Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links from which I earn a small commission, if you purchase, at no cost to you. Please keep in mind: I only recommend products I believe in.
Disclaimer: I am NOT a skin care expert. I am providing information and recommendations based on my personal experience and online research. It’s always best to patch test a new product and consult your doctor regarding your questions and concerns.
Want to get into skin care but don’t know where to start? Are you browsing websites and regret ever wanting to commit to a skin care routine? All this information overload can be overwhelming and make you look the other way.
I understand, a skin care routine can be difficult to adopt. Even for me (a girl who can’t even remember when I started to love skin care), it’s sometimes hard to be on track. In between our busy lives, it’s not easy to slip in a whole 10-step routine. I mean, ideally, to skin care like a pro, this is the process:
Cleanser > Exfoliator (every 3+ days) > Mask (every 3+ days) > Toner > Spot Treatment > Serum > Eye Serum > Moisturizer > Oil
If you follow through with this, hats-off to you. You’re a pro.
However, who really has time to deal with all that? Plus, over-moisturizing your skin can lead to breakouts. This process is only suitable for the weekends.
In this post, I’ll show you how to get started and equip you with resources you need to customize a skin care routine that works for you! Yes, that’s right. I’ll guide you into building YOUR OWN SKIN CARE ROUTINE!
Without further ado, here’s the ultimate guide to starting a skin care routine.
1. Identify Your Skin Type
It’s so important to identify your skin type before you buy any skin care products. Using products which are not for your skin type, can cause irritation, inflammation, acne, dryness and overall worsen your skin concerns. We don’t want that.
These are the main skin types:
- Dry
- Oily
- Normal
- Combination
- Sensitive (if most products don’t sit well with you)
So here’s the million dollar question: how do you know what your skin type is?
(Not a million dollar question but you know, “dramatic effect”).
Wash your face and do not apply any products for 1-2 hours. Observe your natural skin. If your skin is _____, you have______ skin:
- Moisturized = oily
- Flakey/tight = dry
- No specific reaction = normal
- Moisturized in some spots = combination
If you want to be extra, there are many variations as well (i.e. normal but on the dry side). If you’re confused, don’t be afraid to get some help. This brings me to my next point.
2. Get a Free Consultation
If you’re a newbie and want some skin care advice, look no further than your local Sephora or Kiehl’s.
At Sephora, ask a skin care specialist to go over some options.
I highly recommend visiting Kiehl’s. They help you identify your skin type and build a routine with you – for free and on the spot! I’ve actually dragged a few of my friends to a Kiehl’s store and helped them get a free, personalized consultation. Kiehl’s products are high-end and actually work great (this is not sponsored by Kiehl’s). They’re one of my favourite skin care brands.
Also, before purchasing and having to fully commit to a product, you can always ask for samples. Both Kiehl’s and Sephora provide samples – you just need to ask nicely.
3. Ensure Product Quality & Financial Health
Determining how much to spend on skin care is always tricky. You don’t want to compromise the product quality as it can have severe consequences, but you also don’t want to splurge on a product that doesn’t do you any good. It’s also very easy to get carried away when purchasing skin care.
What’s the solution?
Quality research and budgeting.
There are thousands of product reviews on the internet. Make sure you are getting your information from a reliable source.
Also, keep a budget in mind (i.e. not spending over $100 on skin care for 2 months). Check out my post on 5 Affordable Skin Care Products You Need to find some great options which don’t break the bank.
4. Start Small & Build As You Go
You must’ve heard the saying: “Keep it simple, stupid!” Yes, that’s exactly what you need to do in order to maintain your sanity. Okay, I’m just exaggerating. But trust me, seriously.
Start off by adding one step every three weeks. This way you can avoid being overwhelmed and discouraged if you can’t keep up. For instance, start with the basics: cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. In order to minimize the number of steps, try a hybrid moisturizer and SPH containing product, like this one. After a whole 3 weeks or so, whenever you’re ready, add a toner, serum or even an eye cream.
In about 3 months, you will have mastered your own skin care routine – one you will actually COMMIT to!
They did say – it takes about 21 days to build a habit, so let’s keep the timeline of 3 weeks to add one product/step at a time to your routine.
5. Less is More
People, do not apply a “generous” layer of the product if you’re following a multi-step skin care routine.
If you have quality products, it is sufficient using only the required or limited amount.
Drowning your face in products can backfire. If you apply too-much product, it will trigger whiteheads, acne, and more.
Again, please use a product within its limitations and do not overwhelm your skin. Less is more.
6. AM VS PM
Your morning and night skin care routines will vary. In the mornings, many do not have time to carry out a full skin care session and I don’t recommend it either. For the mornings, you should keep it simple: cleanse, apply your moisturizer, sunscreen and makeup.
Save your advanced skin care regimen for the night. You will have more time to follow through and this will allow the products to work, undisturbed by makeup and other factors. At night, I normally remove my makeup, cleanse, apply a serum, lip mask, and moisturize OR apply an overnight facemask.
7. Have a Comprehensive Weekly Routine
When referring to a skin care routine, many only think about a daily routine. It’s also important to have a special weekly skin care routine. This is ideally scheduled over the weekend.
On the weekend, you can “go ham” on your skin care because a) you have more time b) you have more patience and c) you just want to treat yourself!
So, what do you do differently?
For instance, you can refer to the aforementioned pro skin care process to get some ideas.
My weekend routine or shall I say my “pro” routine goes something* like this:
- Cleanse – I use the Clinique Liquid Face Soap. I highly recommend using foaming cleansers as they’re more gentle on your skin.
- Steam – I purchased an at-home facial streamer from Amazon and it’s best thing ever! Here’s the link. I steam for about 10-15 minutes. Remember to always use distilled water, never regular tap water. You can easily find distilled water at your local grocery store.
- Apply a face mask – I normally opt for an exfoliating face mask because I feel like I need to take away all the dead skin that has piled up over the week.
- Tone or use an essence – I use the Lineige Essential Power Skin Toner but if you want to splurge, like REALLY SPLURGE, opt for this luxury essence (if only I could afford this).
- Apply serum – apply a serum to match your skin needs (i.e. vitamin C, retinol, collagen, hydration focused). If you have multiple serums, you can always change it up.
- Apply eye cream – I advise you to use a vitamin C, retinol, or caffeine based cream to brighten up those tired eyes. You can opt for The Ordinary’s Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG.
- Moisturize – To lock it all in, you can apply your daily moisturizer. Try Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Gel Cream (affordable option) or Shiseido’s Essential Energy Moisturizing Gel Cream (I love this SO much).
* Depending on the condition of my skin, I may complete all or some steps.
With this, I have reached the end of this post. I hope this guide helps you design your own skin care routine. Please don’t be shy and comment down below! I want to know if this has worked for you. For updates, subscribe to my blog or follow me on Instagram @_reallifewithrainee.
Real Life With Rainee 