An Easy 5 Step Skin Care Routine For Beginners

A consistent skin care routine is essential for healthy skin and doesn’t have to be long and cumbersome. Learn how to cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize and protect your skin to keep it youthful and radiant.

I also share my fave products for each step of this routine (some are optional) to help you get started!

*this post contains affiliate links*

1. Cleanse – Morning and Night – No Excuses!

Skin cleansing is a must morning and night. in the morning, use a gentle cleanser geared to your skin type to remove the sweat/oil/drool that accumulated on your face overnight.

A great cleanser at an affordable price is CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser for normal to dry skin types, or their CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for normal to oily skin.

If your skin is more dry or sensitive, consider a gentle cleanser like The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser, which is my most favourite when my skin is inflamed or irritated. 

For your night-time cleanse, if you wear makeup and/or SPF products, you will need to double cleanse your face and neck. This means using a makeup removing balm, oil or micellar water as a first cleanse and a gentle, water-based, sulfate-free cleanser as your second cleanse.

The double cleansing process ensures all makeup and SPF products are fully removed for clean, hydrated skin. Skin that is not properly cleaned will not fully absorb the products you put on top of it. For some skin types, it can also lead to clogged/enlarged pores or acne.

I currently use the Paula’s Choice Cleansing Balm as my makeup/SPF remover. 

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2. Exfoliate (only as often as your skin can handle without irritation!)

Exfoliation is the act of removing dead skin cells on the outermost surface of your skin and is an essential part of this easy skin care routine to give you a natural glow. The benefits of regular exfoliation can include:

• reduced pore size
• better absorption of skin care products
• reduction or prevention of acne/blackheads
• smoother skin texture
• brighter, more even skin
• reduced signs of sun damage
• potential anti-aging benefits
• reduced fine lines
• a reduction in ingrown hairs

Exfoliation can be done with a mechanical exfoliant (or”scrub”) or chemical exfoliant (acid). Acid exfoliating ingredients can include glycolic, salicylic and/or lactic acid.

I’ve been using acid exfoliants for over 10 years and can exfoliate daily; but if you are new to acid exfoliation, start slow and see how your skin reacts to it.

For acid newbies, I suggest you start out with a 5% glycolic and work your way up to daily use (I recommend Pixi’s Glow Tonic or The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid . If you have acne or blackheads, consider adding a salicylic acid exfoliant to your routine to deep clean pores.

Some of my fave acid exfoliants are the COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid (great for oily skin!) and Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant. If you experience dry or irritated skin after exfoliating, consider reducing the frequency or finding a milder formula. Don’t over do it; you could end up like the Joker, circa 1989.

If you’re truly terrified about putting acid toners on your face, try out an acid-infused lotion, serum or moisturizer like the Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant, which is infused with 8% glycolic acid. I highly recommend acid exfoliation for everyone, as tolerated. It will take your skin to the next level and give you a radiant glow!

**Note: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult with your doctor before using an acid product for exfoliation.

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3. Hydrating/Soothing Toner

I normally follow the exfoliation step with a soothing, hydrating toner. Toner restores the pH balance of your skin (which can be altered after cleansing/exfoliating) and makes skin ready to better absorb the products you put on after it.

Toner also hydrates the skin and can soothe irritation, depending on the ingredients included.

Look for an alcohol-free toner with glycerin in the ingredients for hydration. Ingredients such as aloe, chamomile, oatmeal will soothe irritated skin while niacinamide will help reduce oil output and minimize pores.

Recent toner favourites include The Body Shop’s Aloe Calming Toner and Klairs Supple Preparation Toner.

4. Moisturize 

Well moisturized skin looks plump and healthy and even oily skin types need to moisturize! Using a moisturizer made for your skin type will help your skin retain its moisture and avoid dehydration.

Look for a moisturizer that includes hyaluronic acid as a main ingredient to ensure your skin retains maximum moisture. My current favourite moisturizers are the Belif Aqua Bomb Cream (morning) and the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream for night.

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5. SPF Coverage – Always!

This step is soooooooooo important for skin. If you plan to leave the house during the daytime, you MUST use products containing sunscreen. Always. Even if it is cloudy. No excuses. No buts.

There is no point buying fancy serums, retinols or skin creams if you plan to step outside without sunscreen. Why? Sunscreen reduces the sun’s ability to damage your skin. Sun damage can cause wrinkles, skin discolouration and possibly skin cancer. Yikes!

It is especially important to use sunscreen after exfoliating and retinol use, which can make your skin even more sensitive to sun damage (but this is a moot point because you never leave the house without sunscreen, right?).

Look for a sunscreen that provides broad spectrum coverage with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 50. One of my fave sunscreens is the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Fluid linked below.

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Did you find this skin care routine for beginners helpful? 

What’s your current skin care routine for great skin?

Let me know (I’m nosy).