As if understanding what all skincare products do wasn’t enough, then you get to the question “how to build a skincare routine?”. Are you really supposed to use 15 products at a time? Should you use a product both in the morning and evening? What about actives, where do they come in? Well, fear not, as we’re here to help you tackle this apparently daunting quest. First of all, let’s just all agree that there rarely are any rules in skincare. We will give you some general guidelines that will help you set up your routine, but keep in mind that you are free to change anything you’d like.
Step 1: Know Yourself
One common mistake people often make is to overestimate how much time they will be able to dedicate to their routine. Building a skincare routine is not only knowing all about the products, it’s also about knowing yourself. So ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I have time to have a morning and an evening routine?
- How much time do I have in the morning and in the evening?
- How many products am I willing to use on a daily basis?
- What kind of routine can I commit to?
Remember, it’s always better to start slowly and then upgrade your routine, step by step. Otherwise, you will be left contemplating an assortment of products you don’t use. And, honestly, you won’t even feel like looking in their direction to avoid the guilt. So you need to honestly assess what you will able to do on a daily basis.
Step 2: What do I want to achieve?
This is another thing that you need to keep in mind. If you’ve read the question and were able to pinpoint 10 to 15 things you wish to address, you might want to tone down your expectations. In reality, you will probably be able to tackle only three of them at a time. So here’s the plan:
- Identify the top 3 issues you wish to address with your skincare routine. Here are some ideas: dark spots, aging, radiance, blemishes, firmness, wrinkles, dryness, uneven texture, dehydration.
- Prioritize them from the most important to the least important. Always use this one as your top priority when choosing products.
Step 3: The must-have products
This step will depend on what you’ve chosen as your priorities and on your skin type. However, we can establish three items you need to take a look at:
- Cleanser – choose a cleanser that fits your needs. Cleansing is one of the few mandatory steps, so make sure you can use it daily. You can go for double cleansing or just a gel that you wash in the shower. The complexity level is up to you.
- Serum – whatever your main goal is, we can assure you there will be a serum that is perfect for it. Usually, serums are what you need to look for when targeting an issue, as they usually are more concentrated and target specific issues.
- Sunscreen – in 2021 it’s no longer possible to ignore the relevance of wearing proper sunscreen daily. Melanoma cancer has risen and the only solution is to stay out of the sun. Given that we need to carry on with our lives, the second-best solution is to use good sunscreen. Nowadays, you can find sunscreens for every skin type and need, from sunscreens for oily skin to sunscreens that target dark spots.
Step 4: Add products to the routine
So, how can you add products to your routine, and in what order should you use them? Here are two things to keep in mind:
- In the morning, you should be focusing on prevention (antioxidants, hydrating serums, mattifying creams, sunscreen).
- In the evening it’s time to target the main issues (targeted serums for your concerns, exfoliating acids, retinol, depigmenting creams, acne-targeted treatments).
Additionally, if you wish to follow a complex routine, it can be confusing to know in what order you should use your products. So here are some suggestions of product orders you can try to follow. Please note that we’re including a lot of different products so that you can understand when to use a certain product you may have or want to buy. You’re not supposed to have all of these. If you do, however, this is where you can come for some help:
- Morning: cleanser, toner, essence, eye serum, eye cream, facial serum (if using more than one serum, start with the one with the lightest texture and then end with the oiliest), facial cream, sunscreen. Follow with makeup.
- Evening: first cleanse (balm or oil, if you have sunscreen or makeup on), second cleanse, toner, essence, eye serum, eye cream, actives (retinol, acids, etc), serum, cream, oil.
As you can see, even though it may seem complicated, you can build your own skincare routine. Add as many steps as you wish, but also don’t be afraid to take a step back. It’s all about understanding your skin.
