My skin is high maintenance. There, I said it. Once, (somehow) I burned my eyelids with a perfectly respectable brand of eyeshadow tried on a whim at the Nordstrom make-up counter. Ug, red, balloon-shaped eyelids were not a pretty look for a night out. (Yes… I still went out with burnt eyelids – it was in a dark theater & I didn’t want to miss the show!) So, as you can probably guess, making a concerted effort to find a gentle skin routine is a must for me. Along the way, there have been many trials and tribulations, but I am finally having some success – no more angry (or singed) pores – yay! Here’s what is working right now:

Caudaulie Foaming Cleanser: I purchased the travel size for a trip a few years ago and never looked back. It cleans without drying, has a light, clean fragrance, and the foaming aspect makes it last much longer than you’d expect.

Witch Hazel Toner: Witch hazel has wonderful natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Sometimes old-fashioned products really do work!

MyChelle Pumpkin Renew Cream: Rich & creamy, very moisturizing, with no junky ingredients. It doesn’t smell like pumpkin to me, but it does smell fresh for a bit before the scent goes away completely.

MyChelle Sun Shield SPF 28: The only sunscreen I’ve ever tried that doesn’t leave a sheen or a weird smell. I had Tristan test it out too, so she can vouch for both of these points! Perfect for under make-up, just give it a minute or two to soak in. It’s also a Zinc and Titanium Dioxide formula without any of those bad for you chemicals found in so many sunscreens, which is a HUGE plus in my book.

Coconut Oil – Of course I heard the hype about coconut oil, but was still hesitant to try slathering it on my skin. Then I purchased some for the pantry and it taunted me with possibilities. It soaks in much faster than you’d think, and my dry patches are so much happier! Instead of keeping a jar that looks like it belongs in the kitchen on the bathroom counter, I’ve been scooping some into a small cosmetics-looking jar. It’s not particularly fancy, but it keeps me from feeling like I’m part of a granola recipe.

Do any of you have other sensitive skin winners to recommend? I’m all ears!