SSBS #002: TRUTH: You don’t need a 20 step skincare routine.
Hellooo friend!
Let's dive in. In order to achieve skin that is healthy and glowing at a FOUNDATIONAL level, you're going to need a handful of things.
First and foremost, I’m not an expert, but I AM just like you!
I’m a former skincare minimalist who LOVED to try the latest drug store product off the shelf “just to see” what would happen.
Since becoming a mama, I’m still somewhat of a minimalist, but I’ve become invested in educating women like me on how to hack healthy skin using products that are SAFER for yours and your family’s health.
I’m going to distill all my years of kissing skincare “frogs” to give you the essential list of products you need so you can save time and money - all while getting healthy skin.
My hope is that from this information you can understand the concept of what a regimen is, and how these FOUR simple products work together to create the most efficient use of your time when it comes to your skincare routine.
#1 Cleanser is key.
The first product you’ll need in your regimen is a high quality, safer, and skin-type appropriate cleanser.
Oftentimes these products include things like foaming cleansers, cream based products, bars, cleansing oils or balms.
The real real?
Our skin gets DIRTTTTY.
Think about it - from the moment we wake up we’re exposing our skin to dirt and pollutants (intentionally or not!).
Whether we like it or not, this is going to result in clogged pores, dull skin, increased oils, blemishes and more. Here are just a few ways in which we add dirt and grime to our skin:
We put makeup on
We sweat
We touch our faces (approximately 345 times during the day) and leave oils, dirt, and residue on it
We’re exposed to environmental pollutants (think smog, environmental chemicals, etc.)
The absolute first step to create a clean, hydrated environment for your skin is to find the cleanser that will reset your skin each day, and prepare it for maximizing any other products you’ll put on.
If you don’t have the right cleanser that removes dirt and oils without stripping the skin of moisture, your other products won’t have the right environment to thrive.
If you’re unsure what type of cleanser your skin needs, see my latest newsletter all about finding your skin type!
#2 Prep your skin to maximize product absorption.
The second product you’ll need in order to maximize your routine is a prep step, which is commonly associated with products like toners, essences, mists, or toner pads.
I’ve found that this step is one that is commonly overlooked for so many, but now that I know what a prep product does, I’ll never go without it!
The good kind of “toners” are non-astringent varieties that help balance the pH level of your skin, and allow your skin to absorb your moisture based products rather than having them sit on top of your skin (what can happen without a prep step product.)
Prep step products have come a long way, and what you see now on the market are products in a wide variety of textures and consistencies that actually nourish and prepare your skin to maximize the benefits of your entire regimen.
Finding the right prep step for you is easy, and you can start by referring to my skin type email to see what type of “toner” you need to be looking for!
#3 Treat your skin - the powerhouse step!
The third product you’ll need to really target your specific skin concerns is a treatment step. This is where some MAJOR magic can happen with your skin.
I like to think of the treatment step like a prescription for your skin.
Here is where you’ll take the major things you want to improve upon or prevent (think fine lines, pigmentation, tone, pore size, dullness, etc.) and pick a very specific product to get the job done.
Typically this product is marketed as a serum, treatment, peel, or mask.
They contain smaller particle ingredients that are more easily absorbed into your skin and therefore penetrate more deeply. Usually they have a higher amount of what we call “active” ingredients that address and treat those specific skin concerns.
This product absorbs best when prepped by the appropriate prep step and gets locked in and maximized by the moisturizer you follow it with.
See how it all works together?
I’d think back to what you identified in your skin type experiment as your main skin concerns, and then look for products specifically designed to address those issues!
#4 Protect your skin with the right moisturizer.
The final product you need to maximize your skincare routine and truly protect your skin and skin barrier is a moisturizer that matches your skin type.
This is the step that seals in all of the work of the previous three products, and it’s essential to your success!
This step is typically split into a daytime and nighttime moisture option - believe it or not they’re designed to do two different things - let chat about them.
Daytime Moisturizer: Moisturizers are a crucial step in the skincare regimen process. A good moisturizer will help lock in hydration and nutrients, and during the day, we also need a product that will help protect our skin from environmental assault (think the sun, wind, pollution). A good daytime moisturizer is designed to do just that without increasing your skin’s sensitivity to light.
Nighttime Moisturizer: At night is when the real magic happens with your skin! Like most other organs in your body, nighttime is when your skin is repairing itself, regenerating, and restoring from the stresses of the day. We’re also typically immobile at night, so it’s the perfect time to use a moisturizer that not only replenishes hydration, but can deliver slow absorbing, powerful active ingredients safely. The nighttime is the right time to help your skin HEAL from the damage of the day!
It’s easy to find the right moisturizer for you, when you know your skin type - so I may sound like a broken record, but make sure you’ve worked through my first email to type your skin, so you know exactly what products to start with.
Listen, I know even this can sound overwhelming if you’ve never had a routine before! I’ve been there!
The world may tell you that you need a 20 step routine in order to achieve results OR they may tell you that all you need to do is use the bar soap in your shower and you’re fine.
I believe that there is a happy medium to be found with these four steps to truly maximize your time, money, and effort, and give your skin everything it needs to be happy and thriving.
I hope that this short list provides some clarity and comfort with the perfect place to get started on building the routine that works for you!
TL;DR:
You don’t need a million products to have happy skin, you just need four:
Cleanser (think foaming, oil based, balms, bars, cream based)
Prep product (think toner, essence, mist, pad)
Treat product (think serums, peels, treatments, masks)
Protect product (think daytime/nightime lotions, creams, moisturizers)
See you again next week friend.
In the following weeks we’re going to dive into each step specifically so you know exactly what products to choose.
Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
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