A skin care routine doesn’t need to be expensive, complicated or time-consuming. So let’s talk skin care on Currently Loving – 5 minute Skin Care Routine.
Ever since having my first child and especially now that I’m 30, I’ve been mulling over the idea of starting a simple low maintenance skin care routine that is actually sustainable. Basically I had been thinking about this for 2 years but hadn’t actually started one! So halfway through my second pregnancy, I decided to finally start a routine after baby #2 was born!
Now before I share my routine, let me confess that I have never been one of those girls that loves skin care products. On the contrary, I feel like I’ve spent most of my life avoiding them at all costs. Growing up I was pretty much a tomboy whose skin care routine consisted of washing my face with soap and applying sunblock sometimes. Fast forward to my post college days and I started using the occasional crappy moisturizer here and there.
So overall I’ve never had a good skin care routine. And it’s totally time to change that!
Key requirements for my skin care routine are to:
- Keep it simple, fast and achievable in 5 minutes
- Use all natural products that are cruelty-free
- Find affordable products
My goal with this routine is to lessen the appearance of some little wrinkles and sun spots (I have a lot of these), and to keep my face smooth, clear, healthy, and hydrated.
After doing a crazy amount of research on tons of products, ingredients and people’s experiences, I landed on 5 products as a part of my routine. They are all reasonably priced, easy to purchase and simple to use.
I can honestly say that so far I’ve loved my morning and night routine as well as every one of these products. They have all made my skin feel amazing especially after giving birth! And even with a crazy sleep schedule and 2 kiddos, I’ve been able to keep up with this routine without a problem! Woot woot!
Disclaimer: please realize this is a super basic, low maintenance and absolutely minimalist skin care routine. I only wear make up about 25% of the time and try to keep my face as natural as possible. Therefore my routine does not include things like make up remover, serums, under-eye cream, primer, make up, etc etc.
As far as how to use the products, I like applying each of them and then waiting 30 secs-1 minute for each product to dry. I’ll drink my coffee, brush my hair or brush my teeth in between each.
Morning and Evening Routine
1. Gentle Daily Cleaner
[amazon text=Burt’s Bees Brightening Daily Cleanser&asin=B00VXIIXWK] – All natural and made with daisy extract, this cleanser is super soft and moisturizing. I love it’s lovely light smell and the fact that it makes my face feel hydrated, soft, clean and brighter. The hubs loves this cleanser for his face too!
2. Toner
[amazon text=Everyone Face Tone Skincare&asin=B00C7Q6HVG] – After cleansing, I spray on this refreshing toner. Made with plant extracts, rose water and essential oils to balance out my skin while leaving it hydrated and refreshed. I also feel like this toner helps my pores appear smaller. On stressful or long days, I love spraying toner on my face during the day too as a refreshing pick-me-up.
3. Oil (nighttime only)
[amazon text=Aura Cacia Argan Oil&asin=B00K8C2DPK] – After cleansing and spraying my face with toner at night, I massage a few drops of pure argan oil directly onto your face and neck. Since it’s a dry oil, it absorbs quickly and is not greasy. So far I’ve loved this oil as it’s loaded with fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that moisturize, soften and protect my face from sun damage. I’ve even read you can add it to your hair for shine and leave-in conditioning.
4. Retinol (nighttime mostly)
[amazon text=Baebody Retinol Moisturizer Cream (face and eyes)&asin=B01FLO5914] – This cream is awesome!!! I’ve been using it for almost a month and have seen results already.
- dark circles under my eyes (aka new mom eyes) are lighter
- face feels smoother and tighter
- small wrinkles around my eyes are less noticeable
I normally use this retinol cream at night but if I end up using it during the day I make sure to wear SPF as retinol can make your skin susceptible to sunlight.
5. Moisturizer (daytime only)
[amazon text=Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion&asin=B002K8UB9A] – This is a really interesting feeling lotion. It’s mattifying so it works to absorb oils and give skin an overall matte appearance. It feels great, hydrates my skin, and has given me clearer-looking skin. Plus I like the way it smells and the fact that it’s all natural and made with Tea Tree Oil.
Lastly but not least, SPF! I try to wear some sort of SPF as much as possible!
This is it you guys! A super simple routine that takes me about 3-5 minutes every morning and evening. A simple natural way to take care of my face without spending a ton of time or money. For once in my life I feel like a found a routine I can stick with that actually works.
Originally posted 2017-09-13 06:00:00.
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