my daily skin care regimen

This morning I’m thrilled to introduce you to Dermalogica, my daily go-to for gentle, rejuvenating skin care.

My love for Dermalogica started a few years back, after “borrowing” a little mircofoliant while crashing at a friend’s apartment in New York City. It was wintertime–my skin was dry and irritated from the bitter cold temps, recent air travel, and a few celebratory Cosmopolitans with the girls, in typical Carrie Bradshaw fashion.

Well, my skin felt so amazing stepping out of the shower I literally flung open the bathroom and sprinted to my computer, in my towel, to order my own.

Since then I’ve fallen in love with a few of their other products too. All of Dermalogica’s products are specially formulated with super high-quality ingredients and are free of common irritants including lanolin, SD alcohol, mineral oil, artificial colors and fragrances.

What’s not to love about that?

I must have talked and blogged about my love for Dermalogica a lot over the past few years because somehow I caught their attention–and they recently asked me to share my daily skin care regimen with you!

Fun, right?

Just wait, it gets even better.

Okay, so my skin regimen starts each morning with a  60-second daily microfoliant mini facial  in the shower. For those of you who also cringe at the sound of the word “microbead” this microfoliant is a super gentle, rice-based powder that activates with just a little bit of water. In one minute it micro-exfoliates the top layer of dead skin cells and leaves behind smooth, bright skin.

After stepping out of the shower, I spritz my still-damp skin with some of the multi-active toner and go about my business while it absorbs into my skin. The toner hydrates but also conditions your skin, preparing it for proper moisture absorption.

It also feels ahhhmazing after a long flight. I always pack a small travel spray bottle of multi-active toner in my carry on and spritz my face just before landing. I may not feel fabulous after  a red-eye but the toner definitely helps my skin look and feel refreshed.

The active moist moisturizer is the third and last step of my super quick morning skin care routine. Natural botanical astringents of Lemon, Cucumber and Burdock help refine the skin while other plant extracts moisturize.  It’s oil free and perfect for combination skin. If I know I’ll be outside for more than 15 minutes at a time, I’ll mix a little of their solar defense booster, a broad-spectrum SPF, into the moisturizer to make sure my skin stays protected from the sun. Once the moisturizer has absorbed, I apply my makeup and run out the door to work.

Now every night before bed, I remove my makeup using the ultracalming cleanser and a super soft wash cloth. It’s creamy and cools sensitized skin and is great for removing all types of makeup–eye makeup, foundation–whatever you’ve got on. It’s Dermalogica’s most gentle cleanser and never leaves your skin feeling dry, which means it’s perfect for those cold winter months. For those of you who like a foaming cleanser, I’ve also used their special cleansing gel, which I prefer in the summer when my skin is a little more on the oily side.

After rinsing my face with warm water, I spritz a little more of the multi-active toner on and hop into bed.

That’s it!

I’m a true believer that good skin care doesn’t have to be time-consuming if you’re using the right products. My daily regimen takes just a few minutes in the morning and at night, and hasn’t changed very much at all over the past few years–because it works. The products also last forever so I don’t mind shelling out just a bit more for quality skin care every so often.

Now for the part we’ve all been waiting for.

I’m SO, SO excited. Are you ready for it?

Dermalogica has kindly offered to send one of my readers an entire skin care regimen package with all four of these amazing products: the daily microfoliant, multi-active toner, active moist moisturizer and ultracalming cleanser. We’re not talking sample-sizes either!

There are a few ways to enter so be sure to comment once for each of the following things you do:

1. Tell me which of my daily skin care regimen products you’re most excited to try, too! 
2. Tweet about it! @nutritionella’s giving away a complete @Dermalogica skin care regimen & I want to win! http://bit.ly/1cnLAmj
3. Get social and share this post with your friends on Facebook and/or Google +. Both count as a separate entry! 

In addition to the giveaway, Dermalogica is also offering nutritonella readers a super Friends & Family deal. 

Get 15% off $100 or more PLUS a free AGE smart gift set ($60 value) on orders of $150+ through this Saturday, November 2nd with code: ELLE

Just note the order total must equal $150+ after discount and excludes shipping and tax. I’ll randomly select and announce the lucky giveaway winner on Thursday! US entries only, please. Good luck!

PS. Some of my other beauty necessities & my favorite all-natural eye makeup remover

UPDATE: Molly is the winner of this giveaway. Congrats, darling–and thanks to all of you who participated!