
As busy mothers we all know how easy it is to just skip washing our face “just this one time” like twice a week. I get it. Sometimes I am just so exhausted from a long day, I just want to pass out watching Netflix and not think about anything else. Or I am running around in the mornings and I honestly just forget to wash my face! But my skin was looking rough, you guys. I realized that my complexion was so uneven and my skin was dry and dull. I promised myself that every morning and every night I was going to finally stick with a skincare routine. My routine is a bit different now that it is summer, and I wanted to share with you busy bees how to achieve your own 5 minute summer skincare routine.
This post contains affiliate links. To read my full disclosure click here.
Let’s first talk skin type.
My skin is naturally pretty dry and being in Colorado, the high elevation and dryness is not kind to my face. So naturally, I am drawn to any product that is moisturizing. But if you have super oily skin and you are thinking, welp, this post is not for me… hold on. When I worked for a short time at the Clinique counter at Macy’s, I learned more about skincare in just a few months than I ever had my entire adult life. One thing that seems to be a common misconception is that you don’t need to moisturize if you have oily skin. WRONG! So wrong. If you wash your face and you get that tight “squeaky clean” feeling, that is not good people. You are stripping the natural and necessary oils and skin barrier.
“MYTH: Oil can be controlled by stripping skin with harsh, drying ingredients such as alcohol.
FALSE. Stripping the skin of oil can actually cause an overproduction of oil. Why? Because skin’s trying to make up for and replace what’s lost! Those who self-treat oily skin with alcohol-based products often end up with dehydrated, irritated, sensitized skin.” – Dermalogica
NOTE: I am no dermatologist, this is just what I have learned over the years and I am sharing my wisdom.
Choosing the right products
Face wash: So if you have oily, dry, sensitive or combination skin… it really does matter what type of product you use. I was taught that oily skin typically does well with a gel wash. Dry skin works well with creamy cleansers, and normal/combination can work with foaming cleansers. If your skin is sensitive and tends to get some redness, I like to go for cleansers that are fragrance free.
Toner: I personally think that any toner that has alcohol in it is a no-go. Some may be ready to put up an argument about this one. But hear me out. Alcohol is harsh. It can cause serious dryness, irritation, and even break-outs. There are “good” alcohols such as fatty alcohol’s,but in general I just try to stay away.
Moisturizer: I use a lighter moisturizer in the mornings and very thick moisturizer in the evening for my dry skin. If you have oily skin, don’t skip this step!
How to Stick With it
If you are like me and have a hard time sticking with a skincare routine, try these tips:
- Put makeup remover wipes on your night stand! If you are already in bed, it’s late, and you are NOT getting up any time soon… all you have to do is reach over to your nightstand and wipe down your face. This is not really ideal, but it is still better than going to bed with makeup on!
- Instead of putting your skincare products in a cupboard or drawer, put them right on your sink! It doesn’t look the best to have a cluttered sink, but decide if you want your face or your sink to look good! If your face wash and moisturizer and everything else is sitting there staring at you every day, you are way more likely to remember to do it!
- Put a reminder on your phone or a write on post-it and stick it to your bathroom mirror! I have an Alexa and sometimes I will even set a reminder on that to wash my face!
Ok, now that you have an idea of what products you should look for to fit your skin type, let’s jump in to my 5 Minute Summer Skincare Routine.
- Use lukewarm water (NOT hot!) to splash on your face. Then I take my cleanser and apply a thin layer over my face.
- I use my Foreo which is an awesome, compact tool. It came in my FabFitFun box (my favorite subscription box) It’s powered by Bluetooth technology and advanced skin sensors to create a totally personalized profile, which is sent straight to the FOREO LUNA™ app. If you don’t have this, just use your fingers to gently cleanse your face using small circular motions.
- I rinse my face with lukewarm water and pat my face dry only half way.
- Next is my spritz of toner. I really love the Botanics brand, which you can find at Target and Walgreens. I do this when my face is still damp to help lock in moisture.
5. Vitamin C, or L-ascorbic acid, comes next. This serum-consistancy product will boost production of collagen(keeps your skin supple and soft), reduces premature aging, improves overall skin texture and tone AND provides all-day protection from damaging free radicals and UV exposure. I have been using this product for just a couple of weeks now and have seen a huge improvement in my over-all skin tone.
Apply a thin even layer over your skin with a gentle pressing motion.
6. I love the Juice Beauty Smoothing Eye Concentrate to gently pat under my eye area. This formula won’t make your under-eye concealer cake or flake at all while providing moisture.
7. Moisturizer! I like to use different moisturizers depending on what my skin needs each day. If I have some blemishes , my go-to is the Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion. If my skin is parched from spending too much time in the sun or pool, I use Vitamin E Intense Moisturizer. If my skin is feeling pretty normal I reach for my Aloe Soothing Day Cream.
8. Sunscreen is my last step. I have been love loving this tinted sunscreen from a new brand called Amavara. I often just use this in place of a BB cream or foundation. It helps even out my skin tone while providing that needed SPF.
I let this all sink in while I am styling my hair, getting dressed, or drinking my coffee. Then I can apply my primer and start putting on my makeup!
Now, it seems like there are a lot of steps here. But I can do this all in 5 minutes or less, I promise! And so can you!
A quick re-cap:
- Cleanse
- Toner
- Serum
- Eye Cream
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
I do have a once or twice a week skincare routine that takes a little longer where I exfoliate and use a face mask, but I’ll save that for another post ! My nighttime routine looks a little different from this, so keep a look out for my evening skincare routine post coming soon!
Shop some of my favorite skincare products:
What does your skincare routine look like? What do you do to stick with it?
Those were good tips! I used to be so good about my morning and nighttime routines but now I definitely have been known to skip a few. lol. sometimes I dont even put makeup on because i dont want to have to take it off that night. Great post!
Oh I hear that! Now that it is summer I wear very little makeup, but some days none at all, exactly for that reason haha
I am the worst at maintaining a skincare routine. But you’ve motivated me to work on it. Thanks!
It is really hard for me to stick with it ! Good luck ! : D
To avoid the cluttered sink look while still keeping my products handy, I keep mine in a cute little basket! They have loads to chose from at TJmaxx or other stores!
Yes ! That is a great idea!! I have mine on a little tray but a basket may work even better. thank you
Thanks for all the tips. I am amazed at all the steps to take in taking care of our skin! I usually wash face then that’s all! hehehe But I do have tons of products on my shelf. I just apply when the problem arises. I should have a routine like yours.
I was honestly the same way for years! My skin is changing as I get older and I am realizing how beneficial it is to keep a routine going. Start small! Just start with washing and moisturizing daily, then add in additional steps as you feel comfortable. Good luck!
A good skin care routine is so important! I’m pretty adamant about my skin care because I’ve always struggled with acne.
I totally agree with you on choosing the right products. I used to skimp on the brands that I buy because I did not want to hurt my wallet. But geez what a difference did it make once I switched to better brands!! I am spending a little more but the results are amazing 🙂
Sounds like some great products! I need a good toner
My skin routine is nonexistent. I am taking your tips and running with them. You are such a pro, mama!
Love this! I am absolutely terrible at keeping with a skincare routine. I’m excited to read your bedtime routing and your mask routine in the future. 🙂
Hi Natalie . That a great tips. Thanks for share your routine. I’m also a dry skin, so your sharing would be very helpful. I’ll applied your tips to my routine. By the way, I’m using Non-Comedogenic Moisturizers For Face as shown in this site https://www.womensedge.org/best-non-comedogenic-moisturizers-face/. I found the positive result for dry skin. What do you think about that? Have you ever heard about the product? Anyway, I’ll follow other products you choose.
I couldn’t resist commenting. Exceptionally well written!
material here is rattling great , appreciate it for your efforts.
your posts are amazing.
Like!! Really appreciate you sharing this blog post.Really thank you! Keep writing.