The Most Effective Skin Care Routine for Beginners

Don’t know where to start with your skin care regimen? This post will show you the best step-by-step skin care routine for beginners.

Starting a skin care routine can be very tricky and confusing in the beginning. Personally, I was very overwhelmed with all the different routines and products out there, which led to many unnecessary purchases. Luckily, you won’t have to go through that because I am about to share the most essential steps you should take to meet your basic skin care needs.

By the end of this, you will have all the skincare knowledge you need to begin your journey to achieving and maintaining glowy skin.

Best Skin Care Routine For Beginners

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This post goes over a basic skin care routine for beginners. There are additional steps you can add in as you advance in your skin care journey, such as using oils, exfoliants, and essences. But, this post solely goes over the foundational steps that every person should begin with when getting into skincare.

Some people have a 15-step skin care routine! But when just starting to build your skin care routine, you don’t want to overwhelm yourself or you might just end up skipping the routine altogether. Thus, I will be sharing with you the skin care routine steps every person should to start with!

Morning Skin Care Routine

1. Cleansing

In the morning, you want to cleanse your face, but you also do not want to strip the natural oils from your skin. Therefore, you should start your morning off with a light, gentle cleanser. Many people actually don’t use cleansers in the morning, and simply wash their face with water. However, if you are just starting out with skin care, I suggest you use a cleanser in the morning so you can get into the routine of cleansing your face.

Top 3 Cleansers:

1. 1. Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser│$16
    Not only do I approve of this cleanser, but it is also one of the top choice cleansers amongst dermatologists and other skin care experts. This cleanser gets rid of the dirt and bacteria on your face while still retaining your skin’s moisture. This is a must-try for anyone and everyone, no matter what skin type you have.
  2. Aesop Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk│$35
    Now, this cleanser might be a little pricey, but it truly is an amazing cleanser that does the job perfectly. It feels like you are having a mini facial every time you use this because it is very soft and soothing on the skin. I will say, there is an herbal fragrance to this product, but all of my friends and family who’ve tried it don’t mind it—I actually love the smell of this cleanser :). It is vegan and cruelty-free, which is a big plus!
  3. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser│$15 – This cleanser exceeds all expectations you have for a cleanser — it is truly a quality cleanser. The consistency of this cleanser is amazing, and it feels so good on the skin in the morning. It takes care of your basic skin care needs, no matter what skin type you have. It’s gentle on the skin, and I especially loved using this when I had acne and textured skin.

2. Moisturizing

The second step of a morning routine skin care routine for beginners should be moisturizing. There are so many benefits to using moisturizers, such as preventing wrinkles, dry patches, and even acne. No matter how oily your skin might feel, please don’t ever skip out on moisturizers! Your skin needs hydration, no matter what skin type you have, and without it, your skin problems can get much worse.

Top 3 Moisturizers:

1. 1. Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion│$12
    This is an amazing moisturizer that is great for the morning because it is very lightweight, but also leaves your face feeling hydrated. Personally, I have tried all the other moisturizers from Cerave, and this is the best one. You can never go wrong with this moisturizer, and if you have not found a good moisturizer yet, go for this one!
  2. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream│$14
    I especially recommend this to anyone who has more of a dry complexion, but it can still work for everyone! It deeply hydrates your skin, but also soaks into your skin smoothly, so you don’t have to worry about your makeup caking over it. Even if you have another daily moisturizer, I recommend keeping this in your drawer for the wintertime—thank me later!
  3. Vanicream Moisturizing Cream│$13
    This is another great drugstore moisturizer that is great for the morning. Right on the front of the product, it tells you that it is free of dyes, fragrance, etc, so you won’t get irritation from using this. This is another light and gentle moisturizer that is suitable for all skin types. It does everything the products do, but it’s only $7!

3. Sunscreen

I cannot emphasize this enough —everybody use sunscreen every single day! Even if it’s pouring rain or snowing where you live, you need to be using a sunscreen every single day. Sunscreen is the best way to prevent aging, discoloration, and hyperpigmentation on your face, so this is a big essential that should be incorporated into a skin care routine for beginners. I suggest you use a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30 to ensure you are getting the most sun protection possible.

Top 3 Sunscreens:

1. 1. Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40│$34 – This is one of the best sunscreens I have ever tried, and I am honestly surprised it is not worth more. It is so lightweight, does not leave a white cast on your face, and it is not greasy —the formula in this sun screen is truly magical.
  2. Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 36 │$15 – If the Supergoop! sunscreen is not in your budget (please ask for it for your birthday :)), this is another great alternative. It is also a very lightweight sunscreen that soaks into your skin fairly quickly, so you don’t feel a heavy layer of product on your face after using it.
  3. First Aid Beauty Weightless Liquid Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 │$34 – Just like it says on the bottle, it is a weightless sunscreen, and it is great because it quickly absorbs into your skin. It does not feel oily, and it also does not leave that white cast on your face. I think this is a great sunscreen to use on a daily basis, especially for those who wear makeup daily because it so lightweight.

Nighttime Skin Care Routine

1. Remove Makeup

If you wear makeup, this is the most important part of your nighttime skin care routine. Honestly, even if you don’t wear makeup, you should still do this step to get rid of the moisturizer and sunscreen that seeped into your skin throughout the day. The #1 rule of skin care 101 for beginners is to never sleep with makeup on. This can lead to clogged pores, irritated skin, and a whole lot of other messy consequences. With that said, it is also important to use a makeup remover that cleans your makeup off, but does not dry or irritate your skin. So, I don’t recommend using makeup remover wipes—they can be irritating, drying, and rough on the skin. Opt for cleansing balms or oils, and there are a ton of great ones in the market.

Top 3 Makeup Removers:

1. 1. Banila Co. Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm│$22 – This is a great cleansing balm that removes your makeup super easily, and it is gentle on the skin. All you do is take a tiny, quarter-sized bit of the product & massage your face with the balm. Especially on days when you’re feeling a little lazy, this product is great because it is so quick, and all you have to do is massage your face. Also, a little goes a long way with this product, so it is definitely worth spending $20 on!
  2. Bioderma Sensible H2O Micellar Water │$15 – This is my personal favorite, but I recommend this product to those who do not wear a lot of makeup on a daily. If you wear a full face of makeup on a daily basis, I suggest using a cleansing balm or oil because it takes quite a bit of product to remove a complete face of makeup. However, the reason why this is a great product is because it is gentle and has clean ingredients that do not irritate your skin. It’s basically a better version of water. P.S. they also sell another version of this product for those with dehydrated, sensitive skin—Bioderma Hydrabio H2O Micellar Water!
  3. Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil │$32 – This is an amazing makeup remover oil that removes every bit of your makeup! Similarly to cleansing balms, you take a bit of the product on your hand and massage it all over your face. It begins to melt off your makeup, and it can remove the most stubborn lipsticks or mascaras! Yes, this product is over $30, but the quality of this product will make it so worth it! It does not leave your face feeling oily and gross after using it, and it washes off very easily.

2. Cleansing

For your nighttime routine, you should be double-cleansing —wash your face twice, especially if you wore makeup that day. Since you are double cleansing, you want a product that doesn’t dry or strip your skin. You can use the same cleansers you used in the morning, but for reference, I have listed 3 more amazing cleansers that you can opt for!

Top 3 Cleansers

1. 1. Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam Cleanser │$10 – The Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam Cleanser is one of the best cleansers I have come across—the day after I use this cleanser, my skin always feels so soft! This cleanser does an amazing job at deep cleansing your face without stripping your face. It is exceptionally cheap for such an incredible cleanser.
  2. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Face Cleanser │$15 – This is another amazing drugstore cleanser that has the quality of a high end cleanser. It deep cleanses your skin, and after using it, your skin will feel so refreshed! There are so many beneficial ingredients in this product that helps to heal your skin, such as Glycerin and Niacinamide.
  3. First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser │$21 – This cleanser is suitable for all skin types because it is very lightweight but easy on your skin. It does an amazing job cleansing all the dirt that has accumulated throughout the day, but your face won’t feel overly dried out after using it. Definitely a must try!

3. Toner

Toners should be used right after cleansing the face, while your face is damp—not completely dry. When looking for toners to use, make sure you look out for alcohol toners. Make sure the toner you use does not have alcohol in it because it will defeat the purpose of a toner and completely dry your skin out. Toners are essential because they help to minimize your pores, balance the pH of your skin, and remove deep impurities in the skin. There are a variety of toners that focus on different skin concerns, but I have listed 3 toners below that are amazing for all skin types.

Top 3 Toners

1. 1. Innisfree Green Tea Moisture-Balancing Toner │$17 – This is an incredible toner that hydrates, calms, and replenishes the skin. It works amazingly for people with sensitive or acne prone skin as well because it is attacks skin concerns without irritating or stripping your skin. The description of this product says it is for people with oily skin, but I have dry, acne-prone skin, and it works amazing on me! This product works wonders, and I highly recommend it to anyone in need of a good toner!
  2. Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner│$37 – First off, the ingredients in this product are amazing! Its key ingredients include, rice extract, hyaluronic acid, and bark extract. The ingredients might sound odd at first, but these ingredients work so well together, and helps with removing impurities, hydrating, and brightening the skin. You definitely notice a big difference in your complexion after using this toner regularly.
  3. KRAVE Beauty Kale-lalu-yAHA Face Exfoliator │$43 – This toner does wonders in minimizing the size of your pores, while leaving your face feeling replenished and hydrated. It has AHA, which is known to help brighten your skin, minimize pores, and reduce the appearance of fine lines. As you read, it helps improve the appearance of your skin without being harsh on the skin. This is another must try!

4. Serum

I believe that using a serum is a necessary step, even in a skin care routine for beginners, because it seeps deep into your skin to further improve your skin. There are serums that target different skin concerns, such as hyperpigmentation, dullness, acne, wrinkles, and more. So I recommend getting a serum that is focused on the specific skin concerns you have. Everyone has a skin concern, even if they have perfectly glowing skin, and you will be able to find a serum that fits your needs! Below are three different serums that are great for three different skin concerns!

Top 3 Serums

1. 1. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum │$7 – The Ordinary is a great brand to try out for anyone because it has great ingredients, it is very affordable, and it has products for many skin concerns. The Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum is great for deep hydration, and I especially recommend this to anyone with dryer skin. Another serum I recommend from The Ordinary is Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum, which is great for people with textured or acne-prone skin.
  2. Caudalie Vinoperfect Anti Dark Spot Serum │$79 – This serum is on the pricey side of the spectrum, retailing at $79, but it does an amazing job at even out your skin tone and texture. This product is great for those who want to tackle spots from sun damage or dark spots in general. After using this consistently, you will see a huge difference in the evenness of your skin!
  3. Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum │$85 – This serum is another pricey serum, but I think it is a great deal for the quality of the product! It is a Vitamin C serum, which means it helps to brighten the skin and reduce the signs of wrinkles. If you deal with dull skin, uneven texture, or sun damage, this is a great serum to use at night!

5. Moisturizer

Always end your night with a nice, repairing moisturizer that will hydrate your skin throughout the whole night. Applying a moisturizer at the end of your routine is crucial because it locks in the hydration in your skin, and it acts as a barrier that protects your skin. As I mentioned earlier, moisturizing is crucial for every skin type.

Top 3 Moisturizers

1. 1. 1. Honest Beauty Hydrogel Cream │$20 – This moisturizer is AMAZING! It is a hydrogel cream, which allows it to soak into the skin so quickly without being greasy and grimy. The consistency is great, but the results of using this are even better. It truly leaves your face feeling healthy and hydrated after using it.
    2. Olehenrikson Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator │$36 – This is an amazing moisturizer that is lightweight, and leaves your face feeling hydrated but matte. I recommend this to those with oilier skin, or you can keep it in your skincare collection for the summer season.
    3. Farmacy Daily Greens Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer with Moringa and Papaya │$38 – This moisturizer has Moringa Seed Extract and Papaya Extract, which are great for calming the skin down. Thus, it is a great product for the night time because it is hydrating, but also soothing. It is oil-free and a gel consistency, so it soaks into the skin quickly.

This post went over the most effective skin care routine for beginners!

Once you get these basic skin care steps down, I guarantee you will see a noticeable difference in your skin!

Comment your thoughts below, or share this with someone who is interested in skincare!

The Most Effective Skin Care Routine for Beginners