Benjamin Otu EffiwattDo you feel overwhelmed staring at the skincare section at your local supermarket wondering where to begin? Trust me, you’re not alone. I remember exactly how you feel because I’ve been there too. Honestly, skincare doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. When I first started my journey, I bought into all the myths and made tons of mistakes.
But once I slowed down and focused on the basics, my skin finally began to thrive. Now it’s time I share everything I learned with you.
Why Most Skin Care Routines Are Complete S***
Let’s be real. Most beginners derail their skin care routine because they get lost in a sea of information. Literally every skincare brand on the planet promises miracles if you use all of their products daily. Every influencer tries to sell you their “game-changing” ten-step routine. Before you know it, you’ve dropped hundreds of dollars on a shelf full of products that don’t make a difference.
Here’s the kicker. They skipped the foundation. People jump straight into active ingredients and high-end treatments without understanding their skin type or learning the basics. Good skincare doesn’t have to be complicated or include seventeen products. In fact, the less you do, the easier it is to maintain consistency. And consistency is key when it comes to skin care.
Figure Out Your Skin Type Before Anything Else
There are five main skin types: oily, dry, combination, normal, and sensitive. Knowing which one you’re dealing with will set the foundation for your entire routine going forward. If your skin is oily, you will probably notice shine throughout the day and are more prone to acne. Dry skin can feel tight, look rough or flaky, and becomes irritated easily. Combination skin is oily in some areas (usually the T-zone — forehead, nose, and chin) and dry in others. Normal skin is not too dry or too oily and has few skin concerns. Sensitive skin is overly reactive to changes in the weather, products, or stress.
To determine your skin type, wash your face with a gentle cleanser, pat dry, and wait one hour without applying anything else to your skin. Then examine how your face looks and feels. If it’s shiny all over, you most likely have oily skin. If it feels tight or looks dull, you likely have dry skin. If some areas are shiny and some aren’t, you probably have combination skin.
Beginner Skin Care Musts: Cleanse, Moisturize, Protect
If you take anything away from this post, let it be this. Once you know your skin type, start here. This is your three-step skincare routine that will give you AMAZING results if you’re consistent.
1. Clean Your Skin Morning and Night
Think of your cleanser as your skin’s best friend. It washes away the dirt, oil, dead skin cells, makeup, and pollutants we accumulate throughout the day. When you skip washing your face at night, you’re basically sleeping with a dirty face. Yuck.
For those with oily or acne-prone skin, go for a gel cleanser or one that foams. If you have dry or sensitive skin, look for cream or milk cleansers that won’t strip your skin. The biggest mistake I see with cleansing is over-washing. Our skin produces excess oil when it’s dried out too much. So if you wash more than twice a day, you’re stripping your skin and causing it to produce even more oil. Cleanse once in the AM and once at night. Your skin will thank you.
2. Moisturize – Yes, Even You With Oily Skin!
Ok, listen up! I cannot stress this enough. Do not skip moisturizer. Even if you have super oily skin, you STILL need to moisturize. Your skin produces excess oil when it’s thirsty. If you skip moisturizer, you’re telling your skin it needs more oil. SO. DO. NOT. SKIP. IT.
Look for moisturizers that don’t have oil listed as one of the top ingredients if you have oily skin. You can also try oil-free gels or moisturizing fluids. For dry skin, pick up a cream with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or ceramides. Sensitive skin requires limited-ingredient formulas that are free of fragrances.
Apply moisturizer to damp skin after cleansing. This seals moisture in and keeps your skin hydrated longer.
3. Apply SPF – EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
There’s literally only ONE product I wish I had started using when I was younger, and it’s sunscreen. Of all the products in your routine, sunscreen is the most important. You do NOT want to skip this step EVER. If you asked ten dermatologists what the best anti-aging product is, they would all say sunscreen. UV damage from the sun causes the majority of wrinkles, dark spots, and skin that loses its youthful elasticity. It doesn’t matter if it’s cloudy or not — those UV rays are zooming through and wreaking havoc on your skin.
Use a moisturizer with SPF built in, or a standalone sunscreen of at least SPF 30, every single morning. Rain or shine. This should be your last step before you leave the house.
When To Start Adding Products Into Your Routine
Congratulations! Once you master these beginner steps, your skin will be balanced and feel comfortable. Now you can start thinking about adding skincare treatments to your routine. You know… those bottles with the crazy ingredients that promise to change your skin forever.
INSERT CAUTION HERE Don’t rush this process and try to toss every product you’ve never used into your routine at once. Start with one, see how your skin reacts, THEN move on to the next. Take smaller steps so you always know what works for you and what doesn’t. Mixing too many things at once confuses your skin — and yourself.
If your skin is radiant and clear and you want to prevent future signs of aging, try introducing a vitamin C serum in the morning. Skin brighteners are great for evening out skin tone and reducing the appearance of dullness. Niacinamide works similarly to vitamin C but is better for oily skin and large pores. Retinol is the OG of treating acne and signs of aging, but it oxidizes in sunlight, so you’ll need to use it at night. Retinol can also cause irritation if you don’t build up slowly. AHAs and BHAs are exfoliants that help with skin texture and treat breakouts.
Five Beginner Mistakes That Drive Me Up The Wall
Believe me when I say I know the struggle. You think you’re doing everything right, but your skin still isn’t where you want it to be. Sound familiar? Here are the biggest mistakes I see skin care beginners make that could be sabotaging your routine:
Touching your face. Stop. It. The. Habit. You’re just transferring bacteria and oils from your hands to your face. Why would you do that to your skin?
Over-exfoliating. There’s nothing wrong with wanting smooth skin, but too much exfoliation will damage your skin barrier. That leads to redness, sensitivity, and breakouts for no apparent reason.
Doing too much too soon. I touched on this earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again. Focus on ONE product at a time and give it at least two weeks before adding something new. If you use three new products in one week, you’ll never know what’s working or what’s causing reactions.
Skipping sunscreen on cloudy or rainy days. I CANNOT stress how important sunscreen is enough! Just because you can’t see the sun doesn’t mean its UV rays aren’t trying to damage your skin. Slather on that SPF 30+ like your skin depends on it. Because it does.
Thinking changes will happen overnight. Skin care is a process and it takes time to see results. Give your routine at least four weeks before blaming it for not working. Most products need that long just to build up in your skin.
A Simple Routine You Won’t Hate
AM: Cleanse » Moisturize » SPF
PM: Cleanse » Treatments (like Retinol or Niacinamide) » Moisturize
The easiest way I can describe starting a beginner’s skin care routine is this: less is more. You don’t need seventeen steps or all the products TikTok says you do. Learn what your skin needs and give it those things. Stick with it and be patient. You’ll notice results.
Conclusion
You’ve made it this far, so now it’s time to wrap things up. I know starting a skin care routine can be daunting, expensive, and just plain confusing. But that’s why I’m here to tell you what you NEED to know — your skin type, a three-step beginner skin care routine, how to add products, and what NOT to do. Armed with this info, you can venture out into the world and take on the ever-changing skin care industry yourself. Remember: learn what your skin needs and give it those things. Simple. Consistent. Patient.
There’s your three-step secret to skin that looks (and feels) AMAZING.
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