5 Tips to Achieve a Simple Skincare Routine

This post is about creating a simple skincare routine.

1. Establish the Basics of Skincare

When it comes to achieving a simple skincare routine, there are 3 basic must-have skincare products to always use.

Makeup Remover

When wearing makeup, it’s important to always take it off and never go to bed with it on. Double-cleanse your face by first removing your makeup with a gentle makeup remover like a cleansing balm or cleansing oil. Makeup wipes work, however they tug and pull at your skin, so try using a cleansing balm or oil.

Tip: If none of these options seem to fit your needs, I highly recommend reusable makeup remover cloths from the brand “Makeup Eraser”. They are machine-washable cloths that remove your makeup with just water. They are incredibly gentle on the skin while removing tough waterproof makeup.

Face Cleanser

Your skin is unique to you, so choose the right face cleanser for your skin type. Washing your face is a crucial step to removing the impurities to maintain fresh-looking skin and alleviate any skin issues.

Tip: Some face cleansers remove makeup and cleanse the face at the same time. If you have one of those products, just skip the step of applying a separate makeup remover and start with your 2-in-1 cleanser. This instantly reduces the amount of products and steps in your simple skincare routine.

Tip: To achieve a simple skincare routine, you can always use your body wash as a face wash when showering. This reduces the amount of steps and products needed.

Moisturizer

As the name suggests, a moisturizer moisturizes the skin. No matter your skin type, it’s important to hydrate your skin. I’m adamant about not needing all new skincare products for morning and night. However, if you are someone who likes a separate morning and night skincare routine, moisturizer is the one to interchange.

During the daytime, no matter if it’s sunny or cloudy, it’s important to always wear sunscreen with a minimum of 30 SPF. Clouds only block some of the sun’s UV rays, so it’s important to protect the skin when going out to reduce the risk of getting sunburned or skin cancer.

Tip: You can apply body sunscreen to your face. You don’t need to buy sunscreen for your body, and sunscreen for your face. Always remember that companies are seeking consumers to buy their products. Just because a product says something, doesn’t mean you have to always listen to it. Instead of having two sunscreens to moisturize the skin, you can use one.

2. Declutter Your Skincare Products

A great rule of thumb when decluttering anything, is to decide whether or not that item serves you a purpose, or is it just taking up space. It’s very easy to get sucked into buying trendy skincare products, but more products does not mean clearer skin.

Pull out all of your skincare products, and lay them all out in front of you. Hold each item, and decide if this item is helping your skin, or if are you only keeping it just because. It could be that you’re holding onto it because it’s trendy, or a gift, or expensive, or has pretty package, etc. Whatever the reason is, if you’re looking to minimize the steps in your routine, it’s important to take the time to evaluate what’s necessary to your simple skincare routine and what’s extra.

If you’re having a hard time deciding what to narrow down, pick 1 item for each category. Pick out your favorite makeup remover, your favorite face cleanser, and your favorite moisturizer. Set aside the rest of your skincare collection in a drawer separate from the items you picked out. Try for a month only using those 3 – 4 products and see how your skin is doing. Your skin will thank you later with the use of minimal products.

3. Quality Over Quantity skincare products

I’m sure you’ve heard of the phrase “Quality over Quantity”. Too much of anything does not equate to being better for you. If you’re looking to treat yourself and splurge on a high-quality expensive skincare item, but are thinking about how you could just get 5 products for the cost of 1 expensive item, here’s a different way of looking at it.

A few pricier items or an abundance of inexpensive items? Fewer products are key when achieving a simple skincare routine. When items are on such a great deal, it’s harder to resist, so it’s easier to get into the habit of buying great deals. When you splurge on a more expensive product, you’re less likely to go out and spend more money on products. It’s not always the case, but a lot of the time when a product is more expensive, we tend to care for it more. If we have too much of anything, it’s not seen as special, but with only a few items, we appreciate it more.

Putting on a few luxurious skincare products adds to the at-home pampering experience. Luxury products can be found at high-end and drugstore stores. You get to define what luxury means to you. Putting on products you love is a great way to start and end your day. Spending quality time taking care of your skin with basic skincare products, rather than rushing through trying to apply 10 different items is a lot better for your skin.

4. Find Multi-Purpose Skincare Products

A great way to reduce the amount of products in your skincare routine and collection is to find multi-use products. Not only do these products save you money, but it tackles multiple steps into one. Here are some of the best multi-purpose skincare products:

best Multi-Purpose Skincare Products

Charlotte Tilbury Multi-Miracle Glow – This product is magic in a jar! It does wonders for the skin because you can use it as a cleanser, face mask, face and body balm. It leaves your skin looking refreshed and youthful.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser – This product is simple yet very effective at removing makeup, washing away impurities, and moisturizing skin.

Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum Ginseng + Retinal – This product can be used as an eye serum or as an all-over face moisturizer. However you want to use it, it leaves the skin soft, and radiant, and reduces fine lines.

Paula’s Choice Sunscreen – This product can be used for both the face and body. This sunscreen is a great lightweight sunscreen that blends evenly into the skin.

5. Benefits of a Simple Skincare Routine

Although it’s not always the case, typically whenever you have less of something, you have less clutter which equates to less stress and more freedom in other areas of life whether it’s more space in your bathroom, more money, more time, etc. Having a simple skincare routine has many benefits such as:

More Time for Other Areas in Your Life

Imagine reducing your 20-minute 10-step skincare routine to only 5 minutes with a 3-product skincare routine. Additionally, another 20 minutes for the evening, so that’s a total of 40 minutes of your day vs. 10 minutes of your day. 40 minutes doesn’t seem like a lot of time during a 24-hour day period, but imagine what you could do within 40 minutes. If you consistently do your 20-minute daily skincare routine for both the morning and night, that’s about 243 hours spent doing your skincare a year. If you spend a total of 10 minutes a day on your simple skincare routine, that’s about 61 hours a year.

Whether it’s something small or big, think about what 40 minutes could be used for. With 40 minutes, you could spend more time with loved ones, journal, catch up on your studying, run errands, work out, etc. In the end, you need to decide what’s worth spending your time on.

Less Products Means More Money Saved

With just a few quality products, you are less inclined to spend more money on unnecessary skincare, therefore, saving you money. Once you’ve mastered the basics of your simple skincare routine, you’ll find yourself sticking with it and not needing to add anything more.

Positive Skin Results

Have you ever noticed the irony behind face products? Makeup causes blemishes, but to cover up those blemishes, we use makeup so we end up in a never-ending cycle of skin problems. The same could be true for skincare. We use skincare to fix skin issues, but if you’re constantly trying out new products and have a multitude of them on your face, it’s hard to tell what product is working vs what’s causing issues. More products layered on are only causing more clogging of pores, so try to minimize the amount put on.

Helping the Planet

This one is a given, but by consuming fewer products, you’re eliminating the amount of consumption that is being produced. I’m not saying to go zero waste or even low waste, because the reality is, it’s not as easy for most people to do so. However, if you take small steps in your everyday life, such as only buying the products you use, that small action will have a great positive impact on the planet. Having fewer skincare products means less (plastic) trash is going into landfills and marine ecosystems. Happy skin and happy planet!