As Molly Sims of Lipstick on the Rim puts it, “It all starts with the skin.” Skincare is such an important part of not only our health and beauty, but of our mind and soul! Practicing good skincare isn’t a luxury treatment, but an essential form of self-love. That means you should have a skincare routine tailored to your needs and goals!
However, standing in the skincare aisle or Googling example routines feels totally overwhelming. How do you know what to pick? And, how in what order does everything go? Today, we’re gonna help you develop the perfect skincare routine for your skin type using expert advice from our incredible Dear Media health and beauty podcast hosts. Here’s how to build a beginner skincare routine:
How To Start A Skincare Routine For Beginners
Throw away what you think you know about skincare.
We’ve learned a lot over the years about skincare! Unfortunately, there are still skincare myths all over the internet and passed down from sister to sister. So, before you even think about developing a skincare routine, throw away all the skincare myths you’ve got in your head! Let’s start fresh.
Determine your skin type.
The first thing you need to do before planning a new skincare routine is determine your skin type. Various skin types will require different active ingredients, so you can’t pick your products until you know your skin’s true identity. Do you have dry skin? Oily skin? Combination skin?
You’ll probably be surprised to know that there are 9 skin types. Yes, 9. Don’t worry, you don’t need a doctor to tell you what kind of skin you have, just listen to this episode of Lipstick on the Rim. They’ll list all 9 types and give you some stellar beginner advice.
Identify your specific challenges.
What challenges do you hope to overcome with a better skincare routine? Some women want to combat fine lines and dark spots, whereas others need help with sensitive skin or acne-prone skin. To better understand your challenges, listen to this episode of the Him & Her podcast for anti-aging skincare tips, and this episode of Soul on Fire for the DL on eczema and acne skincare know-how. It’ll be super helpful when we get to your beginner routine!
Start with sample size products.
You may have heard about a cleanser, toner, or moisturizer from a podcast that seems PERFECT for you. Though we seriously hope it is, don’t count on it and don’t buy yourself a liter of a moisturizer you’ve never used before! Instead, get sample-size skin care products. This way, you can test everything and experiment until you find the perfect products.
Keep it simple.
Don’t go crazy with your beginner routine. At the moment, you don’t need to be thinking about a daytime routine, a nighttime routine, a summer routine, a winter routine, and a vacation routine. Just stick with one simple routine until you get it down. Once you feel really good about it, start tweaking and adding! But, for now, keep quick and easy.
Basic Skincare Routine for Beginners
Step One: Cleanser
Washing your face is step one of any skincare routine. Facial cleanser is what you use to wipe away dirt, excess oil, and leftover makeup from your face before applying more products. Foaming cleanser is best for oily skin, cream cleanser is best for dry skin, oil cleanser is best for sensitive skin, and melting balm is best for the mature skin! You can find these cleanser types from Tata Harper Skincare, which Dr. Will Cole recommend on The Art of Being Well podcast!
Step Two: Toner
Your cleanser will strip your skin of both good and bad stuff on the surface of your skin. So, a good toner will feed your skin the nutrients it needs to stay healthy after washing. It’ll balance your complexion and help other products absorb better! Experiment with a few toners until you find one that gives your skin the boost it needs to look radiant, even without make-up!
Step Three: Serum
Serums are a lot like toners, but dialed up to ten! They’re packed with tons of active ingredients to make your skin glisten with a healthy glow. You can use serums to target specific problems. For example, hyaluronic acid serum will keep your skin moist, vitamin C serum will fade dark spots, and retinol serums will have anti-aging effects! For some great serum recommendations (and other drug store skincare scores), listen to this episode of Breaking Beauty!
Step Four: Moisturizer
Next, moisturizer needs to be applied to keep your skin soft and hydrated. Like other products on this list, the type of moisturizer you use depends on your skin type and goals. In general, grab gel moisturizers for oily skin, lotions for combination skin, creams for dry skin, and balms for sensitive skin. But, if you want more info on finding the perfect moisturizer, definitely listen to the skincare experts in the episode of Breaking Beauty titled, “Are You Moisturizing Your Skin in the Right Way?”
Step Five: Sunscreen
There is an ENTIRE podcast dedicated to the importance of sunscreen called “Get the F*ck Out of the Sun,” and it’s a must-listen mini series. Sunscreen is so often forgotten in skincare routines, yet it’s seriously THE most important part of your skincare routine. Sunscreen should be worn all. the. time. to protect your skin from damage, premature aging, and skin cancer.
A good skincare routine will make you look and feel like your best self!
We hope this skincare guide helped you make your perfect routine! However, if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, just try Arielle Lorre’s simple beginner routine from The Blonde Files podcast and adjust where needed using this guide. Trust us, you’ll get the hang of it! And, don’t stop at this act of self-care, listen to some of the best self-care podcasts out there and become your absolute best self. Soon, you’ll be glowing, confident, and ready to take on anything!
