The first face you present to the world is your skin. This is why it is so important to take the time to properly care for this most precious piece to your beauty because even the best makeup has its limits. If you suffer from oily skin as I do, most makeup glides off your skin like butter on a warm pan, so it becomes doubly important to make sure what lies beneath the makeup is at its best— hydrated, clear, and radiant.

No matter if you have, oily, dry or a combination of both finding the right products can be a frustrating journey of trial and error. Carefully monitoring the things you put on and in your body can make a huge difference on the health and appearance of your skin. For me, cutting out soda, drinking more water, eating fresh healthy foods while using the right products for my skin type, has kept skin issues at a minimal. It took a while but I did get there so don’t lose hope if you haven’t! Patience and research is key.

Now, I follow a daily skin care routine, which is to cleanse (removing dirt without drying out my skin), tone, moisturize, and protect. Also, as part of my beauty routine, I exfoliate my skin every three days. Below you’ll find my favorite skin care products that I use each day to help my oily skin look it’s best even without makeup. I highly suggest using products based on the behavior of your skin. Clinique has a great selection of products targeted for specific skin types that can be a tremendous help.

Facial soap

Shop: Clinique Liquid Facial Soap, 6.7 oz, $17

Exfoliating scrub

Shop: Clinique Exfoliating Scrub, 2.4 oz, $20

Clarifying toner

Shop: Clinique Clarifying Lotion, 6.7 oz, $13.50

Facial moisturizer

Shop: Clinique Moisturizing Gel, 4.2 oz, $26

Eye cream

Shop: Bobbi Brown hydrating eye cream, 0.5 oz, $50 (pricey for a tiny bottle but a little goes a long way)

Face and body sunscreen

Fragrance free moisturizing body cream

Shop: Eucerin Original Healing Lotion, 16.9 oz, $11.99 (great in the winter months and/or if you suffer from dry skin)