they’ve been great. I just keep them in the fridge so they’re extra cooling. It’s a small step that makes me feel a little more awake and put together for the day.

An added bonus is using my LED eye mask after the patches. This is something I need to be a lot more consistent about in the future.

That’s everything I’ve been trying lately. I hope this gives you a few ideas if you’re looking to switch up your own routine. I’m excited to see how my skin keeps changing over the next few months. I’ll be sure to share what’s working and what’s not.

xo, Olivia