FACIAL CLEANSER:
I don't know about you, but as soon as I wake up, I can't wait to wash my face. I especially like to use cold water to sort of "wake up" my senses and, especially, my eyeballs! Also, I hate feeling oily and if I used a night time moisturizer that ended up being too greasy, I can't wait to get it off! So, assuming I did what I should have and took my makeup off the night before, I use a fairly gentle morning cleanser. I recently tried the foaming Kinerase Gentle Daily Cleanser and found it to be a perfect addition to the morning routine. It's super light and foamy and cleans away completely. No residue. Remember to only cleanse with lukewarm water (after that delightful morning splash of cold), otherwise, you can experience broken capillaries and redness.
Now, if I didn't do what I was supposed to and I have a digusting layer of makeup on my face, I feel the need to scrub a bit more. So, I go with an exfoliating cleanser. Be sure to use a gentle scrub with tiny beads. My favorite is Philosophy's Microdelivery Exfoliating Face Wash. It's only $25 for 8 ounces and it's truly a dream. Ultrafine scrubbing on your skin to resurface the dead skin cells. It makes your skin brighter and more radiant.
One of the things I like to do when my skin's not ready for an exfoliant (maybe use only 2 to 3 times a week), but I need a greater "scrub", is place a gob of my gentle cleanser on my most favorite tool: the $5 Sephora Face Complexion Brush. It's bristles are super soft and gentle. I love it!EYE MAKEUP REMOVER:
If I did what I was supposed to and have a clean face, sometimes the morning rinse off can cause a bit more eye makeup to show up under my lids. So, I take a Q-tip dipped in my favorite eye makeup remover: Make Up For Ever SensEyes Gentle Eye Makeup Remover and gently swab away any remaining blackness. You'd be surprised what comes off and how much brighter you can make those under eye circles with this little step you might have missed!
If I didn't do what I was supposed to and I have a LOT of eye makeup to get off, I'll go more hardcore than SensEyes and use Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover ($26) or, the cheaper almost-as-good-version Neutrogena 
Eye Makeup Remover ($7). Be careful with your sensitive eye tissue around your eyes - but get that makeup off!!!TONER:
If you feel the need for extra balancing of your skin, then feel free to use a toner. I don't typically need one and find it to be a bit sticky. It is supposed to tighten your pores, remove any additional makeup residue and balance the pH levels in your skin. That's why I don't usually use it - I think you should use a good enough facial cleanser to get it all off in the first place! But to each her own! If you do use toner, use a circle cotton pad and upward and outward strokes. You can also use a spray toner and do something else while it dries.
Incidentally, it is directly after this step that I use Visine. It takes away the redness and brighter, whiter eyes make you look younger!SERUMS:
Next up is your favorite facial serum. The molecules of a serum are smaller and can sink deeper into the deep layers of the skin. The serum is to deposit nutrients into the skin. The moisturizer will deposit moisture. Just decide what you need - acne protector, anti-aging, dark spot brightener, etc. Personally, I am using anti-aging serums and I like the ones that are not thick. You need to make sure that you get enough on your face and neck and rub it in... let it soak in before you move onto your moisturizing steps.EYE CREAM:
And now, do you need an anti-puffy eye cream? One for dark circles? An anti-aging cream? Whatever you need, now is the time to put it on. I've been 
trying Bliss Baggage Handler Eye Gel, as promised, and I must say that I have been pleased with the results. I think it is better than the Clinique All About Eyes Serum Depuffing Eye Massage. But, I don't really care for the "gel" of it. I prefer a more lotion-y feel. Of course, the Chanel is my favorite. But, as I told you, they changed the formula, so I am still on the hunt for perfection. It does help to keep your eye cream in the refrigerator, but my fridge is too far from my bathroom, so I skip that part! Your eyes are working a lot during the day - all that blinking alone! Your skin retains 
less moisture and dries out more quickly as you age. The tissue around the eyes is very thin, as well. So, use your favorite eye cream and dab it (or dot it) under the eye at your orbital bone (the product will travel upward). Then, using your weakest finger (ring finger) and a circular motion, apply your eye cream around the whole orbital bone. Start from the outer portion of the eye and head inward toward the bridge of the nose - up the nose, around the eyebrow to the outer edge of the eye bone, back to where you started. Give that a minute to sink in.MOISTURIZER:
Unless you are using a tinted moisturizer, your next step is this. If you are using any product with color, you'll want to use your primer first. Starting in the center of your face, apply your moisturizer in a circular motion up and out. Kind of give your face a "lift". Don't forget your neck! Allow at least 3 minutes for it to soak in before applying your primer. Now assuming you don't intend to wear any makeup today, that's it! I'll pick up the tips with primer and follow through with makeup application in the next blog. Doesn't your face feel better already just thinking about it being clean???
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