When you’re first trying to get into skincare, it can be a little overwhelming. You watch videos and read articles detailing various influencers’ and celebrities’ 10-step skincare routines, along with Beverly Hills MD reviews, and you find yourself paralyzed, thinking that you need to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on skincare products to even get started.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. The best place to start is with the simplest, dermatologist-approved skincare routine out there, which consists of just three steps: cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. That’s it, I swear.
Step One: Cleanse
Just like the rest of your body, your face gets dirty, and without regular cleaning, that can lead to problems like increased acne or irritation. However, cleansing doesn’t have to be a complicated process involving multiple products. You really just need one.
There are cleansers out there for all different kinds of skin types: oily skin, dry skin, damaged skin, you name it. Find one that best suits your skin’s specific needs and try it out for a while to see how it goes.
And, of course, if you’re not into using a specially-made product for washing your face, you can always just use plain old water (or micellar water) for this step.
Step Two: Tone
Toner helps balance your skin’s pH while also hydrating and clarifying it. The point of it is to prep your skin for moisturizer and remove any bits of dirt or grime that the cleanser didn’t catch. A good toner will be able to do this while still maintaining the natural oils that your skin needs to stay healthy.
Just like with cleansers, there are toners out there designed to work with every type of skin so you can find one that works the best for your skin.
Step Three: Moisturize
Moisturizer is an incredibly important step. While a good cleanser and toner shouldn’t be actively abrasive or drying for your skin, they are designed to get down into your pores and remove impurities, which can sometimes lead to a drying effect depending on the specific products you use.
Moisturizer is there to counteract that by bringing hydration back into your skin and giving it that silky smooth texture and healthy look. And just like the other products here, there are different kinds of moisturizers designed for every skin type you can imagine. However, there’s one important thing that you should look for no matter what kind of skin you have.
To simplify your skincare routine and keep from needing to add a fourth product to the line-up, try to find a moisturizer that also has an SPF of at least 15 or 20, possibly more depending on how sensitive or fair your skin is. That way, you can protect yourself from harmful UV rays from the sun and reduce the risk of skin cancer.
Make Your Routine Your Own
These three steps are just a basic rundown of the most essential parts of a skincare routine, and for most people, just these three should be enough. However, keep in mind that everyone is different. You may find that you want or need to do more—and you might even need less!
You can adjust what products you use or how many steps you do depending on your skin’s needs and how much time you have to dedicate to skincare every day. No matter what, though, when adding or taking away products from your routine, monitor the way your skin reacts for a few weeks to make sure you’re not experiencing any adverse effects.
Soon, you’ll be on your way to beautiful, healthy skin!