Skincare routines can be anything between one to 15 steps, depending on how invested you are in yours. There are a multitude of factors that contribute to the length and breath of a person’s skincare routine—you could be someone with very problematic skin that you believe needs a heap of products to be fixed, or just someone who enjoys indulging in skincare and practising elaborate routines. Or maybe, you’re simply not invested enough to put work and time into a regimen with more than three steps, but would still like to see the brilliant results. As beauty writers and editors, we’re constantly testing new beauty products, combinations and routines to find what works and what doesn’t. Here is guide to getting more out of your skincare routine, by reducing it to the bare minimum you need.
Get your nighttime routine right
Downsizing your skincare routine to avoid a large number of products and steps is the dream, and it only gets easier to do when you take proper care of your skin in the first place. Think about it like this, if you go to bed with leftover makeup, assuming you’ll just wash it off in the morning, you’re more likely to wake up with dull skin and new breakouts in the AM. Thanks to this, you’ll feel the need for a brightening serum or mask and a spot treatment for your acne too. On the other hand, if you effectively clean your skin at night, you’ll wake up with fresh skin, so your morning routine can start off with a simple cleanser suited to your skin type, followed by a moisturiser and sun protection.
Combine your skin treatments
It’s fairly easy to follow a cleanse, tone, moisturise and sun protection routine, but if you’re also adding serums and boosters, it can feel like too much. The best way to reduce the number of steps here is to maximise what you’re getting from your products. The combinations and possibilities are endless, and it’s all about being smart with your skincare. If you have dry and dull skin, tackle your dryness with a hyaluronic acid serum and use a moisturiser with Vitamin C to brighten your skin. If you feel like your skin isn’t getting as much Vitamin C as you’d like, incorporate a face cleanser that is rich in it. Often, your sunscreen can offer additional skincare benefits too.
Combine your SPF and base makeup
Let’s clear the air on one thing first: using any makeup product that comes with added SPF is good for you, but it does not mean you can skip sunscreen. However, using a tinted sunscreen is a great option if you want to blend the two steps. The difference here is that with a tinted sunscreen, the product’s primary focus is to protect your skin from the sun (which is the most important), with an added benefit of providing a hint of coverage.
Buy less
In a world where offers and deals are doled out by brands and e-commerce websites on the daily, it’s hard to keep yourself from giving in. While we’re all for playing around with new beauty products, it can confuse your skin and overcomplicate your routine if you’ve still got jars and tubes that are more than half full. In light of over-purchasing, a #ShopYourStash movement was initiated on Instagram that asks you to finish using the beauty products you own before diving into a new purchase. This way, you’re using a new formula from your current beauty arsenal without spending additional money, and also minimising waste in turn.
Follow the skincare routine you set
Four steps or 10, if you don’t follow your skincare routine, your skin won’t cooperate with you. It is unreasonable to hope that concerns like acne and dullness will go away if you leave them alone. Even a simple regimen, customised to your skin type, will show results when followed regularly.