How To Create The Best Skincare Routine

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It can take a long time to find a skincare routine that works for your skin type and major concerns. I’m sharing my tips on how to create the best skincare routine!

You can use this post to figure out how to find skincare items that will work for you, see my skincare routine from start to finish, and you can learn more about why making a skincare routine a priority in your life is important…no matter what your age!

Let’s dive right into the details here so we don’t waste any time. After all, there’s skincare results out there just waiting for us!

How do I avoid throwing away products that don’t work for me?

The best way that I have found to avoid wasting products and spending a lot of money is to use samples! You can get samples of pretty much anything at Sephora and if you request samples from most companies they’ll happily provide them.

I like that I can try a variety of products without actually having to commit to them…the good ones are usually a little bit pricey and it can take some time to create the best skincare routine for yourself, trial and error is the only option most of the time!

Another option is to share products with friends or family members who have things that work great for them! Ask around, ask for samples, share products until you know what will work for you and what will not.

Finally, shop at discount stores and online for a good deal. When you find a product you want to try or think will work well for you check out TJMaxx, Marshalls, clearance sales, Poshmark, and even Mercari. These last two will save you some money and is also a great way to resell anything that doesn’t work for you.

Use spatulas to get product out of your containers or even move a small amount into smaller containers so you can keep the larger ones clean and sanitary for resale when trying out new products!

What are the parts of the best skincare routine?

Here are the parts of a good skincare routine. If you are trying to get the best results you will need to have the best routine…create one, stick with it, and watch the magic happen.

Exfoliate | Some people start with cleansing but I start with exfoliation because you can’t do anything with a bunch of dead skin and grim hanging around, blocking the serums, toners, and moisturizers from doing their jobs.
Cleanser | Now we cleanse! Choosing a good cleanser is important because it will be the base of your skincare routine. Pick something that will target your problems like oil, grime, acne, etc.
Toner | If you are going to use a toner here is the place for it, I don’t use toner because I find that it irritates and unnecessarily dries my skin. If you feel your cleanser isn’t doing enough you can add a toner, otherwise skip it and invest that money into your serums and moisturizers!
Serum | Serums are everywhere and they all do something different. I like to find one that targets my biggest problem area. The serum goes down first and gets locked in so it’s best to use one that targets your main concerns. You can rotate from day to day if you like or alternate for different seasons!
Eye Cream | The skin below your eyes and on your eye lids is different from the rest of the skin on your face. It’s going to lose elasticity, firmness, moisture, and more a LOT faster than the other facial skin. Choose the best one you can afford and remember that they go a long way and last a long time!
Spot Treatments | If you have any spots or acne issues you should treat them at this point in your routine. If your serums, eye creams, or moisturizers are not covering specific problems you can use this step to address those. Sometimes I’ll add something for even skin tone at this point or dark spots!
Moisturizer | Now we add a moisturizer for the whole face! This is one of the last parts of your routine and it should be something that can withstand a day out in the world or a night in bed. You don’t want it to absorb too quickly or be too light. Make sure to address seasonal changes with your moisturizers!
Sunscreen | When you go out for the day or even if you will be indoors near windows, etc. you should have a skincare routine that involves sunscreen. Find a high quality one, this is not necessarily the same kind of skincare you put on for a day at the beach. Skincare level sunscreen is easier on the skin and will help you avoid ending up with acne, breakouts, and oily skin.

What products should I use daily?

You should use all of your products daily unless you find that one or more of them is too much for your skin on a daily basis. In the summer time for example I don’t use my eye cream twice a day, just at night. Making necessary changes that work for you is the best way to create the perfect skincare routine.

Another thing that you should always use daily is sunscreen. Protecting your skin from the damaging rays of the sun is about more than just aging issues, it’s a healthy thing to do! Keeping the suns rays at bay will help you avoid skin cancer…the most common form of cancer in the United States.

Should I do my skincare routine twice a day?

There is a lot of debate about how often a good skincare routine should be done. Sometimes I’m in a rush and I don’t do my full routine. I cleanse, serum, and moisturize and call it a night. You will have to see your results, check on your products, and see what works for you to determine if you should do your routine once or twice per day!

What products do you recommend for the best skincare routine?

Now that we know the order that our skincare routine should follow, I’m going to share the products that I use for each step and some other options/info on why I love these products for my skin.

Exfoliate | I use Rodan +Fields Microdermabrasion Paste, Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Scrub, and Algenist Pore Perfecting Exfoliator. You can use anything that works for your skin, these are my favorites!
Cleanser | Anything from the Genius line from Algenist is great for cleansing and I also like the Bliss 2-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser.
Serum | My current favorite serums are the Algenist Pore Perfecting Serum, Algenist Power Advanced Wrinkle Fighting Serum, and the Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum By L’Oreal
Eye Cream | I have a few favorites in this category so I’ll share them all! Tarte makes a great under eye cream, I use the Rodan + Fields Multi Function Under Eye Cream every single day, and the Algenist Under Eye Balm is great as well! All of them are small packages that last forever so don’t be scared to drop some serious money on an eye cream. One or two little dabs a day and you’ll be using the same jar all year long.
Moisturizer | Here’s where it gets interesting. I like to use the Power Pressed Night Serum as a moisturizer sometimes, the Algenist Genius cream is a year round favorite, and in the winter when my skin needs extra moisture I add in the it Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream, and the Korres Greek Yogurt Sleeping Facial!
Sunscreen | Dr. Jart makes a good UV fluid and so does Algenist!

Where do skincare masks fit into my routine?

You might find that even with all of this love and attention that you are paying to your skin that you still need a little boost here and there. If you have specific concerns like wrinkles, firmness, blemishes, or discoloration you can easily add in a sheet mask, mud mask, or peel off mask that will address these issues and more.

Once or twice per week I’ll use a mask to boost my skincare routine. I really love Dr. Jart+ sheet masks, the Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Cleansing Pore Mask, and the GlamGlow line when I’m feeling like a big splurge!

Do you have any other beauty or skincare posts?

I have a lot of great skincare and beauty posts here at Millennial Beauty Sisters. Skincare and makeup are two of the things that I enjoy most so I love to share what works for me, what doesn’t, and of course plenty of recipes, DIYs and more!

Check out these posts and be sure to let me know what you’d like me to cover next.

How To Create The Best Skincare Routine