If you’re completely new to skincare and have no idea what to do or where to start, this is the place for you.
Researching skincare can get overwhelming quickly, but using a consistent routine, no matter how short, is the best way to get started. Once you’ve got the basics down, you can start trying out different products to get a feel for what works best for you and your skincare goals.
A very basic routine would consist of a cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF.
A good, low pH cleanser is a great place to start with a new skincare routine. I outline the reasons why you want a low pH cleanser in this post, but the tl;dr is that a lower-pH environment is better for your skin overall and kills some of the bacteria that causes acne. There are lots of great options for low pH cleansers out there, but two of the most popular/common are Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser.
Follow up your cleanser with a good moisturizer. A basic moisturizer, even without all the bells and whistles, will help prevent wrinkles from forming, reduce the appearance of existing wrinkles, and keep skin feeling hydrated and plump.
Everyone needs a moisturizer, even people with oily skin. Oily skin tends to be the result of imbalance, where the skin ends up overproducing oil to compensate for lack of hydration. You can counteract oil production by putting moisture back into your skin through a good moisturizer.
There are hundreds of excellent moisturizers out there at many different price points, so definitely try out a few different ones to see which one works best for you. One of my favorite moisturizers is the Nature Republic Super Aqua Max – it’s a gel cream which means it has a very light texture that moisturizes all day long, it’s affordable, and it comes in variations for dry, combination and oily skin.
If you do nothing else from this blog, do this. Sun protection is the single most effective way you can avoid wrinkles, sun spots, and some forms of hyperpigmentation (not to mention skin cancer). Using sunscreen every day (even on overcast days) will help prevent wrinkles and other forms of sun damage.
Like all skincare products, there are a ton of different types of sunscreens on the market, and you’ll generally have to try a few to feel out what type works best for you. The most important thing to look for in a sunscreen is that it is broad spectrum. I have a sunscreen guide that goes into more detail about other things to look for and ways to narrow down your choices to find a sunscreen that works for you.
I have moisturizer and SPF listed separately, but there are many sunscreens that double as a moisturizer. This CeraVe SPF 50, for example, is a moisturizer with a sunscreen included. And because many sunscreens have skin-soothing ingredients anyway, people with combination or oily skin may find that a sunscreen (even if it isn’t advertised as also being a moisturizer) is enough hydration for the day. Always always always apply sunscreen; moisturizer is optional if you feel like it’s clogging your pores or making your skin feel too oily during the day.
UV rays are dangerous for your eyes, too. They can cause retina damage, cataracts, and other issues over time. Look for sunglasses that block 99 – 100% of UV rays (sometimes referred to as “UV 400”) to protect your eye area. The American Optometric Association has more information on protecting your eyes from UV rays here.
Getting into a good routine is a great way to improve your skin, but there are other lifestyle changes you can make that can help your skin:
Increasing your water intake has many health benefits, your skin included! Drinking more water keeps your skin cells hydrated and able to more effectively deliver nutrients, and can even reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
While you probably won’t see significant changes in your skin based on your water intake, drinking more water has great benefits in multiple aspects of your life. It’s well worth it to make drinking more water part of your routine.
In addition to making you feel ~so glamorous~, silk pillowcases provide benefits to your skin. If you sleep in one position on a regular basis, you can develop wrinkles from your skin creasing in the same place over and over. Silk doesn’t grab at the skin the way cotton does, and reduces the creasing that can occur when you’re asleep.
Another bonus of silk pillowcases; they keep your hair softer and less tangled too!
I bought these pillowcases from Amazon and they seem to be working really well.
Probably the least-fun option on this list, but a really good one to consider. Eating less carbs and sugars have made a pretty dramatic impact on my life, so I am a firm proponent of the low-carb lifestyle. In all seriousness, reducing your sugar intake can reduce sugar spikes, which in turn can reduce the inflammation that damages your skin. Excess sugars can cause all kinds of other issues, so eating less of them is a great way to make general improvements to your body and your life.
Improving your skin shouldn't have to feel daunting. Complexion Confessions digs into the science of skincare to bring you product recommendations for skin issues in an easy-to-read format. It's run by Nadia, a designer looking to give busy people options for quality skincare that's convenient and fits into their lifestyles.
