Everyone is beautiful in their own way — we should all know this by now. Before I got to college, I was terrified of going anywhere without putting makeup on. I just was so self conscious that, every morning, I made sure to leave myself an extra hour to straighten my hair, do a full face of foundation, and do winged liner. I honestly still do not know how I managed to get up at 6:15 every morning to do that; I can barely wake up at 8:00 for my 8:30 classes! After getting to college, I just felt so much more confident with not wearing all of that makeup, and I think I have to owe that to my skin care routine.
Skin care is something I am very passionate about and I don’t think a lot of people take most of these steps into consideration when planning out their own skin care routine! That’s why I’m here to relay the message. If you’re struggling to love your own skin, that is perfectly okay. It can take so long to feel comfortable in bare skin. But with the right routine and products, you can be on your way to beautiful, confident, glowing skin in no time.
Daytime Skin Routine
When you wake up, start by using a cleanser to start off with a fresh face. It’s important to have a new palette to work with so you can get your other products to sink in more. Washing your face in the morning will also give you a great glow! My favorite cleanser to use in the morning is the Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and dewy with a healthy glow. You can grab it at Ulta for $24.00.
2. Toner (https://www.amazon.com/Dickinsons-Enhanced-Strength-Cleansing-Astringent…)
A lot of people think that toner is too harsh for skin. But when you pick out the right one, it can help do so many things like shrink pores, add protection to and refresh skin. It provides an extra cleansing step and can help prevent acne like nothing else. My favorite toner at the moment is Dickinson’s Deep Cleaning Astringent. It has witch hazel, menthol, and eucalyptus, which are all ingredients that get deep into pores to remove dirt, oil, and makeup. Get it at any of your local drug stores for around $6.00!
3. Serum (https://www.glossier.com/products/super-glow)
I never knew this was a necessary step until about two years ago. Serums are nutrient packed and address specific things you want to fix about your skin. There are all different kinds of serums that address problems like redness, enlarged pores, and dull skin. Glossier is such a great brand for skincare, so my go-to serum for the daytime is their Super Glow Serum. The Vitamin C and magnesium give you a glowy look for dull and tired skin. I like using this in the morning to give me a healthy, awake glow — even if I’m definitely still half asleep. You can get it on Glossier’s website for $28.00.
4. Eye Cream (https://www.alexgracejones.com/2017/11/26/give-away/)
Even though we don’t really have to worry about wrinkles right now, it’s good to keep in mind that we don’t ever want to worry about them. By applying eye cream at least twice a day, we won’t be seeing wrinkles in our future. Eye creams can also help dark circles, which is why I use one in the morning! My go-to eye cream for my day routine is Botanics All Bright Refreshing Eye Roll On. It has natural hibiscus extract to reduce puffiness and dark circles. You can grab this refreshing product at Ulta for $13.99.
5. Acne Spot Treatment (http://ourbeautyphilosophy.blogspot.com/2012/05/acne-control-review-form…)
Acne spot treatments can obviously speed up the disappearance of annoying acne spots. As I don’t really get acne, I only use this step when I need it, but there are some really great products out there that zap away zits. The one I use for emergencies is Formula 10.0.6’s Rescue Me! Acne Blemish Treatment. It is a clearing gel that is guaranteed to clear up breakouts fast. Grab it at Ulta for $7.99.
6. Moisturizer/Sunscreen (http://ibtissamalaydi.com/picture-perfect-day-moistuizer-review/)
Hydrated skin is what we like to see. It took me a while to find a good, day moisturizer, but when I did, it changed my life. Moisturizer also gives you a healthy, glowy look that can give you the confidence to go without makeup if you’re really dreading wearing it. It also keeps your delicate skin healthy to keep it hydrated! It is also a good idea to use sunscreen to keep skin healthy, so I use a moisturizer that has SPF built into it, which is Formula 10.0.6’s (yet again) Picture Perfect Day Moisturizer. It contains SPF 15 broad spectrum sunscreen, as well as guava and Vitamin C, which both promote healthy skin. Get it at Ulta for $6.99.
Nighttime Routine
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Makeup Remover (if needed) (https://merrymusing.co.uk/clinique-take-the-day-off-cleansing-balm/)
If you did choose wear makeup on a particular day, it’s important (and makes things easier) to take it off with a makeup remover first before actually taking a cleanser to your face. It makes things less messy and allows the cleanser to get deep into the crevices off your face without it being blocked off by makeup. My favorite makeup remover is Clinique’s Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. Grab the mini, travel size for $9.50 on Clinique’s website.
2. Cleanser (https://poshmark.com/listing/Neutrogena-hydro-boost-cleansing-gel-5a6529…)
Just like in the A.M., cleanser is a necessary step to take all the rest of the makeup, dirt, and grime off your face. The one I like to use the most at night time is Neutrogena’s Hydroboost Hydrating Gel Cleanser, which has hyaluronic acid in it which is great to use on skin and it promotes healthy skin turnover! Get it on Amazon for $7.57.
3. Mists/Boosters (https://hellogiggles.com/beauty/mario-badescu-aloe-chamomile-lavender-fa…)
Mists and boosters can add an extra step into your routine to give you extra benefits and clear skin. It also can hydrate and nourish skin, especially in the dead of winter. For this step, I typically use a mist from Mario Badescu’s line. My favorite one is the aloe, chamomile, and lavender facial spray.
4. Eye Cream (https://www.futurederm.com/algenist-complete-eye-renewal-balm-review/)
Just like before eye cream can aid in protecting eyes from harsh chemicals and can prevent dark circles and wrinkles. At night, I usually like to use Algenist’s Eye Renewal Balm. It also helps with puffiness and can calm the skin around the eyes in gentle fashion. Grab the half size on Amazon for $19.74.
5. Exfoliating Products (https://cosmeperks.com/the-ordinary-glycolic-acid-7-toning-solution-review/)
Exfoliating is important, but should only be done 3-4 times a week. I usually exfoliate every other day. Exfoliating gets rid of dead skin cells and reveals fresh, bright, new skin under dull and tired skin. It’s important to get rid of these dead cells to keep your skin looking younger every day. Exfoliating products can come in small pads, or a liquid form. I typically use The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution. This exfoliating toner also contains aloe vera, amino acids, and ginseng. It has improved my skin tremendously and made my pores visibly smaller! Grab it quick from The Ordinary’s website for $8.70.
6. Moisturizer (https://www.neutrogena.com/skin/skin-moisturizers/neutrogena-hydro-boost…)
After all is said and done, moisturizer is going to keep your skin hydrated from all the treatments and serums you put on your skin, like in the daytime routine. My nightly moisturizer is Neutrogena’s Hydroboost Gel Moisturizer. This is hands down the best moisturizer for dry skin. It’s not too heavy, but it gets the job done, for sure. It also contains hyaluronic acid, which is great for your skin, like I said before. It acts as a sponge for dry skin cells and collects up to 1,000 times its weight. Grab this awesome gel from Amazon for $16.17.
No matter how you feel beautiful, you should always take care of your skin! It’s the only one you have. Everyone should feel beautiful in their own skin and promoting a great skin care routine can boost your confidence overtime. It helped me gain confidence, so I hope these tips can help you too!