I was a bit skeptical about writing this article but I feel that this is something that needs to be discussed for those of us who overthink a lot of things.
And this is how to find a skincare routine that works for you.
For years, I struggled with my skin. I watched countless YouTube videos trying to find the right tips to fix my acne. I invested in a lot of expensive products that worked for a while but were not sustainable for me as a broke college student.
Every time I felt I was doing something right, another makeup artist or esthetician or sometimes friend would give me new information that made me realize I actually wasn’t.
When you have problem skin, it can affect your confidence A LOT. And figuring out how to solve your skin issues can feel so stressful because there is so much advice out there and so many tips and products to choose from.
To say it’s overwhelming is an understatement.
So in this article, I would like to share a few things I have done to simplify my skincare routine over the years SIGNIFICANTLY.
Hey, my skin is not perfect. I’ve accepted that it’s going to have its moments. But it has made tremendous progress since I have adjusted certain things and stepped back from all the outside noise about effective skincare.
I hope these help you find a bit more peace with how you approach skincare from now on. Happy reading!
This post includes affiliate links which means I may make a commission (at no cost to you!) if you click on a link and decide to purchase something. Please read my disclaimer for more info.
1. Consider meeting with a doctor
I highly recommend you seek the advice of a doctor first and foremost.
I’m basing this article on my personal experiences given that I went through a lot of trial and error to figure out what works for my skin but I am not a medical professional lol.
Those of us dealing with skin issues, we often try to figure things out on our own but sometimes getting the advice of a professional can simplify things a lot. Especially when it comes to determining exactly what issues your skin has and what you should focus on.
In my case, seeing a dermatologist helped me realize that I didn’t necessarily have to invest in expensive, complicated stuff to see results. A simple routine with gentle products would still be effective for my acne-prone skin.
2. A basic, healthy diet goes a long way
Sure, you can tackle skin issues on the outside but it’s also crucial that you heal your skin from the inside out.
Yes, I know we talk about it ALLLL the time. But there’s a reason for it.
Your skin tells the story of what’s going on inside your body.
If you eat poorly, it will show on your skin. If you eat really well, people will be able to tell by your glowing, healthy skin.
I personally notice that my skin breaks out more when I eat a lot of sugary or oily stuff. Sadly, some of my fav foods contain a lot of sugar so I’m still trying to find the right balance with that!
So pay attention to your diet.
Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated and refreshed.
Eat foods rich in antioxidants like citrus fruits and leafy greens because they help keep inflammation at bay and facilitate repair.
And also……
3. Get enough sleep
This honestly makes a BIG difference.
Instead of searching for all the products to improve your skin and make it more glowy and vibrant…just get enough quality sleep!!!
Seriously!
When you get enough sleep, your skin gets the rest and rejuvenation it needs, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed and renewed.
You won’t need to spend so much on eye creams if you get enough sleep. It’ll keep those dark circles and eye bags at bay!
Of course, everybody is different. So figure out how many hours YOU need to feel well-rested and get serious about getting that rest. Your skin (and overall health) will thank you!
4. Determine your skin type (so you can use the right products)
It’s very important to determine your skin type.
As in whether you have oily, dry or combination skin.
This can help you figure out which products are most suitable for your skin so you can reap the most benefits with them.
If you have oily skin, you want to use light products that are moisturizing but won’t clog your pores.
If you have dry skin, you need to consistently hydrate.
For instance, I have dry skin so I make sure that the products I use have hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E.
Sometimes it changes based on the season too.
But take some time to get to know your skin type so you can adjust your routine accordingly.
5. Less really is more
Honestly.
You don’t need a million, expensive products to have beautiful skin.
I think it’s best when you can find a few products that work for you and stick with them instead of trying different things every few months and ditching them afterwards.
The simpler your skincare routine, the easier it will be for you to sustain it. And you don’t need that much, to be honest.
My routine goes like this:
In the morning I wash my face with this gentle CeraVe cleanser. I follow with the CeraVe moisturizing cream (simple but SOOO effective!) and then this sunscreen.
In the evening, I alternate between the same CeraVe cleanser or the salicylic acid cleanser (to exfoliate my skin). Next, I apply my eye cream, moisturizer and I’m off to bed!
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Also, I promise this is not a sponsored post for Cerave lol. I just really love this brand and it’s done wonders for me so I love to tell people about it!!
This is the routine that works for me. Once a week I also like to do a green clay mask to detoxify my skin but that’s pretty much it. I also really try to focus on products that are cruelty-free and sustainably made.
Since I have acne-prone skin, I occasionally use a few drops of tea tree oil when I have stubborn breakouts. Thankfully my breakouts have reduced A LOT since re-adjusting my routine but I’ll talk more about that in a separate post.
6. Keep your stress levels low
When you’re stressed, it shows on your skin.
It will start to look puffy, and tired. You may even develop breakouts due to the increase in oil production triggered by high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. If you tend to eat a lot of junk food when you’re stressed, that could also lead to your skin breaking out.
It’s a never-ending cycle.
So take the necessary steps to relax and bring more peace into your life.
- Plan fun, relaxing activities to recharge.
- Get enough sleep.
- Journal and learn to express your concerns healthily instead of keeping everything bottled up inside. This is crucial because the more things you keep inside, the more emotional stress you cause yourself which will overflow into every aspect of your health including your skin.
7. Target specific skin problems (at a time)
You can’t do everything at once so don’t try to.
Heal your skin one step at a time.
This will prevent you from going nuts when researching which strategies and products to use.
In my case, I struggled with acne, scarring and hyperpigmentation. I had to deal with the acne first before tackling the scars and hyperpigmentation.
You don’t have to try and solve every problem at once.
Be patient with your skin (very key!), give yourself grace in the process and as long as you implement the small steps that work for you CONSISTENTLY, you will start to see your skin improving.
8. Consider what your doctor says but also listen to your gut
So I mentioned the benefits of consulting a professional, but it’s also EXTREMELY important that you listen to your instincts.
This was HUGE for me.
No one knows your body as well as you. So pay attention to whatever it tells you.
If there are certain products that don’t feel right to you (whether or not you’ve used them), don’t use em.
If someone recommends you try something that makes you feel uneasy, don’t do it.
For example, my dermatologist first recommended that I try spironolactone for my acne.
I immediately didn’t like the idea because I didn’t want to have to rely on medication to heal my skin. No shade to anyone who uses it but I genuinely believed that my problem wasn’t that bad and I could get better with other options.
But I wasn’t as sure about my instincts back then as I am today and so I tried it. After a few months and as I increased the dosage (as per my doctor), I started to suffer from fatigue and my menstrual cycle got pretty messed up.
I immediately stopped the medication and everything went back to normal. It also didn’t make a huge difference in my acne while I was using it to be honest.
This experience taught me one thing: it’s okay to consider others’ input but at the end of the day, you know yourself best and your intuition is never wrong!
So as you continue your skincare journey, learn to get in tune with yourself and really figure out what works for you regardless of any “expert” advice you may receive.
Pay attention to the ingredients that work with your skin and let go of the ones that don’t. For example, I’ve realized that a mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide is the only one that works for me and won’t break me out so it’s the only type I use now.
It takes a while but it’s a necessary step to simplifying your skincare routine.
Creating a skincare routine that works for you doesn’t have to be so complicated. I hope my experiences and advice bring you one step closer to finding the right routine for you!
This post includes affiliate links. Please read my disclaimer for more info.