Building Your Skincare Routine For Beginners

Skincare can be a very intimidating subject to approach and implement in your own life. Given the times and emphasis on self-care, the subject is absolutely blowing up! You can practically find new information on it every day! Unfortunately, a lot of it can be conflicting, so it’s hard to know what’s right or wrong, good or bad, up or down lol… So today I am going give you a quick and easy break down guide for those who are interested in creating a routine of their own, but are struggling with where to start!

Disclaimer: The recommendations I have provided below are a few products I use in my own routine as well as others that have been recommended by honest and highly knowledgable skincare experts (dermatologists, estheticians, etc.). I’ve done my research so you don’t have to do yours :)

Start Your Routine
First things first, decide to implement a routine! Whether you are 15, 25, 40+ , I recommend skincare for all. Not only is it helpful in maintaining happy, healthy skin, but I also believe it is great for our mental health! I use my skincare regimen as a time for myself. I enjoy taking my time with each step; lighting a candle, playing some music, and just taking in the events of the day! Additionally, healthy, glowing skin can also help with confidence! I know during quarantine, I have absolutely fallen in love with my bare face, and almost feel better with a fresh moisturizer than a whole makeover! Just taking care of yourself and your body has always been encouraged on the mental health front, and I believe proper care of your skin is included in this philosophy.

Cleanser

The first product you need to have in your skincare is a cleanser (or two). Choose a cleanser that will work for your skin. If you have oilier skin, focus on acne-fighting, or oil combative cleansers. Usually these will contain ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid and/or benzoyl peroxide. If you have drier skin, look for products that have hydrating qualities like hyaluronic acid, glycerin (or any humectants), and/or ceramides. If you have combination skin, you are more free to play around and switch them up depending on how your skin feels at the moment. For example, I would say I have combination skin—perhaps on the drier end but oilier in the t-zone. While I am in Arizona (a dry climate) I like to give my skin all the moisture it can take, so I use a cleanser geared towards dry skin. However if I feel a breakout coming on, or just feel I have excess oil production, I’ll lean towards one with a salicylic acid. You can also choose to use different cleansers in different areas of the face if you really want to go that extra mile!

Optional: Oil Cleanser

Now an optional step would be to also use an oil cleanser as a makeup remover. This should be the first step (even before your regular cleanser), because an oil based cleanser will help dissolve makeup, dirt, sweat and dead skin. Make sure you spend plenty of time on both cleanser steps. Rub the cleanser around in circular motions around your face and where makeup is applied. When you have smeared your makeup around enough to look like a raccoon, go ahead and rinse off.

Optional: Toner

Next would be a toner. A lot of skincare professionals say this step is not necessary, but it is so easy and I personally love toner. I love how fresh it makes my skin feel, and clears off any last remnants of makeup or dirt I might have missed. However it is optional! You can choose a toner that has benefits that you are specifically looking for (I love one with glycol acid), or just an overall good-for-everything toner that works for all.

Serums

Next step would generally be serums, however this is where skincare gets a little more complex. There are so many different kinds of serums, for so many different kinds of skin issues. Ingredients that help reduce the appearance of pores, those that help with hyper pigmentation, acne scarring, hydration, chemical exfoliation…. It goes on and on. Which is why most people feel intimidated about the whole process. However serums are not essential in a good skincare routine! Serums are simply extra skin boosters that have a more concentrated effect for certain skin issues. So I recommend to anyone who is just getting started, to either wait out on the serums until you feel comfortable or confident enough to start exploring, or start out with some “beginner” serums like Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C, and/or Retinol. These are all very basic, overall skin quality benefitting solutions. Here is a quick breakdown of the few that I have personally used.

Hyaluronic Acid- a sugar found naturally in our skin that retains water and helps keep it hydrated and plump. Because of its ability to draw and hold water, it can be used as a humectant in your skin care regimen by alleviating dry skin, and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Vitamin C- an antioxidant, meaning it protects skin cells from damaging free radicals caused by UV exposure. It also inhibits melanin production in the skin, which helps to lighten hyperpigmentation and brown spots, even out skin tone, and enhance skin radiance.
Retinol- reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin color. Additional benefits include fading age spots and softening rough patches of skin.
Niacinamide- a form of vitamin B3 found in foods like whole grains and certain greens. It supports the skin barrier, increases its resiliency, and improves texture by making pores look smaller by balancing oil production, and is good for all skin types.
Cold Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil- contains vitamin A, linoleic, and omega fatty acids which are integral for tissue and cell regeneration in the skin. It can improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, acne, hyperpigmentation, and strengthen the skin barrier to maintain hydration.
AHA, BHA Chemical Exfoliant (by The Ordinary)- a peeling Solution that offers deeper exfoliation to help fight signs of pore congestion and improve skin radiance. The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture and reduces the look of fine lines, targets textural irregularities, signs of congestion, uneven skin tone, and signs of aging

Moisturizer

Now whether you skipped the serum or not, a moisturizer is a must for everybody! Whether you have oily skin or not, there are products out there designed to suit different skin types. So despite your skin’s oiliness or dryness, moisturizers are beneficial to all! They act as a protectant barrier and help to infuse your skin with hydration, as well as trap your products underneath.

Sunscreen

Finally, a sunscreen. I have mentioned before exactly how important this step is. It is a prevention of any future damage your skin may see. Even though we think a nice tan looks like our skin is healthy and glowing, it is actually the result of yours skin trying to protect you from UV rays, but is not a full proof method unfortunately. The damage is already likely done, and though you may not see it today, you will see it in the future. There is no point in a routine for anti-aging, hyper pigmentation, skin-evening, if you aren’t trying to prevent it from happening or attempting to slow the process. Take a doctor’s visit for example. If the doctor tells you to start exercising more to prevent obesity, hitting the gym the day after you’re diagnosed is not going to cure it, but it may help to maintain your current health! Just like using skincare may help with the dark spots from skin damage, but it will not get rid of it. (Anyone here a doctor? This feels like a good metaphor but I didn’t go to med school).

And finally, I would also just like to say that skincare and quality products do not have to break the bank! If you’re like me, I love watching the Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar celebrity skincare and beauty routines. From these vlogs, you may recognize a few recurring product brands among that community including Barbara Sturm, La Mer, Tata Harper.… but you do not have to spend an arm and a leg to obtain these brands. A $350 La Mer moisturizer is not always better than your $10 CeraVe. In fact, a lot of these luxury brands contain the exact same ingredients as your average drugstore products, but get away with it because of their name (also see “Laws of Fashion” post lol). Now I am not saying all of these products are a scam, but sometimes they are used to make people in the upper income bracket feel that they are affording the best, while making those who can’t, feel as though their products are inferior or less effective. This is not the case, at all! Any benefits you can give your skin are good, whether they cost $10 or $100.

I hope you find this guide helpful and are able to clear up any confusion! Good luck on building your routines and embarking on your very own skincare journey!

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