Skincare can be confusing. From the “minimalist” who uses only coconut oil, to the 12 step Korean skincare maximalist, everyone seems to have seriously different opinions. With so much different information, it can be difficult to really know how to broach the subject. So, here are the basics of a skincare routine:
1. Cleansing Balm
Firstly, cleansing oils or balms are great for removing makeup, sunscreen, and oils. It’s the first step in a double cleansing routine. The double cleansing routine, which means using a cleansing oil or balm and then following it up with a cleanser, is generally recommended over using just a cleanser or makeup wipes. Most experts generally do not recommend makeup wipes as they can be harsh and tend not to remove all of the product. For a cleansing oil the iUNIK Calendula Complete Cleansing Oil is an awesome option, it’s fairly affordable and it has linoleic acid which can help to unclog pores. A great cleansing balm would be Heimish All Clean Balm.
If you seriously can’t imagine using two cleansers, you could also use a micellar water as a first cleansing step, just be gentle when you are removing your makeup and make sure not to scrub too harshly at your skin.
You only need to double cleanse at night. In the morning, you actually don’t need to use any cleanser at all. Cleansing in the morning is just about removing excess product from the night, you could actually just splash your face with water, which is what I do.
2. Cleanser
Cleanser is one of the most important steps of your skincare routine, it helps to cleanse your skin of any oils or pollutants you may have come into contact with. Your cleanser should be PH sensitive, meaning that you shouldn’t have a very dry or tight feeling face after you’re done cleansing. The kind of cleanser you go for would differ based on the type of skin you have. If you have dry skin, a more hydrating cleanser, like the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gentle Cleansing Lotion is a great choice. If you’ve got combination skin like me, I can’t recommend the Cerave Foaming Facial cleanser enough. I’ve been using it since I was twelve and it’s never let me down. If you have oily skin, or clogged pores, and want a deeper clean the Cerave Renewing Salicylic Acid Cleanser is an awesome option.
3. Toners
Toners are also a popular step in a skincare routine, though they’re not really an essential one. In the olden days, toners were used to rebalance the PH of your skin after a harsh cleanser, but now most good cleansers are PH balanced, so toners are mostly just an extra treatment.
Toners can be used to help improve skin texture and oil production. One good toner for this would be the inky list PHA toner.
Toners can also add a gentle exfoliation into your skincare routine, a good toner for this would be the Ordinary Glycolic acid toning solution. This is a mild exfoliant but it is still an exfoliant so I wouldn’t use it more than two to three times a week.
Toners can also help strengthen the skin barrier and improve hydration. For this a great toner would be the Aveda Botanical Kinetics Toner.
4. Treatments
The third step to a skin care routine would be a treatment. These are of course optional, you could add these to your routine if you have additional issues that you want to address.
If you have clogged pores, fine lines, or dry skin this would be a step to address those. For clogged pores a great option is the Ordinary Niacinamide.
Another option that is great for clogged pores and fine lines is retinol. It’s a product that’s typically thought of as anti-aging but it can be used for oily, acne prone skin as well. Just be careful about how much you use it, usually retinol should only be used about two times a week.
If you have dry or dehydrated skin, hyaluronic acid is a great option. Even if you don’t have dry skin, this is a great product, it’s important to keep your skin hydrated to avoid acne and fine lines.
For sun damage, acne scars, or hyperpigmentation Vitamin C is a good product. A good product for this is the inky list 15% Vitamin C and EGF Brightening Serum.
5. Facial Moisturizer
Face moisturizers are another of the essential steps in a skincare routine. They help to create a barrier on the skin to help moisture retention. For dry skin, a good moisturizer would be the CeraVe moisturizing cream. For combination skin, a great lotion is the CeraVe moisturizing lotion, I use this one and I love it.
If you have oily skin, you still need to be using moisturizer. Skin that is not properly moisturized will compensate by overproducing oil, which can result in more breakouts. A good moisturiser that won’t be too heavy is the Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer.
6. Sunscreen
Sun damage is one of the things that contributes the most to aging and fine lines. That’s why most experts consider using sunscreen everyday as one of the most important steps of your skincare routine. You only really need a sunscreen with an spf of 30, anything more than doesn’t mean more coverage, it just contributes to how long the sunscreen will last. A fairly affordable sunscreen that I use is the Neutrogena Sheer zinc Oxide dry touch sunscreen.
7. Exfoliation
Exfoliating your skin is important to make sure that dead skin doesn’t build up and clog your pores, as well as evening skin texture. Though you only really need to exfoliate once a week. A great exfoliator that has become popular thanks to tiktok is the Ordinary AHA/BHA peeling solution. It’s a great exfoliator, but it is a very powerful chemical peel, so read the directions carefully and always apply sunscreen after you use it.
I know it seems like a lot, and for a skincare junkie like me getting into the nitty gritty of skincare is a blast. But, if you really don’t want to get fancy with your skincare, all you need is a good double cleansing routine, a nice moisturizer, and a good sunscreen. Skincare can be daunting but I hope this breakdown helped arm you with the information you need to approach it confidently, and I hope it didn’t hurt your wallet too badly. Happy shopping!