In this new day and age of skincare fanatics obsessing over sunscreen and wrinkles, sometimes it’s best to take a breather and realize that you don’t need to be doing a 10-step routine every night to have good skin. Not only that, but when caring for your skin turns into an obsession, it’s best to realize that aging is not the end of the world whatsoever. Nonetheless, looking after your skin goes far beyond physical appearance; it’s important to remember how damaging the sun’s rays can be and to protect your skin accordingly. Say goodbye to your expensive, arduous skincare routine: here are a few simple and cheap tips that you can apply to your routine starting today – aside from sunscreen.
5. Stop washing your face in the morning
I’m fully aware of how gross this sounds. But it makes more sense than you think. If you’re a skincare addict, a self-proclaimed aficionado, then you likely have more chemicals on your face than you really need. While you’ve no doubt researched the main ingredients and poured over the best possible combination for your own skin, sometimes the best thing for your skin is nothing at all. (This excludes a decent moisturizer and SPF.) Putting numerous products on your face could end up making your skin drier than before. Many who swear by this tip simply wake up in the AM and continue on with their morning routine. I, however, prefer to splash water on my face to get rid of last night’s residue, feel more refreshed, and put on my moisturizer while my skin is still damp. Not only can you see improvements in your skin, but you also save a few precious minutes in the morning.
4. Slugging
This particular trick has already made its rounds in the TikTok community, resulting in both resounding successes and tremendous failures. As is the case with every skincare product, it won’t work for everybody. Many claimed that slugging not only broke them out, but it left their pillowcases disgusting and dirty. As a long-time back-sleeper, I, fortunately, have never had to deal with that specific issue. But I’ve personally found that putting a little bit of Aquaphor or Vaseline on top of my favorite moisturizer has kept my typically dry and sensitive skin from being, well, dry and sensitive. Like I said, it’s not for everybody. But if you haven’t tried it yet, it’s definitely worth a shot!
3. Banana peel mask
Outside of my usual nighttime routine, I’m pretty lazy when it comes to skincare. Normally, I couldn’t be bothered to take time out of my day to apply a face mask, especially when I don’t notice a huge difference. But one of the tips my mom taught me that has stuck with me since I was young is to use your leftover banana peel and gently rub it all over your face, before any products have been applied. Wait a few minutes until your skin feels tightened and then rinse it off. The nutrients rich in the peel, especially the Vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, help brighten your skin and improve elasticity. This is as easy as it can get, and even if you don’t see a huge improvement, you can at least use the mask as an excuse to get your potassium in!
2. Tretinoin
If you’ve heard of retinol, then you know how beneficial it is and how much of a staple the product is. Tretinoin is similar to retinol, but it’s much more potent than the latter, and thus you need to get a prescription in order to receive it. It’s relatively easy, however, and if you use your health insurance, the product becomes significantly cheaper, which is always a plus. Tretinoin works so well because it affects the production of your natural skin oils, or sebum. Because of its potency, it’s always recommended that you start off slow and pair your new product with a moisturizer-dense routine in order to protect your skin from UV rays.
1. Double cleansing
There is no sky-high tower without a successful foundation. The same can be said for skincare. You could be applying the most expensive, effective products every night without fail, but if you aren’t fully washing off the makeup and other dirt on your face, then they’ll never work. The method of double cleansing, using an oil cleanser followed by a gentle foaming cleanser, originated from East Asia, and its effectiveness has now recently introduced the trick to the West. While the idea of using two cleansers may sound like it would be stripping and damaging to the skin barrier, it actually is not. As long as you aren’t furiously scrubbing your face, the only thing double cleansing will do is make sure you’ve removed all traces of the day and have fully prepped your skin to be further replenished by your following skincare products. Like everything else on this list, give it a shot! You might end up loving it.