A comprehensive guide to: my skincare routine.
A comprehensive guide to: my skincare routine.
Everything I do to my face, and my favorite products.
First before I say anything I want to say that I am not a dermatologist or an esthetician or anyone with any kind of expertise on this outside of my personal interests. If you have serious skin concerns, be that irritation or dryness or acne, I cannot recommend enough that you SEE A DERMATOLOGIST. Do not spend hundreds of dollars on over the counter skin care to try to fix this by yourself, see a doctor.
Another thing that I think is important to note: any new skin care product with active ingredients is probably going to take at least 6 weeks to start making a noticeable difference in your skin (here’s an explanation about what an active ingredient is). Skin care is about consistency. Try something for a month or two before you give up on it, unless its actively irritating your skin.
If you are having skin issues (and you’ve already made an appointment to see a professional) then I would recommend learning about your skin barrier and how to take care of it (basic article here). I think one of the most common skin care mistakes people make is they do too much— too many steps, too much exfoliation, not enough moisture, etc. A healthy skin barrier is really key to having good skin.
Please pay attention to expiration dates! Every product has a PAO (Period After Opening) symbol on it that tells you how long it is good for once it is opened. Here’s a good article about this. When I open something I write the date on the bottom so that I know when I need to finish it by. I also try to only have one product from each category open at a time so that I can get through everything before it goes bad. You really, really do not want to be putting old products on your face. This is especially important for active ingredients. Best case scenario they just don’t really work any more, worst case scenario they irritate your skin. Don’t waste your money, use up your products!
This post is an explanation of all of the different steps in my skin care routine, why and when I do them, and my favorite products to use for each one.
I am not a person who sticks to what they know when it comes to skin care. I really just like to try new products. I have things that I love and buy over and over again, and those are the things you will find linked below, but I am constantly trying new things. If something is on this list that means it stands out to me as really good among the literal hundreds of products I have tried in the past few years. I was very intentional about what I put on here, and I’m sure I will make additions and remove some things as I continue to try new stuff.
Skin care is SO personal and subjective. Things that work for me may not work for you. Everyone has different skin types and different sensitivities. I have combination/oily skin (this means that I am dry in some places and oily in others) and I am very acne prone. If you don’t know what your skin type is, read this. Pay attention to the ingredients in your skincare products, and if something is irritating you, do your best to avoid it! My skin is not that sensitive and there really aren’t any ingredients that I avoid, other than heavy fragrance.
Finally, my usual disclaimer that I am a high maintenance person. I am guessing this is gonna seem like an absolutely ridiculous amount of stuff to most of you. It is! I know! But it’s FUN for me. This is my hobby. It is interesting and entertaining and makes me feel good to spend a lot of time taking care of my skin. You don’t have to do most of this (you do have to wear sunscreen, I’m sorry but you do).
Ok. Here we go.
Start with these three steps.
There are three steps that I think are absolutely mandatory for anyone and everyone. This is the bare bones, absolute minimum you can do to take care of your skin. I don’t care how old you are or what type of skin you have, do these three things every day.
Cleanse
Moisturize
SPF
Cleanser
First, I want to note that removing makeup and sunscreen is *not* the same as cleansing. If you’re wearing make-up, you need to thoroughly remove it and THEN cleanse your face. These are two separate steps. I will talk about makeup remover later.
I wash my face first thing when I wake up in the morning and every night before I go to bed. This means I go through *a lot* of cleanser, so I don’t really like to buy expensive ones. There are a couple I love enough that I make an exception, but generally I go cheaper here.
I like my cleanser to just be a cleanser. You can buy cleansers with all kinds ingredients that are meant to be multitaskers, but I prefer to use products that only do one thing. This way I can decide what my skin needs and doesn’t need on a daily basis. This means that when it comes to cleanser, I’m just looking for something gentle and hydrating. No acids, no actives, I just want my cleanser to cleanse.
Garnier SkinActive Micellar Foaming Face Wash ($8.99): I really like the whole SkinActive line. I’ve purchased this many times.
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($14.99): Honestly, I have never tried a cleanser from CeraVe or Cetaphil that I didn’t like, but if I have my pick this is the one I get.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser for Dry Skin ($15.99): Cost effective and very good.
Korres Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser ($26): This is such a nice consistency, I love this whole brand.
Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser ($36): This is just so, so nice. It’s an ideal texture and it comes in a glass bottle, which I am a sucker for.
Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser ($36): I love this so much. Its got really good ingredients, it smells so good, also in a glass bottle. I buy it every single time I see it on sale.
Moisturizer
I think a lot of people have the misconception that if you have oily skin, you don’t need to moisturize. This is wrong!!! Everyone should be using a moisturizer, regardless of your skin type. Probably in the morning and at night, but most SPFs will cover this for you in the morning. I switch mine up depending on the season— in the winter I use a really thick, heavy duty one and I go for a lighter one in the summer. This is a category where I am constantly trying new ones, and they come in such large quantities that it usually takes me a while to get through them. Some favorites:
Cerave/Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream ($20): This is the most universal, will work for literally anyone, biggest bang for your buck moisturizer. It’s unscented, it’s gentle, this giant tub will last you months. Any dermatologist will recommend this as their first choice. I find these two brands to be almost identical, so I just buy whichever one is on sale. Make sure you get the cream, not the lotion. This is THICK, so I don’t usually use it in the summer.
Cocokind Texture Smoothing Cream ($22): I was shocked at how nice this was for the price (it comes in glass packaging!). I consistently like this brand’s products and this is very lightweight.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream ($38): More expensive, but such a nice, fluffy, lightweight texture.
Keihl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizing Cream ($33): A splurge (you get a tiny tub), but so, so nice.
SPF
I have talked about this extensively so hopefully you all know by now that I feel very passionately about the fact that everyone should be wearing SPF every day. Ideally SPF 50, but 30 minimum, face and neck, every day!!!! I will not harp on this more here, but truly any other skin care efforts are useless if you are not doing this. You can read all my sunscreen reviews here.
If you’re doing these three steps then you are thriving, congrats! It should not be surprising to hear that I am doing…..so much more than that. So. Here’s all the other things I use regularly, and some extras that are extra high maintenance because that’s who I am.
In terms of application, you generally want to go from your thinnest product to thickest. This is all about layers. Sometimes I add in more things. Sometimes I skip most of this and resort to just the three steps I talked about first. I switch up my routine based on how my skin feels, but on an average day this is what I’m doing.
Morning
Cleanse
Vitamin C
SPF/Moisturizer
Vitamin C
This is the first thing I recommend to anyone looking to get into skin care. Vitamin C has SO MANY benefits— anti aging properties, evening out skin tone, lessening hyperpigmentation, can protect against sun damage, hydrating, etc. etc. etc. This ingredient can get very pricey, and you will see that I am still hesitant to go into the deepest of the deep end here (the widely loved gold standard here is this one from Skinceuticals that costs $170 for ONE (1) oz, I cannot do it). The good news is that a little goes a long way, and I have gotten several months of use out of each of these even though I use them every day. I apply this in the morning, after I cleanse and before SPF. Because these take so long to go through I haven’t tried very many. Here are two I really like:
Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster ($52, but can always find on sale): This made a noticeable difference in my skin, and it is a great texture that dries down to feel like nothing.
Naturium Vitamin C Complex Serum ($20): One of the most affordable skin care brands with consistently good products. Can buy at Target.
Night
Remove makeup
Cleanse
Toner
Exfoliate (AHA/BHA or retinol)
Hydrating serum
Moisturizer
Eye cream
Lip mask
Makeup Remover
As I said above, this is a separate step from cleansing your face. You gotta remove all the product, and then you can cleanse your skin. My favorite way to remove makeup, hands down, is with a cleansing balm. Nothing works better. Especially not a wipe. This is an anti-wipe space. This stuff will melt your makeup off, even if you’re wearing a waterproof mascara. These are my favorites:
Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm ($36): This is my all time favorite. I will list out some others that I like but I really just suggest you buy this one. It is the best.
Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm ($36): A good option, but again I would never buy this one if the Farmacy one was an option.
Clean It Zero 3-in-1 Cleansing Balm ($19): A cheaper option! If you’ve never used a cleansing balm you could start here, and then when you realize these are the best you can buy the Farmacy one.
ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm ($65): LUXURY, smells incredible, but pretty impossible to justify this price. Buy on sale or as a gift or just to treat yourself.
Toner
This is sort of the last step of cleansing your skin. It makes sure your skin is prepped and ready for any active ingredients, and if you consistently use a toner then your other skin care products will work better. There are all kinds of toners that do different things. I like to use toners that are specifically meant for hydration. I like these:
Indie Lee Coq-10 Toner ($36): This is my absolute favorite toner and any time I am using something else I am sad it is not this. I buy one every time I see it on sale so I always have a new one ready to open when I finish a bottle.
Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner ($13.99): This is my more affordable toner recommendation. Gets the job done and a really good price!
AHA/BHAs
These are different types of acids that work to remove dead skin cells, aka chemically exfoliate. I am a big fan of chemical exfoliation. I rarely use physical exfoliants anymore. If you do, live your life, but please for the love of god do not buy a St. Ives scrub. We all deserve better for ourselves.
It is really important that you not over exfoliate your skin. This is one thing that will really damage your barrier. This is a consistent part of my routine, but also the first thing to go if my skin is feeling dry or irritated or anything other than good.
I use an AHA/BHA 2-3 nights a week, depending on how my skin is doing. I can see a noticeable difference in my skin when I do this consistently— I am talking visible unclogging of pores, especially around my nose. This does what we all wanted those Biore pore strips to do, but way better. You can find cleansers and other products that include these types of acids, but I prefer to have isolated products for this step so I can decide whether or not to use it on a daily basis depending on how my skin feels. These are some of the most common acids you can find in a variety of products: salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, mandelic acid, citric acid.
There are all kinds of different serums and creams that have AHAs/BHAs, but my preferred type of product here is a liquid. A few drops on a cotton pad and then all over my face and neck. These are the two that I have tried and liked:
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant ($32 but never pay full price, it’s always on sale): Sort of a cult classic skin care product. Lasts forever.
Peach and Lily Acne Exfoliating Toner ($10.99): Good drugstore option.
Retinol
This is one of the more complicated skincare products to figure out how to use in the way that is best for you. Retinol is a type of retinoid, which are another type of chemical exfoliant. You really need to ease into using this (probably start with once a week) and your skin will probably get worse before it gets better. There is usually a 1-2 month adjustment period here, your skin may purge (break out), and it will probably get really dry. Eventually your skin should sort of reset. Retinol is great for acne prevention and overall anti-aging, but it is tricky to incorporate into your routine. A good thing to talk to a dermatologist about, or do your own research at the very least. Here are some retinols that I like:
Naturium Retinol Complex Serum ($20): This is such a good, affordable skin care brand. This could be a really great entry point. Has a gel texture, so it dries down pretty quickly.
Cerave Skin Renewing Retinol Serum ($22.99): Another good affordable option. This one is more of a regular lotion texture.
Kiehl’s Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide ($62): If I am buying an expensive retinol I am buying this one.
Hyaluronic Acid
Despite the name, this is a moisturizing ingredient. Because I am doing a decent amount of exfoliating, I am also constantly overloading my skin with moisturizing ingredients. For me this means layering, and one of those layers is usually a hydrating serum. Some of my favorites:
Cerave Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($22.99): You layer this with a moisturizer and your skin barrier is set.
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum ($39): I LOVE Peach & Lily and this is my favorite product from the brand.
Eye Cream
My hot take here is that I notice a difference between when I consistently use an eye cream and when I don’t, but I do not notice a difference between any of the one’s I’ve tried. Some of these are so expensive and I just cannot be bothered. Also worth noting that no eye cream is going to magically fix dark circles, that is not a product that exists. I have purchased both of these multiple times:
Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel Cream ($15.99): Been using this for years.
Cocokind Revitalizing Eye Cream ($18.99): This has a metal applicator which just feels very nice.
Lip Mask
I put one of these on every night and I think it makes an exponential difference in my lips. I cannot skip this step. I think of this as part of my skincare routine and then I never forget to do it. My favorites:
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask ($24): My favorite one and the one I’ve repurchased the most. I like the original one.
Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask ($28): When I want to switch it up I buy this one instead. More of a jelly texture.
Other important steps
Spot treatment
Body moisturizer
Spot Treatment
My honest recommendation here it to get a prescription strength benzoyl peroxide from your dermatologist. Nothing works better IMO. But if you don’t want to do that, or if you want other options, I use these regularly:
Rael Miracle Patch ($15.99 for 96 patches): Pimple patches are an absolute essential for me. Gently pop a pimple and put one of these on it over night and wake up to a patch full of goo and a flat face. Magic! These also help keep me from picking too much at a spot, which I am terrible at. I’ve tried many different brands and these are my favorite.
Zitsticka Killa Kit Deep Zit Microdart Patches ($16 for 4 patches): If you get deep, cystic acne then these are a life saver. This will shorten the life span of a deep pimple by several days. I think this brand is the best, and they also come with cleansing cloths with acne fighting ingredients. A cheaper microdart patch option is these from Peach Slices.
Tea Tree Oil ($12): I use this VERY sparingly because it is super drying, but if I have a pimple I can tell is gonna be serious then I dab this on it.
Hero Rescue Balm Post Blemish Recovery Cream ($12.99): Once a spot has turned a corner and is a little less active, I put this on to help it heal. This stuff works wonders for redness, helps prevent scarring, and just encourages the healing process.
Body Moisturizer
The skin on the rest of your body needs moisturizer just as much as your face!! I apply moisturizer to my body right after I get out of the shower, while my skin is still a little damp. If you do this, you’ll see a noticeable difference. I am really bad about being consistent with this, but something that helps is buying nicer body lotions that I am then excited to use because I like them so much. Love to bribe myself like a five year old. You can obviously just get a giant bottle of Aveeno or Eucerin for like 10 bucks at CVS, too. But don’t skip this, it’s important!
Necessaire Body Serum ($45): This stuff is just the best. In the summer I use this on its own, and in the winter I use it as a base layer and apply a thicker moisturizer on top. It is a gel consistency, so it almost immediately dries down to feel like nothing. Extremely hydrating, I love this.
Twinlab Na-PCA Spray with Aloe Vera ($13.13): When I am feeling lazy I spray this all over myself and call it a day.
Sol de Janeiro Brazillian Bum Bum Cream ($48): This smells SO GOOD. This is what I want to smell like all summer.
Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Body Lotion ($28): This also smells incredible.
Fancy Extra Stuff
Masks
Tools
Masks
This is an overwhelming category and I honestly cannot be bothered a lot of the time. I do a mask maybe twice a month. Sometimes it’s just about the experience, but here are some that I think actually make a difference:
COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Power Sheet Masks ($25 for 10 masks): These are my favorite sheet masks. If my skin is feeling dry or if I’m just in the mood for it, I’ll pop one of these on for 10-15 minutes and my skin feels so nice afterwards.
Tata Harper Resurfacing BHA Glow Mask ($68): This is expensive but wow does it work. My skin truly does glow after I use this. I use this before special occasions, when I really want to look nice.
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask ($49): This is so hydrating. I usually don’t even wash it off and let it work as just a thicker moisturizer overnight.
Tools
Ice Roller ($10.99): This is in the fancy extras section but I cannot express enough how essential I think this item is. This feels SO LUXURIOUS on my face in the morning, really helps with morning time puffiness and is just the most refreshing start to my day. The cost/benefit here is incredible, you need one of these I promise.
Facial Steamer ($59.99 but always on sale, don’t buy this unless it’s under $45): This just feels so incredibly good. I could sit in front of this for an hour. I use it after cleansing but before any other steps, so it really opens up my pores. Luxurious.
Jade Roller ($32): Theoretically this serves an actual purpose, but really I just think it feels nice. Especially on your sinuses if you are feeling congested.
How I learn about this stuff
Now that you have read all of this you may be thinking, “Emily, how do you even know all of this?” and the honest answer (outside of 10+ years of dermatologist appointments) is: Instagram. I follow soooo many skin care influencers. Find someone with your skin type and who knows what they are talking about. Here are some of the people I learn the most from/get the most recommendations from:
Jolie- Esthetician with tons of product recs
Vanessa- Goals to Get Glowing: she is doing SCIENCE
Grace Atwood: lifestyle blogger who talks a lot about skin care
State of Kait: Youtuber who talks about makeup and skin care
Alexa- Glowopedia: good product recs and comparisons
Beauty Deals BFF- finds the best sales
SkinSkool- compares ingredients and scores products based on how similar they are, good way to find cheaper dupes of expensive products
r/skincareaddiction: obviously not an instagram account, but there is so much good information here