For every skin-care obsessive who preaches the importance of washing your face before sleeping, there’s the untold story of falling into bed without washing your face. InStyle’s fashion features director Laurel Pantin has plenty of these stories, especially now as a mom. “I have a 1-year-old baby so many nights I don’t do anything. I just toss myself face first into bed,” she admits. Luckily, Pantin had “really easy skin” as a teen. Although she first began to experiment with skin care as Eva Chen’s assistant in Teen Vogue’s beauty department, she now turns to her skin-care routine to help her look alert and awake. She deadpans, “I’m tired.”
At the end of the day, Pantin is simply looking for unfussy and efficient products and treatments. “My skin is super dry (I don’t drink water), and I’m starting to see the first creeping signs of aging,” she says. “I do try and wear sunscreen every day, which I think helps a lot long-term, and I’m not above a little Botox here and there.”
Below, a look at the full routine that she performs only when her energy levels are high, the serum she buys “over and over,” and why the toothbrush used by Beyoncé and Jay-Z is absolutely worth the hype.
The Cleanser
“I use this cleanser once or twice a day — morning and night if I’m good. I like it because it’s really gentle and super moisturizing, but also makes my skin feel clean. It doesn’t have a scent, which I love, and it’s pretty easy to travel with since technically it’s a solid.”
The Toner
“I use this exfoliator a few times a week. I’m often tempted to overdo it with exfoliators — the thought of just burning everything out of and off my face is enticing — but I’ve been trying to cool it a little bit since my skin is kind of sensitive and really dry. This one is fairly gentle and doesn’t irritate my skin, but it’s not the super thorough exfoliation I dream of.”
The Serums
“This serum is just the best, and absolutely worth the price. I use it both morning and night and it makes my skin look ten times brighter and perkier. I started using this about three years ago, and it genuinely makes my skin look better and more even the day after I use it. I can’t talk about it without sounding like an infomercial, I just love it so much. It does what it’s supposed to do, and doesn’t smell crazy or burn. I get a ton of products sent to me at work, and this is one of the very few I actually pay for and buy over and over.”
“I was told this would help my dry skin. I think it does, but it’s hard to tell. I like that it’s inexpensive, straightforward, and doesn’t have a scent. Sometimes I mix it with my moisturizer to cut out the extra step of putting this on solo. I layer this on after the Vintner’s, but I don’t think that’s how you’re supposed to do it.”
“Another moisturizing layer! Now that I’m writing this list down, I think all these layers might be unnecessary, but I really love this product. It’s not too thick, and doesn’t pill when I layer it on with all these other things. I also think it’s supposed to increase elasticity and firmness, but again, it’s hard to tell.”
The Face Mask
“Yet again, a moisture thing. But this one is also anti-aging and really fancy feeling. It definitely gives me a glow in the mornings, and is a nice base for a good facial massage. I think a sleep mask is just a novelty way of saying super rich night cream. It has a little bit of fragrance, but it’s not crazy — kind of powdery and rich lady-ish. ”
The Device
“I love this thing. It’s a ‘facial toning device,’ so it’s supposed to make your face feel tighter — I think it makes my face look more sculpted. It uses microcurrents of electricity to stimulate your facial muscles. Mine stopped working, but the two little nubby balls make a really nice facial massager, so I still rub it on my face occasionally. I think it helps with inflammation and puffiness.”
The Lash Serum
“This is one of those products where you think, nothing this great can be without consequences. I don’t know how it works, or what happens, but I paint it on my lash line religiously every night, and sometimes every morning too and it makes my eyelashes so long I get comments on them from strangers. You have to stick with it and stay committed for at least three months to notice any results, but it really truly does the thing. I don’t think they’re legally allowed to say it makes your eyelashes grow, but it 100 percent did for me and the 15 friends I’ve recommended it to.”
The CBD Drops
“This is not a skin-care item, but I love it, and it’s an essential part of my nighttime routine. I put two droppers full under my tongue and then sleep like a baby (not my baby, my baby doesn’t sleep very well).”
The Tooth Brush
“I LOVE THIS TOOTHBRUSH! Another product that does what it says — my teeth have never been more delightful than they are since I started using this thing. It makes my teeth feel 1,000 percent cleaner than a regular toothbrush. It’s like brushing and flossing and mouthwashing all in one. But probably you still should floss.”