Skincare routines can be an intimidating process whenever browsing the internet for products for a certain skin issue. One website tells you to use a certain product and then later you encounter a Youtube video that tells you that you shouldn’t use that product. It’s overwhelming and can scare those looking to start using skincare away! Treating your skin should be easy and simple, not strenuous, especially when life already is. I personally love skincare, and it makes my life a bit more put together when I sometimes feel like it’s falling apart. If you’re new to skincare, I definitely recommend to keep your routine short and easy so your skin doesn’t stress out with too many products. I didn’t know this before putting a bunch of new products on my face when I was new to skincare and I certainly learned my lesson!

Instead of putting a bunch of products daily, this is my morning routine:

1. Lip Balm 
2. Sunscreen

And that’s it! Crazy huh? Any lip balm will do the job but I honestly enjoy using any Burt’s Bees lip balm. My personal favorite sunscreens are the Bioré UV Aqua Rich SPF 50+ and Bliss Block Star Sunscreen SPF 30. You can put a moisturizer on before applying sunscreen but I retain all the moisture needed from these SPFs alone. 

The sun is possibly one of your worst enemies so wearing sunscreen throughout the day is important as it helps prevent things like wrinkles, sunburn, hyperpigmentation from newly popped pimples, and even skin cancer. Plenty of sunscreens, not even going to lie, suck since most of them leave either a whitecast or a nasty smell, or sometimes, even both. It’s so important to do your research on which solar protection products work best for you and your skin type. 

My morning skincare routine is very short as you can see but it’s because I put more effort into my nighttime skincare routine. I like to do my skincare before going to bed, so once I’ve put on my moisturizer, I can fall asleep nice and fresh.

This is what my nighttime skincare routine consists of:

1. Double Cleanse 
2. Exfoliate (2x a week) 
3. Moisturizer
4. Lip Sleeping Mask

I like to start my routine by double cleansing, kicking off with the e.l.f Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Cleansing Balm. It’s great for removing makeup, sunscreen, and pollution from throughout the day. I cleanse once again, this time with the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser which leaves my skin soft and smooth. After my face has slightly air dried, I apply the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, but only twice a week. 

Exfoliating is an efficient way to help clear away acne and blackheads when done properly, and using Paula’s choice exfoliating liquid is the best way to go. I then finish off with the Cerave Moisturizing Cream. It does an amazing job at giving the skin that much needed hydration, but it can be heavy for many with oily skin types. An alternative to this moisturizer is the Cerave Moisturizing Lotion. For lip balms, I usually use a lip sleeping mask, which is basically a lip balm just fancier. Lip masks are usually thicker and provide extra moisture for dry, chapped lips. The most well-known one to this day is the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask but they retail for $22 and that’s way too expensive for something going on your lips. I like using the Carenel Lip Sleeping Mask since it’s an absolute dupe for the Laneige one. Treating your lips is very important. We do not need to be walking around with chapped lips.

Skincare routines are scary when you’re just starting out, but realizing your skin’s needs can help you navigate the complicated world of skincare. Don’t overwhelm yourself and your skin with other opinions. Just learn to trust how your skin reacts to a new product and go from there. You may not get your intended results right away which is completely normal. Trust the process and be patient.