My Go-To Skincare & Natural Hair Care Products to Glow Up for Summer

Over the last few months I’ve gotten a lot of questions on what I’ve been using on my skin, particularly my face as well as what products I’m using to maintain my natural hair. I’m going to share all my go-to’s in this blog post so make sure to save, share it and shop it because lots of these products are on sale for the Sephora Sale! When it comes to my skincare routine, I came to the conclusion that less is more. I was using a ton of different products and for many years my skin just didn’t improve. It was a big sore spot for me when people would comment on my “bad” skin, like I didn’t look at myself in the mirror everyday and try everything to rectify it. What I learned throughout the process of refining my skincare routine is that the more natural the products were the better. I’ve spent a great deal of time switching over a lot of my skincare and makeup products to clean and vegan products that are just as effective. I have sensitive skin and can’t tolerate many fragrance irritants. I also noticed that a lot of my acne related issues were hormonal as well as in direct relation to eating certain products. So I had to do a deep analysis of my diet as well to get my skin to a good place. I also honestly think aging and getting older has a lot to do with it as well. In addition to skincare, I’ve been wearing my natural hair out for the past 2 months and I’m enjoying my curls! I’ve taken to some new products to define my twist outs as well as old faithfuls to keep my scalp clean and to fight the humidity, especially in Miami. So without further ado let’s get into the products.

NIGHT-TIME SKINCARE ROUTINE

My nighttime skincare routine starts with makeup removal and I’m currently loving the Bobbi Brown Instant Makeup Removal. It’s super gentle and gets off my eye and lip stain lipstick in one swipe. I then triple cleanse my face if I’ve worn makeup that day starting with an oil based cleanser usually Chanel Anti-Pollution Cleansing Oil, followed by a cream based cleanser, usually Dior Off/On Foaming Cleanser and then ending with a natural cleanser always Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser. If I haven’t worn makeup that day, I will usually forgo the oil cleanser. I will then go in with my serums depending on what my skin is experiencing. For treatment serums I only use The Ordinary Vegan products. They are super affordable, most under $10 and work amazingly! If I’ve having a cluster breakout, I’d put a little Salicylic Acid Serum. If my face feels super dry I will use the Hyaluronic Acid Serum. If I’m trying to control blemishes and pores I use the Niacinamide Acid Serum. For my under eye I either use Fenty Rich Peptide Cream or Clarins Eye Serum. I rub this into the skin until it’s gone and then I moisturize and with Youth To The People Moisturizer. I top off any pimples with a Peace Out Acne Pimple Patch or a dab of Kiehls Rare Earth Clay Masque.

MY NATURAL HAIR JOURNEY & WASH ROUTINE

Now that we’ve gotten through every single product I use on my face, let’s get into my hair. I have natural hair and transitioned while using braids and cutting off the permed hair in between braid outs. I never did a big chop. For me, it was just easier to transition slowly over the course of about 2 years wearing braids off and on and cutting off the permed ends until I was fully natural with about 5 inches of natural hair all around. For me, it’s about maintaining length and not manipulating my hair too much. So I usually get my hair braided 3 times a year and leave the braids in for 2.5 months at a time. Thus my natural hair is in a protective style about 7 months out of every year. This leaves about 5 months out of the year for manipulation which I think isn’t too bad. When my natural hair is out, I wash my hair once a week and style it for that entire week. My go to wash products are plant based from Aveda. I love their Botanical Repair and Nutriplenish Moisture lines (the shampoo, conditioners and treatment masques). They also have an incredible new Botanical Repair bond-building flash treatment that I do twice a month. If I happen to have dandruff which I do, especially after a braid takedown I usually start my wash routine with Nizoral Anti Dandruff Shampoo and that gets the flakes under control in one wash. After washing and conditioning and perhaps doing a treatment masque from Aveda, I go in with the Aveda Nutriplenish Leave In Spray Conditioner which detangles, protects from the sun, moisturizes for 72 hours and protects from heat up to 450 degrees.

BRAIDS, SCALP & SLICK LOW BUN ROUTINES

My natural hair is in braids most of the year and I use a few products to maintain my hair while it’s in a protective style. For my scalp I love the Rucker Roots Anti Frizz Silkening Growth Serum. It promotes hair growth and seals the hair follicles. It’s 100% Vegan made with Ginger Root Oil, Turnip Root Oil and Carrot Root Oil. Every other day, I apply this to my scalp when in a protective style, or to my parts with I do a twist down on blown straight hair. I also use the Rucker Roots Leave In Heat Protective which I spray onto my braids and scalp daily. This helps to protect my scalp from the sun which can be very intense while I’m in Miami. It also protects from heat damage and can be used before blow drying or curling the hair as well. My favorite product for build up when I have braids is the Proclaim Blends Black Seed Oil with Aloe Rinse Free Cleansing Foam. This is basically like washing your hair without needing water. It’s so nourishing and the foam gently soaks right into your scalp and base of your braids. If you’re having a lot of itching, Camille Rose Mint Condition Braid and Scalp Spray with Sea Moss & Aloe vera is a must! Lastly, for my slick low buns, I usually do them after an old twist out or blow out. I partially wet my hair before adding more Aveda leave-in conditioner. When it’s soft and slightly damp I will add Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Moisture & Hold Jelly and slick down with a hard bristle brush. This is my new go to for a 72 hour slick low bun! It works really well and smells amazing. I usually tie it down with a scarf overnight and in the morning it’s ready! If I want to perfect my edges I love the Gummy Styling Wax Ultra Hold to create beautiful edges that don’t move with my braids or Kiss Braiding Gel Maximum Hold for a lighter more natural baby hair lay down with my natural hair twist out or blow out.

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I hope this post was a helpful breakdown of exactly how I use my skincare and haircare products. If you have any other skincare and haircare related questions please drop them below in the comments section and I’ll be sure to respond. The most important thing when it comes to my skincare is that I gave up dairy, I drink lots of water and that I switched a majority of my skincare products as well as makeup products over to natural and vegan products. The less harmful chemicals the better! Most of my haircare products are also plant based or vegan. Make sure to head on over to the Sephora sale before it ends on Friday to stock up on some of my skincare and haircare favorites. I will definitely do a post soon outlining all of the beauty & makeup products as well as body care products so stay tuned. What are you go to skincare and natural hair care products? Drop them below in the comments.

xx

Monroe

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