On skincare.

So, one of the things on my New Year's resolution/before-I-turn-30 list is to take care of my skin, which has admittedly been kind of a hot mess since I was a teenager—we're talking rosacea, sensitivity, blackheads, unevenness, oiliness and dryness, the works. And--this is kind of shameful—until recently, I've always just ignored it. You know, slapped some makeup on, washed with drugstore products and gone on my merry way.

But recently I've started to think that, since I'm getting older, taking care of my skin is probably not a bad idea. The lady who used to do my eyebrows also does facials and the like, as most aestheticians tend to, and she kept telling me I should consider microdermabrasion (to get rid of dry skin) and a facial. The thing is, she also sold me a cleanser that I hated (it didn't cleanse!), was kind of pushy, and the spa—for being as pretty and as fancy as it is—didn't have the best customer service. So I broke up with it and last week went to see a new aesthetician, who came highly recommended by my friend Megan. She suggested a different cleanser (made with organic ingredients) that so far I'm really loving—I'll report back on it in a few weeks because obviously a couple of days is too soon--and she also recommended using pure witch hazel as a toner after washing my face, which I've been making sure to do, too. (Here's the brand of witch hazel I bought; I got a huge bottle at CVS.) I also made an appointment for my very first facial, which I'm embarrassingly excited about. Let's just all hope I don't turn bright red like a tomato afterward.

Anyway, the point to all of this—and maybe this is weird—is to ask about your skincare routine. I know it's all exceptionally personal, but what products do you use and love? Do you invest in skincare products or do you think it's an unnecessary expense? Please share; I love talking about this stuff and would love to know.

P.S. A few favorite beauty products...

Photo: This Elephants