Seven Layer Dip

From an Elcaya Face Creams advertisement, Ladies Home Journal, April 1928. White River Valley Museum Archives.

My husband's friend facetiously refers to his wife's skincare regimen as the nightly application of her "Seven Layer Dip". Now, anyone who has tried the Mexican-inspired appetizer by the same name realizes this is not exactly complimentary!

But tonight as I applied product after product to my face, I began to take note of what my own seven layers of skincare are. You can surely tell I'm not exactly a loyalist (this blog would be quite boring if I were); I love to check out new products and therefore rarely use the same combination of things twice. But here is tonight's "dip" - and I hope you'll share yours!

1. Lancome BiFacil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover to remove mascara and eyeshadow
2. Body Shop Vitamin C Cleansing Face Polish to get squeaky clean
3. L'Oreal Paris ReFinish Micro-Dermabrasion Cream
4. Sovage Idebenol "facial anti-oxidant" moisturizer
5. Bliss Wrinkle Twinkle around the eye area
6. Philosophy Hope in a Bottle, spot applied on blemishes
7. Aclovate ointment on chapped lips (this is RX, if you don't need prescription-strength, go for Aquaphor).

Needless to say, I don't use seven products every night! In fact, I'm usually lucky if I do more than cleanse and moisturize. But it's fun to experiment. I know: many experts would say that you have to stick to a regimen to allow the product to demonstrate real results. But to me, that's like asking, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?" Nobody knows, because you can't resist biting. And I can't resist the next new beauty product.

My next purchase? A rich night cream for use in the dry winter air. What's yours?