The Beginner’s Guide to Skincare

With the vast array of skin care products at our fingertips, starting at square one can seem daunting. How do you start a skin care routine when you’re not even sure where to look first? I am here to take the guesswork out of the process and to offer you a simple, three-step guideline for starting a daily skin care regimen from scratch. Everyone’s got to start somewhere! I’ll also share my favorite drug store (or Amazon) brands versus the “luxury” or designer products for each step. Cheers to healthy, glowy skin!

Step 1: CLEANSE

When you’re just starting out, reach for gentle, light cleansers to remove makeup and pollutants that can accumulate on the skin’s surface throughout the day. If these impurities stay on the skin, you run the risk of them combining with oil clogging your pores and causing pimples and blackheads.

Exfoliating cleansers that feature alpha and beta hydroxy acids should be used in moderation—two to three times per week max. Start off small with a once a week exfoliation and to see how your skin reacts before making it a part of your weekly routine.

Drug Store Recommendation:

• For those suffering from moderate to severe acne, start with Cetaphil like the Gentle Skin Cleanser. Using this cleanser 1-2x day is a must for an acne fighting regimen
• If your skin is acne-free, or mild, then check out the Cerave products like the Facial Foaming Cleanser

Luxury Brand: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser because it’s for all skin types and fool-proof.

Exfoliant Recommendation: Acure Facial Scrub or Arcona Cranberry Gommage

Step 2: TONING

After cleansing and patting your face dry—never rub!—reach for a serum. Look for one that’s formula is rich in antioxidants like SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. But if you don’t have that kind of cash: this one has a cult following on Amazon and it’s only $20.

Step 3: MOISTURIZE

If I’ve learned anything by speaking to experts, it’s that the best way to wash your face is to follow up with hydration and that sunscreen is a non-negotiable. It’s imperative to wear sunscreen each day and utilize products with formulas rich in antioxidants to help protect our skin from environmental aggressors such as pollution. Combine both steps by reaching for a moisturizer with a broad-spectrum—meaning it protects against UVA and UVB rays—SPF of 30 or more. Apply as the final step in your skin care routine before putting on your makeup.  

Drug Store Recommendation: This one from Amazon (serious cult following) or Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

Luxury Brand Recommendation: Drunk Elephant and Tula (pictured)

SPF Recommendation: Drunk Elephant

As you progress on the path to great skin, you can start to incorporate face masks into your routine a couple times a week, eye creams, and more (like I outlined in my post here).

The science behind skin-care products has come a long way but there’s still no such thing as an instant fix — you need time to reap the benefits. Generally, aim to use a product over at least six weeks, once or twice daily, to notice a difference.  

Tip: With any skin-care product, apply in order of consistency — from thinnest to thickest. For example, cleanser, toner (if you use it), serum, and then moisturizer.

I hope this was helpful for my girls who are overwhelmed by skincare products and don’t know where to begin. If you have a specific question about a product or AM/PM routine, comment below!

xx, H