The World's Easiest Skin Care Routine - For Those Who Can't

It has always seemed like a difficult task for me to find a routine and stick to it. The sheer number of products on the market has left people asking questions like: “Why do I need a mini rolling pin for my face?” and “Do I really need to use a cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, and eye cream?” " 

Honestly, it seems easier to just skip the whole thing. That’s exactly what I did for the first 27 years of my life. But after one of my friends recoiled in horror after admitting that I wasn't even using facial lotion regularly every day, I thought maybe it was time to change that. 

As a complete skincare newbie, I reached out to everyone from friends and family to beauty bloggers and professional dermatologists to come up with a daily routine that would achieve my #GlowUp—and it's so simple, I actually stick to it Come down. 

After testing different products and learning from the pros, here are my recommendations based on the simple yet effective changes I made to start my skincare routine. every morning 

I like to keep it as simple as possible in the morning because I'm usually already in a rush to get ready for work. Nationally certified dermatologist Dr. Purvisha Patel says it best: "If you're new to skin care, it's important to start simple and effective. Use as few products as possible for best results." 

Drinking water. As someone who has been more or less chronically dehydrated for over 20 years, this is one of those things that I already knew but had a hard time actually implementing, so I decided now was the time to make it a part of me. 

Conventional. The first thing I do after waking up is drink two glasses of water. I also set an alarm at work to remind myself to fill up my water bottle until it becomes a habit. This may sound a bit exaggerated, but it works for me and helps reduce the dryness of my skin significantly. 

Wear sunscreen. As renowned dermatologist Dr. Tabasum Mir says, "If you don't protect your skin with SPF, it won't matter how much anti-aging cream you use. If you only do one thing during the day, use sunscreen." 

With the fear of going from using no products on my skin to using multiple products every day, I turned to my colleague Molly Nove-Baker for help. Nover-Baker, beauty expert and founder of The Edit Collective, recommended that I use La Roche-Posay sunscreen designed for sensitive skin. 

I chose a tinted mineral sunscreen for my face so I could get light coverage with my SPF. Every night. While the day is about preventing damage, "nighttime is the time to use more powerful anti-aging ingredients to repair the skin," says Mir. 

Avoid using makeup remover wipes. One tip I got from beauty blogger Lindsay Silberman, who shares skincare tips on her Instagram series #InsomniaBeauty, is to throw away my makeup wipes as soon as possible, especially if they contain alcohol in the ingredients. 

"These wipes are full of chemicals!" Silberman said. "While they technically remove makeup, they don't cleanse your face very well—most leave a film on your skin. Instead, use micellar water or an oil-based cleanser." She recommends Bioderma as her favorite alternative. 

Use essence. "With PM, it's important to use active ingredients that transform the skin while you sleep," says Patel. "Retinol, vitamin E, ferulic acid, hyaluronic acid, and AHAs are all important for nighttime use. They act as exfoliants and increase collagen production over time." 

I chose Visha Skincare Advanced Correcting Serum, which contains retinol, vitamin E, ferulic acid and salicylic acid, along with natural skin brighteners, helps reduce sun spots and scars. I glowed (in a good way) as soon as I used this product. 

And moisturizing cream. Yes, it turns out you do need serum and moisturizer. Apply a good moisturizer after using your serum. Since I was looking for a product that was especially gentle on my skin, I settled on First Aid Beauty's Ultra-Repair Hydra Firming Sleeping Cream after a friend with sensitive skin told me about it. 

It's rich and creamy, but absorbs quickly so I don't end up feeling like my face is sticky while I sleep. Don't forget the lips. Probably (definitely) because I never hydrated properly, my lips were also constantly chapped. Everything changed when I discovered the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask by the helpful ladies at Sephora. 

“This book is a bestseller for a reason,” one employee told me. "In a small tub, it's a miracle." I have to agree. I slather this on every night and my lips are baby soft when I wake up. I even skip my regular lip balm because it hydrates all day long. Even my boyfriend who always affectionately called me "the most ripped woman in America," noticed a big difference. weekly. Add a chemical peel. Silberman told me that if you were to add one new thing to your routine, it should be this Alpha Beta Universal Daily Exfoliant from Dr. Silberman. 

Become Dennis Gross. "You're removing those dead skin cells/debris that are holding you back from being your most radiant self," she explains. Although she recommends using it two to three times a week, I started using it just once a week and saw immediate results. 

I even let my sister try it out when she came to visit and after using it once, she jumped on the bandwagon. Give yourself a new look with a facial mask. I travel a lot for work and feel extremely dehydrated when traveling by plane. If you're heading out for the weekend skipping your skin care routine for a few days, or need some quick skin care for some other reason, a sheet mask is the way to go. Nover-Baker recommends the Go-To Skincare Transforming Mask. This serum-infused mask will rejuvenate your face in just 10 minutes. 

Don't forget. 

There is no universal solution. This worked for me and was a good starting point, but it also required a lot of trial and error. If you have a breakout or don’t see immediate results, don’t give up. 


Everyone’s skin is different, and the first step in starting a care routine should be figuring out what skin type you have. "If you have oily skin, you can use a more concentrated acid and use retinol at night. If you have dry or sensitive skin, add only one active ingredient at a time to avoid irritating your skin," 
advises Patel . Launch new products one at a time and try them out for about a month before deciding if they're right for you. You'll be posting glowing #IWokeUpLikeThis selfies soon.