As much as I love getting glammed up, – especially on the makeup front – there is nothing that I love more than a low key, relaxing day, where nothing strenuous is done AND  there is no expectation of looking pulled together. For me, this day is typically reserved for Sundays. I’m also quite a fan of dedicating some extra time to the skincare routine or ritual, and doing that whole pampering thing. I’ve mentioned recently that with the cold weather coming – there is snow on the ground now, after all – I’ve been dedicated to sticking to a twice-daily routine for maintaining my stressed, sensitive and dehydrated skin. However, I do like spending the extra time and doing something extra once or twice a week. This often falls on the Sunday, partly because of habit and partly because of my decree that it’s a makeup-free day. Here’s a rundown of today’s routine:

1. Sunday Riley Blue Moon Tranquility Cleansing Balm ($60): When you’ve been fighting off a cold and the cold that I have been doing, a nourishing balm cleanser is an appealing place to start. I happily started the whole ritual with my smaller size of the essential oil laden balm – that I got in the Sephora Favourites Beauty Sleep Kit – despite my tumultuous relationship with essential oils. It feels nourishing and soothing on the skin, even with its slightly grittier texture.
2. Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask ($20): After cleansing, I like to use some mask and the one I use will depend on my skin condition at the moment. I was feeling in need of some exfoliating and brightening action so I reached for this glycolic-acid, pumpkin and honey based option. I find it truly does provide some exfoliating action but I find that I can’t apply too much without finding it a bit irritating – with the cinnamon, pineapple juice and clove in the formula. The fact that its housed in jar packaging does irritate me to no end because it destabilizes all of the beneficial antioxidants and soothing extracts in the formula. I left it on for a half hour before removing with some water. This is a fun product to use but it by no means replaces a leave-on chemical exfoliant…
3. Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner ($21 US): This time of year, I can hardly wash my face without applying a soothing milky toner afterwords and this one is my absolute favourite. I’ve raved about the way in which it also acts as a serum  with its evening primrose oil, myriad of antioxidants and anti-irritants and weightless formula.
4. Olay Eyes Ultimate Eye Cream ($40): This is the first dedicated eye cream that I’ve ever tried and, to be honest, I tend to just use my facial moisturizer around the eyes most of the time – there really should not be much of a difference between eye and face creams – but I do like patting this simple but impressive formula around the eye area when I want some extra oomph. It has the subtlest peachy tint that helps to brighten the under-eye region in an undetectable way but most of all, I love that it’s fragrance free and contains both a peptide and skin-repairing niacinamide higher up in the ingredient list. It’s in a jar but at least there are no antioxidants in the formula to begin with…
5. Aura Cacia Rosehip Oil ($15): I’m afraid that I have no product to show for this one because I’m at the very end and have transferred the antioxidant-rich plant oil into another container to finish it. However, I did apply the amber-hued antioxidant rich oil that combines the vitamin c and a that naturally occurs in soothing rosehip will with vitamin e in pressing motions over the face along with on my sensitive neck and chest. It works and doesn’t break the bank.
6. Paula’s Choice Radiance Renewal Mask ($36 US): While it certainly is not ultra-affordable, as Paula’s brand has notably increased their prices in the last year or two 0 – and even more so for Canadians, as the Canadian dollar is horrific at the moment  – her foray into the world of leave-on masks has impressed me. It has a nourishing-but-lightweight gel texture that I think would suit a myriad of skin types but the most impressive thing is that it doesn’t contain fragrance and instead, has niacinamide, arbutin, vitamin c and hyaluronic acid. When I want an extra boost of moisture, I use this kind of product underneath my sunscreen-containing moisturizer.
7. Paula’s Choice Calm Redness Relief SPF 30 Mineral Moisturizer ($29 US): Rain or shine, you must use SPF to keep your skin looking, feeling and acting the most optimal way. I use this mineral formula because I find it actually hydrating and my skin can actually tolerate its actives without being irritated. Note: this is an identical formula to the company’s Skin Recovery offering.
8. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 ($16): When you have lips that are as sensitive and as naturally chapped as mine are, a lip balm that does more than temporarily seal in the moisture is a necessity. I quite like this multipurpose balm that soothes any sort of dry or chapped area with the humectant, panthenol, and shea butter.

I had intended this post to be much more of a quick overview of the products that I reach for for an indulgent weekly regime but I see that ship has sailed.

What products do you reach for when you are in need of some extra skin pampering?

Maggie, x.