Welcome to AM/PM, where Autostraddle team members break down and share their skincare routines, makeup looks and more!
I started wearing makeup in the eighth grade, I have always just wanted to have a few staples that I do every day and no fuss too much past that. Throughout the years that’s changed here and there — the days of matte lipstick had me in a CHOKEHOLD and there was a period in 2017 when I wore a full face into the office — but ultimately I’m too lazy to do anything too extra for too long.
I’m also too compliment-obsessed to NOT play up the things I love about my face, which are my skin, my eyebrows, and my eyes. I’ve always had nice skin, a TikTok filter told me I have the perfect shape of eyebrows for my face, and I’ve been told by every single person I’ve ever dated that my eyes are extremely beautiful. One time I went to the EYE DOCTOR and the nurse told me I had the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen, through the BLACK AND WHITE machine.
As a brown-eyed girl, I love this compliment and want to feel the high of it every single day. So I want my eyes to be the prettiest thing on my face, want an enhanced brow, and for my skin to glow — and I refuse to put in too much effort to get these things.
1. Hado Labo Cleansing Oil ($15) 2. Tatcha The Deep Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser ($39) 3. Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Skin Perfecting Liquid Exfoliant ($32) 4. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 ($13.50) 5. Alitura Naturals The Moisturizer ($50) 6. CoverGirl Perfect Blend Eyeliner Pencil ($13) 7. Ofra Universal Eyebrow Pencil ($13) 8. L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Primer ($10) 9. Clinique High Impact Mascara ($23) 10. Supergoop! Glow Stick Sunscreen ($24.90)
I almost always do this routine at about 1 pm PST at the EARLIEST, so when I say it’s my morning routine — I’m lying.
I used to only do the oil cleanse at night but I recently have been feeling that my face is a little drier than it has been, so now I do it both in the morning and at night because I love how it makes my skin feel. After rinsing the cleanser I put the Tatcha Exfoliating Wash directly onto my wet face with no drying in between. I use the Paula’s Choice toner just on the more acne-prone parts of my face. I didn’t use to have a ton of acne and frankly still don’t, but I’ve started to get some smaller bumps and little white heads, so I’m trying to simply manage those when they appear.
After my face is clean, super easy routine from here. I use hyaluronic acid, which I occasionally mix a Vitamin C serum into in the morning, and at night I follow that with a retinol serum. Following those little potions — MOISTURIZER! I am currently using an extremely fancy one ($50 for a bottle! Exorbitant!) that I certainly got in a swag bag or an old ipsy subscription, which tbh is where I came across quite a few of the products I now use daily. That was before they started sending the world’s smallest samples and I begrudgingly canceled. I’m really committed to going through all of my samples these days because I realized I have accumulated way too much junk.
ANYWAY! I finish this off with the Supergoop sunscreen stick! I used to use a much cheaper one from a brand called Tonymoly but they discontinued it and of course, I was devastated. This goes on clear, making me look dewy and bright, and hand to god someone compliments me every single time I wear it. You absolutely do not have to hand it to Gwyneth Paltrow but unfortunately — I die by this sunscreen.
My make-up routine can be explained in four quick bits and I often do this part of my routine behind the wheel at various stoplights. In my experience, It can be done in about 3-5 stops. First, I line just my waterline (gauche, I know, but I love it!) with a brown liner — I am currently using a lip-liner but look, it works and I already owned it! I then pencil in my eyebrows (I use a brow gel if they are especially messy), apply the primer, and add the mascara. BOOM, we’re done and I’m gorgeous.
The whole thing with my skincare routine is I don’t want to do anything more than exactly what works. I have ADHD, I can hardly remember to feed myself let alone fuss with ten steps every morning and night. This routine feels almost not at all like a routine. It’s so easy and I feel that every step is highlighting something I love about my face, so I’m always extra thrilled when someone compliments it. As I said, I’m not in the market to add steps but I am in the market to upgrade some products. If you have a fancy hyaluronic acid you swear by, then please hmu!
Analyssa is a co-host of the To L and Back podcast: Gen Q edition. She lives in LA, works at a TV studio, and can often be found binge-watching an ABC drama from 2008. You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, or her social media of choice, Letterboxd.
Analyssa has written 37 articles for us.
love your self-confidence!! I giggled multiple times while reading this. I’m thinking of trying that ordinary hyaluronic acid.
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