The Best Minimal Skincare Routine for a Glowing Complexion

Healthy, glowing skin requires a balanced skincare routine which can take some time to perfect; Especially because the effectiveness of each product depends on your skin type, tolerance levels and many other factors.

Still, skincare has been notorious for being overly-complicated and expensive. In fact, neither one of those is necessary to achieve that glowing complexion. According to many expert dermatologists, a skincare routine only needs three steps: cleanse, treat and protect.

So what does that look like for you? Let’s get into it.

Here is the best minimal skincare routine for the perfect complexion.

Other factors such as nutrition and healthy living affect your skin as well. Read this post for the ultimate detox and healthy reset to get the best results possible!

The Perfect Minimal Skincare Routine for a Glowing Complexion

Having a daily skincare routine is really important for healthy, clean skin.

You only need three simple steps in your skincare routine to get the most effective results.

However, because everyone’s skin is so unique and individualized, no matter the step, you should use a product that caters to your skin type. For example, the first step to any skincare routine is cleansing, however, the type of cleanser you should get is determined based off what your skin needs.

If you don’t know your skin type already, feel free to take a moment to complete this quick 5-minute skin type quiz.

Now let’s get into each step and what that can look like for you!

3 Step Minimal Skincare Routine

STEP 1: Cleanse

Cleansing the skin is meant to remove any oil, dirt, pollution and any unwanted dead skin cells off of your face. This helps to maintain clear skin, boost hydration, and lower the impact of aging.

It is considered the first step of your skincare routine because it helps to increase the effective of the rest of your products. It will be harder for those products to reach and absorb into your skin if it is not cleaned properly.

Picking a cleanser comes down to your skin type and what you feel is your biggest focus or problem area.

If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to stop and take this 5-minute skin type quiz. This quiz also gives you their top 5 recommended products for your skin type.

For me, my blackheads and clogged pores are my biggest concern. I want a cleanser that is going to fight deep in my pores. The $7 Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser is my favorite and I have found great results using this. Like I said, skincare doesn’t have to be expensive.

Dermatologist Recommended Cleansers:

Morning vs Night-time Cleansing

Morning:

Oil and other bacteria can accumulate throughout the night so it is recommended to cleanse your skin in the morning as well as the night. This will also give you a clean, smooth palette to layer products and makeup.

If you have an acne prone, oily skin type, skipping this step in the morning may not be the best option.

However, I tend to stay away from cleansers in the morning and simply wash my face with water.

The benefit of washing with only water is that it doesn’t strip your skin of all the good, natural oils your face produces when you sleep.

Night:

Let’s face it…your skin can get fairly dirty going throughout your everyday life. Whether that consists of makeup, oil, sweat, dirt or more, your skin definitely needs a good cleaning by the end of the day.

For this reason, you should always cleanse your skin at night.

STEP 2: Treat

Once your skin is all clean, this step is where you really narrow in on what your area of concern is and treat that.

Whether you want to treat fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, uneven skin tone, clogged pores, skin brightening or dark spots, your treatment product should cater toward that.

The options for different treatments are endless. Be sure to do some additional research on which one is right for you.

Dermatologist Recommended Products:

Morning vs Night-time Treatment

Morning:

For the morning, I like to look for something that will brighten my skin and get it ready for the day ahead. I found that the L’Oreal vitamin C serum makes my face look brighter and continues to treat clogged pores and prevent sun damage.

Vitamin C serum is also good for improving the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Other treatments in the morning can include a toner, facial mist for hydration, or another serum.

Night:

Just like the morning, your night-time treatment should cater to your area of concern. Personally, I like to use a toner for this step at night.

Toner remove any last trace of dirt, grime and impurities on the skin. This can reduce the size of pores and make the skin appear younger. This is the perfect option at night because going to sleep with clean skin is important to prevent acne and clogged pores.

Some toners tend to dry out the skin so keep that in mind when picking the right one for you.

One of my favorite toners is the Biore Witch Hazel Pore Clarifying Toner $7.

STEP 3: Protect

After you have cleansed your skin and treated your problem areas, you are finally ready for the final step: to protect your skin.

This includes SPF in the morning and a moisturizer at night.

Our skin is fragile and the intense UV-rays and climate can seriously damage the skin.

Applying a moisturizer and sunscreen each day is important. You can even combine these into one product with a SPF-containing moisturizer.

In the summer, you may want a lighter moisturize and in the winter with typically dryer, colder climate, you may want a heavier moisturize. You also want to factor in your skin type when deciding which kind of moisturizer to get.

Dermatologist Recommended Products:

Morning vs Night-time Protectors

Morning:

In the morning, you need to make sure that you are applying something with SPF.

SPF should be worn EVERYDAY! Even in the winter and days where the clouds are covering the sky, UV-rays are still hitting your skin and therefore, can cause damage.

If you have only one step in your entire skincare routine, LET IT BE SUNCREEN.

My favorite SPF moisturizer is the Trader Joe’s Daily Sunscreen with SPF 40 $9. It guides right on your skin and leaves your skin feeling really smooth and hydrated.

Night:

Because SPF is not needed at night, feel free to use whatever moisturizer is best for you. It doesn’t have to contain SPF.

Weekly Skincare Routine:

Along with your daily skincare routine, there is a few things that you can do on a weekly basic that will also help to achieve that glowing complexion.

Face mask. Clarifying and exfoliating masks should only be done 1-2 times per week in order to avoid drying out and irritating your skin. Hydrating and sheet masks can be done up to 3 times per week.

Clay face masks are one of my favorite kinds of masks because they remove oils and dirt as well as draws out clogged pores deep in the skin.

My favorite face masks include:

Other Important Steps for a Glowing Complexion

Hydrate. Drinking water is one of the best ways to get a glowing complexion.
Eat a balanced diet. Your diet affects your own body including your skin! Lots of greasy, processed foods will result is greasy, dull skin.
Regular exercise. Exercise increases your blood flow and circulation which allows your skin cells to get a higher amount of oxygen and nutrients that they needs for glowing skin.

Finally, be sure to stay consistent with your skincare! You won’t get glowing skin overnight.

Additionally, until you find products that work for your skin, keep assessing how it affects your face and the effectiveness of the product. Sometimes you have to try out a few different brands and types of products before you find the one that works.

For more specific and individualized help, reach out to a certified dermatologist.

The Best Minimal Skincare Routine for a Glowing Complexion

The Perfect Minimal Skincare Routine for a Glowing Complexion