I’ve struggled with acne my entire life, taking trips to the dermatologist at least once a month. Recently, though, I’ve been delving into the world of skincare, both routines and products alike, and my skin is thanking me for it.
The most well-rounded skincare routine is pretty hefty- Korean skincare routines taking up to 10 steps and beyond. These types of routines are so long because every product is used to complement each other and normalize the skin. I personally don’t have time to do 10 plus steps every morning and night. Instead, I do three steps every morning and a more in depth five step night routine.
My morning routine is pretty simple: I wash my face with african black soap. I’ve recently been transitioning to all natural products and my skin is flourishing! The black soap is a little hard to get used to because it’s literally a bar of soap, but it helps rejuvenate and promote cell regrowth. I then use an apple cider vinegar toner- 2 part water to one part organic, raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. I prefer this as a toner because most toners you buy at the store have alcohol in them, which dries the skin and actually causes wrinkles. I apply the toner with a cotton pad all over my face. Then, once that dries, I use Balance Me tinted wonder eye cream (because, let’s face it, I was up until 4 the night prior). Once everything is settled into the skin, I top my face routine off with La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer. Any moisturizer with UV will do, but I suggest a UV of at least 30. The moisturizer I use, though, is available at Walgreens and is rather affordable. I then usually decide what I’m going to where for the day, and once the lotion is absorbed into the skin, I start my makeup.
My nighttime routine is bit more intense than my morning routine, but I also have more time to get these steps in. I start with Albolene, an oil based makeup remover. It has the same consistency as vaseline, but it melts off makeup and is better for your skin than using makeup wipes. Once I wipe off the Albolene, I once again use the African black soap. This time, though, I use the soap with a Popsonic Leaf system, a vibrating facial cleanser. The combination of the two get deep into pores, and makes it feel like my face is thoroughly clean. I then again use the apple cider vinegar toner on a cotton pad, and wait until it has dried completely into my face. I then apply Dermapeutics Hyaluronic Lift Serum, a different undereye serum than I use in the morning. I feel that this serum is best when you really allow it to sit on the face without the addition of makeup, so I make sure to use it when I know i’m only going to be going to sleep. I then finally use my tried and true Cetaphil moisturizer. This moisturizer is one of the gentlest moisturizers I’ve used, and is great for people with sensitive skin. Because the weather in Erie is cold and windy one day, then hot and humid the next, I often add a few drops of cold-pressed jojoba oil to my moisturizer to help decrease the dryness on my face. Jojoba oil is a God send, as it moisturizers along with helping oily and acne prone skin. It also helps if put it in your hair or on extra dry spots on your body. Best of all, you can get it on Amazon Prime.
A night time pro-tip for when you’re having one of those nights where you honestly can’t get out of bed to go through these steps; keep a package of makeup wipes on your bedside table. Although this is not the best case scenario, it’s better to at least take your makeup off before bed, even if you don’t wash your face, than it is to sleep with it on.
In addition to my morning and night routine, I do at least two face masks a week. I use an african black soap clay mask, followed by either a hydrating or rejuvenating sheet mask. The combination of the two targets acne because of the clay mask, while repairing any dryness this mask causes in the rest of my face.
Developing and sticking to a face routine can be intimidating. While some people are resistant to a skincare routine because of the time these steps would take, I see this time as a necessary part of the day. Sticking to a skincare routine forces you to take time and care for yourself, and even on days where you don’t want to get out of bed, simply washing your face can make you feel ready to take on the world.