What’s the goal of skincare anyway?
It's a little more involved than 'taking care of our skin'.
One thing I love about skincare trends right now is the shift towards simple. Yes, we still have to sort through TikTok virality and influencer “10 products I can’t live without” recaps. But generally, we’re seeing a shift towards fewer products and quicker routines. My ‘less is more’ aspirations are ecstatic.
Whether your routine is giving maximalist energy, or you’re doing the bare minimum (maybe even nothing at all?), knowing the basic AM/PM goals can help keep things grounded. An easy summation I heard a few years ago (and now use with clients) is daytime products are for protecting your skin, nighttime = repairing.
Start with daytime … what exactly are we protecting our skin from? The sun, obviously (and yes, even if you sit in an office or work from home all day, your skin still needs SPF). Also, environmental pollutants, free radicals (unstable molecules), and loss of hydration. We’re playing defense against a full-court press all day, baby.
Once we’re home, we’re back on offense and in control of the game. We’re cleansing the day away, hydrating the skin, maybe doing some targeted exfoliation, and encouraging everything to heal (and regenerate).
Here’s how I’m putting this plan into action as a 35-year-old a) with sensitive, combination skin, b) in the dead of winter, and c) living in the Midwest:
AM routine –
Light cleanse using this cleanser
Extra moisture with this
MIP (most important player) protection with this
PM routine –
Final notes … my current routine is a mix of high and low, which you’ll see a lot of in Esthetically. I hope it goes without saying, but my skin is mine only – there’s less than a 50/50 chance this perfectly translates to anyone else. But, the basics are there! And I love helping others build a routine that feels intentional, so hit me up if you feel lost/overwhelmed/over it.
taking 📝 notes 📝
LETS GOOOO