Building Your Perfect Skincare Routine

Everyone should have a skincare routine. As research continues on the importance of taking care of the skin, more and more people are starting to prioritize their skin routines. Some people take naturally to incorporating new processes into their routines, but some of us aren’t as inclined.

If you are one of those people who has a hard time putting new trends into practice, don’t worry! We have got your covered. Here are some tips to help you build a routine that you can stick to day in and day out.

Skincare Routine Basics

So where do we start? For people who have never put any effort into their skin, even the simplest formula can be confusing. There’s anti-aging products, eye creams, moisturizers, toners, serums, and all sorts of other products.

Determining what each one does can be a nightmare if you don’t have someone to help you. Thus, we have created this pattern that you can follow if you’re just starting to get into the skincare world. There are three basic steps to know.

1) Clean

2) Use Toner

3) Moisturize

Cleanser

First, you need to start with a cleanser. Regardless of what time of the day it is or how you feel, you need to wash your face.

Even if you don’t wear any makeup or you haven’t been out at all that day, you need to get all the oil and grime off of your face. This allows the pores to close and the skin to repair itself naturally.

Depending on your skin type, you’ll need to choose a cleanser that really does its job. We recommend starting with a gentle cleanser to avoid any harsh reactions.

As you determine how sensitive your skin is, you can work your way up to more robust face washes. Try to find something natural if you’re worried about irritating your skin.

Use a generous amount. If you need some extra exfoliation, use a washcloth to help get any excess makeup or oil off. We recommend cleaning both in the morning and before you go to bed.

Toner

Next you should use a toner. This will help your skin naturally rebalance. Cleansing is incredibly important, but it does tend to leave the skin completely naked.

Adding a toner will encourage your face to do its job of repairing and rebalancing itself organically. This is especially important for people with oily skin. Once again, start with a very gentle toner and work your way up. Use once a day whenever it is most convenient for you.

Moisturizer

Lastly, you need to moisturize your face. Especially for dry skin, this step is essential. Adding moisture back into the skin after you’ve stripped it from its natural oils will allow your skin to repair itself faster and hydrate the cells that are getting ready to come to the surface.

This will result in gorgeous, supple, soft skin. Even if you are oil prone, using a moisturizer will teach your glands not over produce as the hydration is already there!

We typically recommend using a moisturizer as you see fit. Most people like to use a very light moisturizer in the morning and a heavier one at night.

Getting Your Morning Routine Underway

As you progress in your skincare routines, you’ll want to start distinguishing your patterns according to your needs during the day. For example, if you wear a lot of makeup, you’ll want to prime your face using a moisturizer and a primer in the morning.

If you don’t wear makeup during the day, a toner and a moisturizer might be more appropriate. It really does depend on what you find works for you! Here is what we recommend for a proper morning routine.

A Basic Morning Skincare Routine

- Cleanser

- Toner

- Serum (optional)

- Moisturizer

- Sunscreen

The ultimate goal of a morning routine is to cleanse from the night before and protect from the daily grime that comes from going out. For instance, makeup still clogs pores (although it has started to become safer).

Additionally, just walking around outside can allow dirt and outside oils to permeate the skin barrier. Thus, we want to make sure the skin is clean and well prepared.

Like we said before, start with a good cleanser. This is vital and not optional.

A toner can follow, but it doesn’t have to.

A serum is highly recommended, but still optional. Look for a good serum that has Vitamin C or even Green Tea. Both are packed with antioxidants that prevent aging and combat bacteria.

The last two steps are extremely recommended and border on vital. Moisturizing and using an SPF can have a huge impact on how well your skin does throughout the day, so don’t skip this step.

Usually, you can find moisturizers that have SPF already in them, so you’ll save time that way as well!

Before You Go to Bed

Night routines are a little bit different than morning routines. During the night, while we sleep, our skin performs natural processes that heal the surface. Skin cell turnover is higher, oils replenish themselves, and the body does what it was made to do.

Thus, we want to encourage these processes by making it easier for the body to perform them. We do this by giving the skin all the tools it needs to rebuild. In addition to this, we typically are not around people we want to impress while we sleep. This means that it’s okay to look kind of funky with all sorts of creams and products on our faces!

A Basic Evening Skincare Routine

- Makeup remover/cleanser

- Blemish cream (acne, darkspot, etc.)

- Serum

- Eye cream

- Moisturizer

You can start your night routine with some of the same products as the basic skin routine and the morning routine, but you’ll want to up your game quite a bit. For example, a simple moisturizer won’t have the same nutrient packed formula as a nighttime one, nor will you need the SPF protection.

Start by cleaning off your makeup and all the dirt that has accumulated during the day. Everything needs to come off, so use a good makeup remover and a strong cleanser if your skin can handle it. Some people even choose to double wash their faces to ensure that there’s nothing left on the skin.

Once finished, use an acne cream and a dark spot cream only on the blemishes and only if you so desire. Then, you can use a serum. The antioxidants are essential for the day, but they can also be helpful at night as you battle bacteria!

Eye cream is a vital part of the night routine as the skin underneath the eyes will begin to sag and wrinkle much quicker than any other part of the face. Undereye skin is extremely delicate and soft, so it needs to be taken care of!

Lastly, finish off with a moisturizer. Typically, people use a richer moisturizer at night than they do during the day, so find something with a lot of rejuvenating ingredients and properties.

If you run a little bit oilier, try using your daytime one or even just a rich serum!

Other Tips

Ultimately, the key to having great skin is to listen to your skin. Although these patterns are extremely helpful for first time skincare users, it is not a one size fits all. Everyone has different needs.

If your skin doesn’t do well with a moisturizer but glows with a serum, use the serum! Additionally, find products that work for you. One cleanser that works for one person may or may not work for someone else. If a product doesn’t work for you, don’t get discouraged. Just keep trying.

Consistency is Key

Change doesn’t happen overnight. If you want to see improvement, you need to be determined. Even if you’re tired, go through your night routine. Wake up a few minutes earlier to make time for your morning routine.

It’s not the end of the world if you miss a step, but you need to be consistent. Listen to your skin, adjust accordingly, but don’t ever stop completely. It may take some trial and error, but you will find the routine that works for you!

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