My 2-Step Skincare Routine

How much product does your skin really need? Lately I’ve been wondering about this very question, basically because I’ve stripped down my skincare routine significantly since the new year or maybe even late December. My skin got so dry to the touch that it actually felt as though I could sandpaper down a piece of wood with it. But not being convinced by the need for toners for quite some time I decided to cut out toners for a while. And it hasn’t been long and I’m seeing my skin clear up dramatically, which leads me to be a bit more philosophical.

Empty yourself up first, in order to fill your cup!

Here lies my December 2019 resolution. I really wanted to spring clean my self before the new year and in order to open myself up to opportunity I felt I needed to let go of a lot of things. Now I won’t get personal because this is a skincare post after all, but I’ve applied the same mindset to my skincare routine as I do to well, my life I guess. And that is, to let go of products to clear my skin instead of adding things to fight breakouts. Is this making any sense? I was always one to add an oil to help with pimples, texture and clogged pores or even a potent serum with active ingredients to kill all those breakouts taking up surface area on my face. And by applying this philosophy to my skincare routine, I not only cut out toner, but my serum step as well as my oil step. So what was I left with? Clean, clear, hydrated skin!

Start from the inside and work your way out

I can’t write a skincare post without mentioning the role that a good diet plays in all of this. And it would be misleading of me to say my results are purely on the basis of products because what we put into our bodies will always reflect on the outside. Eliminating toxins such as nicotine and inflammatory foods like dairy has really changed my skin. I think I’ve been ‘off’ dairy for 3 weeks maybe and I do feel it played a role in clearing up my skin, getting rid of tiny pimples and under the skin bumps, I can finally say my pores are no longer clogged and my dark circles appear reduced. My skin is looking spick and span for the new year and I am all smiles about that.

The 2-Step Skincare Routine

Yip! Turns out that’s all you really need. Two steps for an effective skincare routine that keeps your skin clear and hydrated. Can you imagine how much money you’re saving? I used to be a firm believer in serums and oils but honestly, this skincare routine works just as well without all the pretty fluff. so here we go…

The Morning

I usually splash my face with lukewarm water as my ‘cleansing step’, mainly because there’s no oils or heavy serums from the night before that needs to be taken off. The moisturiser that I used at night will have sunk in so there’s nothing sitting on the surface of the skin that needs a cleanser to take it off. I would however use my cleanser if my skin is dry but that’s about once or twice a week. So post ‘water splashing phase’ I go straight in with my moisturiser. I know right, so simple! My most recent purchase has been the Toleriane Ultra Creme from La Roche Posay. It’s a lightweight cream that feels a bit thick when you first apply it onto the skin, but it really sinks into your skin and keeps it hydrated throughout the day. No serum needed. And step-2 is of course sunscreen. Where would this blog be if I didn’t use sunscreen every day! I think I’ve been using an spf50 every day since I was 22. I’m almost 30 guys. It works! The sunscreen I’ve learned to love is the Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence, which is a change from my beloved Missha sunblock but Korean and Japanese sunscreens are hard not to love.

The Evening

Now this is where I used to slather my face with anything and everything in my skincare cabinet. And I would alternate products depending on how my skin was feeling. It’s strange to me now that my skin was changing so often that I didn’t have a set routine for a long time. Now my skin is calm and just super chilled. Can I say that? That’s how my skin feels now, super chilled. So again the 2-step routine applies here: cleanse and moisturise. The Clinique take the day off balm has been a favourite of mine for so many years I hate the brand for not having a recycling system where consumers can take back all the packaging. I collect so many of these tubs that it feels ridiculous to throw away solid packaging that the brand could reuse and recycle. But the product is really effective at removing makeup and also keeps the skin soft which is great for all of us with parched skin. And the final product…the La Roche Posay moisturiser… wow what a shocker! But this is it – my effective 2-step skincare routine for 2020! Hope you guys found this post helpful and insightful. Wishing all of you the very best for the year ahead!