When I was working in editorial as a full-time beauty writer, I used to always joke that you could spot us beauty girls from a mile away, because we had the worst skin.
If you’re a beauty writer reading this, please, don’t get offended! All I mean to say is that, for a sensitive-skinned gal like myself, the duty of trying new products and evaluating different formulations on the reg often came at the cost of my complexion. I wouldn’t promote a product unless I’d tried it firsthand — and of course, not everything would prove to suit my specific skincare needs.
Still, a proper trial allowed me to determine which skin types certain products would be ideal for, if not always my own.
I stand by my approach to trialing new products on the market, but there were times when it definitely messed with my personal skin maintenance. When I found a product I loved, I could only enjoy it for a matter of weeks before it was on to evaluating the next thing. And my skin paid the price!
Now, as a writer with a great deal more freedom, I’m especially careful about the products I agree to try — and even more picky about what earns a coveted place in my everyday routine for the long term. So when I partner with a skincare brand in a paid capacity, you know I’ve really given them my stamp of approval.
The only travel plans on my calendar this summer involve my honeymoon to Italy — but my skin? My skin gets to fly first-class to Iceland, a la a full routine from Blue Lagoon Skin Science. This is a brand I’ve loved for ages, and rediscovered fairly recently after being overcome with a strong desire to bring back the humble clay mask.
I’m a sheet mask superfan, no doubt, but there’s something more tactile about smearing on a glob of clay mask that really makes me feel like I’m ~doing something good~ for my skin.
Perhaps this stems from watching my mom splurge on specific mud masks while I was growing up. She was always generous with sharing her beauty products, but at that age, I’d often chosen her shiny black Chanel compacts over anything skincare-related.
Still, the image of a mask that could cure all complexion woes stayed with me.
Today, many of my favorites are from Blue Lagoon, especially when it comes to multi-masking: a targeted application technique involving placing multiple masks on different areas of the face to address different concerns. Think: the purifying Silica Mud Mask on my congested T-zone, the hydrating Mineral Mask on my forehead, and the nourishing Algae Mask on my jaw and necklace lines (this is how I’ve chosen to refer to my visible signs of Tech Neck, thank you very much).
Though not a classic leave-on formula, I’m also a big fan of the exfoliating Lava Scrub Mask on occasion, and I plan to pack the entire Signature Masks Travel Set for my honeymoon next month. I am, by fault, a chronic over-packer, but I refuse to apologize for bringing an entire skincare routine on an important trip.
Airplane skin will not plague my museum tours and gelato dates!
Another must-pack will be Blue Lagoon’s newest innovation, the BL+ Cleansing Balm. As the name implies, many of the brand’s formulations revolve around seawater benefits. Utilizing microalgae and silica from the actual Blue Lagoon, the brand has produced their own potent signature ingredient, the BL+ Complex, that stimulates collagen and aids the skin’s barrier.
Typically, my ethos for skincare is to spend more on the products you keep on all day or overnight. There’s less need to splurge on the ones that get washed down the drain in seconds! But when it comes to cleansing balms in particular, I’m far pickier. My double cleanse routine is top priority.
I wear a lot of makeup almost every day, so I want a thorough cleanse and the knowledge that I’m not only ridding my pores of foundation and cream bronzer, but leaving behind good-for-it ingredients in their wake to strengthen my skin barrier.
Other standouts in the BL+ line are BL+ The Cream and the BL+ Eye Cream, but I’ve recently replaced the latter with the BL+ Eye Serum for summer, especially during the daytime. I’m non-committal when it comes to eye cream at the moment, and I often forego it during the day altogether, as it rarely sits well under my makeup.
With this eye serum, though, the texture is much thinner than a typical cream, and the cooling rollerball is ideal for de-puffing before makeup. I also like placing it beneath reusable eye patches like these when I work from home.
Not only will this eye serum make my honeymoon skincare routine, but I’ll be bringing it in my carry-on tote on the plane for an immediate post-flight perk-up.
Ciao, Rome airport employees! Sì, la mia pelle ha un aspetto fantastico!
Have I inspired you to give your routine a pre-summer reset? I hope so! Now, if you’ll excuse me — I need to go wash my face.
x BGF
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