Last fall I shared my skincare routine on the blog. I had just started reading up on the whole K-beauty trend and I was ready, willing and eager to hop on board. Back then I was using products simply because I thought I needed to; I mean, if everyone else why using 11 productions, why shouldn’t I be?
Since then I’ve done a complete overhaul of both my morning and evening skincare routines. I focused on what my “issues” were and looked for products to address those (like visibly reducing my fine lines). I’ve definitely realized that less is more when it comes to skincare. I found that my skin was breaking out a lot more when I was using too many products at once. I took the “less is more” approach and narrowed things down; opting for one powerhouse product that really packs a punch (spoiler alert – it’s a vitamin C serum).
Here is my updated morning skincare routine:
Step One: Cleanser
I wash my face in the morning to make sure that there’s no residue leftover from the products I’ve used the night before and to prep my skin for the products I’m about to use. I opt for a cream-based cleanser because they are more gentle on my skin first thing in the morning. I like using a cleanser and not just water because there are some products that I’ve used at nigh (like retinol) that I want to make sure are fully removed in the morning.
Step Two: Toner
I use Thayer’s Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Toner . Growing up, skincare consisted of three steps: cleanse, tone, moisturize and you could usually buy all three in a kit. I was never sure what toner did, but I used it because that’s what I thought we were supposed to do. It turns out that toner isn’t essential to your skincare routine. Toners can help prep your skin for the next product by helping the product absorb better, and they also help balance out the pH of your skin. Skin that is not pH balanced can be dry, irritated or prone to acne. Toner isn’t something I use everyday. Typically I save it for those days when I’m breaking out (which have become more frequent since the pandemic started…).
Step Three: Vitamin C
The holy grail of my skincare routine. Vitamin C serums can help brighten and even out your skin tone. They can also help reduce hyperpigmentation – which is something that I suffer from. Vitamin C’s can help boost collagen production and help to reduce fine lines. I’m currently using the Olehenriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum, which also contains hyaluronic acid so it’s even more hydrating. I tried out a couple other vitamin C serums before landing on the Banana Bright serum. One thing to look for when choosing a vitamin C serum is that the bottle or box should tell you the percentage of vitamin C (or vitamin C derivative) in the product. You want something between 10-20%.
Step Four: Day Cream/Moisturizer
Day creams or moisturizers can help lock in the serums you’ve applied and also help to hydrate and moisturize your skin (did you know there’s a difference between those two? Check out my post here). I’m currently using Graydon Skincare Berry Rich Cream. I absolutely love this product. It keeps my skin feeling plum and hydrated all day, which is such bonus since I’ve been working-from-home full time since mid-March and my house can get very dry.
Step Five: Sunscreen
The final step! Sunscreen is so important and it’s something I wear throughout the year; no matter the season. I’m currently using Coola’s SPF 30 Mineral Face Matte Cucumber sunscreen (there is a very slight cucumber scent to it, but it’s not overpowering). I love this sunscreen because it goes on so smoothly and doesn’t leave a white cast. It’s amazing under makeup and doesn’t take forever to rub in. As a friendly reminder: just because your makeup products contain SPF doesn’t mean you’re getting enough SPF on your face. The general rule is that you need about 1 tsp of SPF on your face and the amount of SPF in your makeup won’t come close to that.
I’d love to know what your morning skincare routines look like 🙂 Leave a comment below.
xoxo Kells
Oh Kells No 