Minimalist Skincare Routine: 3 Simple Steps for All Skin Types
Minimalist Skincare Routine: 3 Simple Steps for All Skin Types
Are you looking for a minimalist skincare routine that leaves you looking and feeling great without sacrificing a ton of time and money? If so, you’re in the right place!
With endless skincare products out there, it can be tricky to figure out what’s necessary and what’s not. In this guide, I’ll share a simple 3 step skincare routine for both morning and night. And, best of all, you’ll only need 4 products.
I’ll also share my top suggestions for clean beauty product essentials, all of which are entirely natural, organic, and non-toxic. This no-fuss skincare routine will work for you whether you have dry, oily, or combination skin. Let’s take a look!
What is a minimalist skincare routine?
A minimal skincare routine is one that requires fewer products and time. Too often, we use tons of products that our skin doesn’t love and that don’t react well with each other—a lengthy process with tons of different products also takes away precious time.
Taking on a simple skincare routine allows you to save time and money…and your skin appreciates it, too.
What do I need for my minimalist skincare routine?
To keep things really easy, your new skincare routine will only require 4 products:
- cleanser
- moisturizer
- SPF
- serum/retinol
Here are some top options for each, and they’re all organic, natural, and contain only ingredients that are safe for your skin.
A Killer Cleanser
Kiss clogged pores goodbye with a fabulous face cleanser! Using a cleanser each morning and night ensures you wash away makeup, excess oils, bacteria, dead skin cells, and pollutants.
For all skin types: One Love Organics Botanical B Enzyme Cleansing Oil
This cleanser is oil-based and can be used for all skin types. It removes impurities, maintains pH balance, and promotes the skin’s own moisture barrier. One Love’s cleansing oil doesn’t contain any parabens or sulfates, so you can rest assured your face will be gently exfoliated and left feeling refreshed and soft.
For dry skin: Fitglow Calm Cleansing Milk
Formulated mainly for dry skin, this cleanser is lightweight and calming. It’s plant-based and contains high-quality ingredients to naturally hydrate, stimulate, and replenish the skin’s natural pH levels.
Doubles as an exfoliator: Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser
Indie Lee’s cleanser doubles as a gentle exfoliator, and it’s excellent for all skin types to maintain a balanced complexion. It’s rich in antioxidants and utilizes coconut and sunflower oils to hydrate and tighten your skin.
Moisturizer
Every minimalist skincare routine needs a good moisturizer that’ll keep your skin hydrated. Keeping your skin moisturized is essential for avoiding skin issues such as acne and blemishes caused by being too dry or oily.
For sensitive skin: Pai The Anthemis Soothing Moisture
If you struggle to find the perfect moisturizer because of sensitive skin, this one’s for you. It helps to maintain moisture all day without worrying about a hypersensitive reaction. It’s alcohol-free and uses natural ingredients to soothe and soften your skin. If you experience skin conditions, such as rosacea, this product can help calm redness and extreme dryness.
For all skin types: Josh Rosebrook Vital Balm Cream
This lightweight cream is packed with organic natural plant derivatives and works great for normal to dry and sensitive skin. It provides a luxurious and refreshing sensation and maintains throughout the day, without feeling heavy.
For all skin types: Pai Love and Haight Hydrating Moisture
Normal and dry skin types will benefit from this moisturizing cream, which contains avocado and jojoba oils. Both hydrating and protective, Pai Love’s moisturizer helps replenish and condition your skin, leaving you with a glowing and nourished complexion.
SPF
One of the most common products left out of a simple skincare routine is SPF, but it’s one of the most essential. Utilizing sunscreen every day will not only protect your skin’s appearance but can also help prevent skin cancer and premature aging.
I will not go outside without sunscreen on my face, and these products are light enough that you won’t even realize you have sunscreen on!
For all skin types: Suntegrity 5 in 1 Tinted Moisturizer
Tinted to match your skin tone, this non-greasy sunscreen does everything! It hydrates and covers the skin while also priming and protecting it.
It contains antioxidants that clear the skin of free radicals on the surface and has natural ingredients like red algae and pomegranate for hydration and protection from the sun. As an added bonus, it also contains hyaluronic acid to help reduce fine lines and plump the skin.
For dry, sensitive, and mature skin: MARA Algae + Zinc Sea Kale Sunscreen
This MARA sunscreen is oil-based and offers SPF 30. It’s made of a lightweight formula that contains blue sea kale and hemp and works wonderfully for dry, sensitive, and mature skin types. It helps keep your skin protected from UV rays while also hydrating it. It can reduce the appearance of redness, too.
Serum/Retinol
Adding a serum or retinol treatment to your minimalist skincare routine is a sure way to maintain beautiful, glowing skin for years to come! This provides a ‘purging’ process that clears your pores of harmful bacteria to help prevent or reduce signs of aging.
For all skin types: Josh Rosebrook Active Infusion Oil
Love the idea of smoother, brighter skin? This active infusion oil will help your skin experience “cell turnover,” which improves the texture and elasticity of the skin and reduces fine lines. Also BHT-free, the herb and mushroom extracts will help regenerate and protect your skin’s structure.
For mature skin: Maya Chia The Straight A Bio Retinol
This is one of the best retinols for those looking to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and reduce redness. Maya Chica’s retinol is bursting with nutrients dense, is BHT-free, and delivers impressive results overnight.
For those with adult acne: Bluh Alchemy Botanic Retinol Cell Renewal Concentrate
Utilizing the plant-based Bakuchiol, an alternative to retinol, this collagen boost will improve your skin’s texture while increasing its firmness and elasticity.
Using some of the most innovative ingredients, like Tasmanian kelp and vegetable ceramides, this powerful formula will reduce your skin’s signs of aging. It can also help with hyperpigmentation and adult acne.
How do you do a simple skincare routine?
So, now that we know all the best natural, organic products for your simple skincare routine, let’s take a look at precisely what your AM and PM routine will look like.
AM Skincare Routine
There aren’t many things better than starting your day feeling refreshed and beautiful. And, a simple morning skincare routine can help you do just that! Best of all, it only takes a couple of minutes, so feel free to sleep a little longer!
Tip: If you want to apply makeup, you’ll do that after the following 3 steps.
Step 1: Cleanser
While you sleep, bacteria, oils, and dirt can enter your pores. Use a cleanser to start your day off feeling renewed with a freshly cleansed face.
Step 2: Moisturizer
Once your face is clean and dry, move on to a moisturizer that’s best for your skin type. You want to use a moisturizer each morning to protect your skin and maintain appropriate oil levels.
Step 3: SPF
That’s right! SPF is an integral part of every minimalist skincare routine, even if you aren’t going to the beach. According to Dr. Ata Moshiri, a professor of dermatology, applying SPF daily can prevent wrinkles, unwanted pigmentation, skin thinning, and cancer.
PM Skincare Routine
Let’s move on to your quick night skincare routine, which is equally as important as your morning one. After a long day of being exposed to touching your face and many external factors, you don’t want to skip treating your skin before bed.
Step 1: Cleanser
Again, you’ll use your cleanser to remove any makeup, dirt, excess, oils, and bacteria. Easy!
Step 2: Serum/Retinol
The reason you’ll use your serum or retinol at night is that this treatment can make your skin sensitive to UV rays. But, not to worry because you’ll cleanse it in the morning before you apply your SPF. This evening treatment is a sure way to reduce aging by reducing fine lines, blemishes, and wrinkles, while increasing collagen. Over time, you’ll notice firmer skin that glows.
Step 3: Moisturizer
During the day, your moisturizer protects your skin. At night, it repairs it. Apply before bed to keep your skin nourished and balanced while you sleep.
Enjoy Your Minimalist Skincare Routine
Skincare should be simple and effective, and that’s exactly what you get from using this 3-step process! I hope you’re excited about your new AM and PM skincare routine. Next, read about how you can build an effective clean skincare routine on a budget.
Looking for more info about Clean Beauty? Check out our comprehensive Clean Beauty 101 guide here.
