Skin care is so important for a healthy body. Skin is actually the largest organ in the body so it is no surprise that the health of our skin and what we use on it affects our overall health. I am no expert by a long shot. But between the teen years, pregnancy hormones and especially postpartum hormones I do have a little experience with acne and frustrating conditions when your skin just doesn’t look as good as you want.
I am not the type to spend a ton of money on beauty products so this is my low maintenance skin care routine using affordable skincare products. This is what works for me and my skin, this exact process may not work for you and your skin. I hope it will but you may have to try a couple different products before you find the perfect fit.
I have tried cleansers that dried out my skin horribly and scrubs that were way too harsh on my skin. In the end I found that gentle products worked best for me. I have combination skin with an oily T-zone but my cheeks dry out very easily.
Next, I will cover my morning and evening routines as well as weekly skin care I try to do every Sunday. Then I talk about two things I suggest doing yearly that can be game changers! And finally, I will end with a product guide at the end with in depth descriptions and a review of the products I use.
This post may contain some affiliate links. This means I make a small profit from your purchase but at no increased cost to you. I only recommend products that I love and would purchase myself! Full disclaimer here.
Morning Skincare Routine
In the morning I focus on cleansing my face for the day, moisturizing it to feel good all day long and protecting it from the sun.
Low Maintenance Evening Skincare Routine
The evening skincare routine is all about cleaning off the grime of the day and repairing and recovering overnight for the day ahead.
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Weekly Skincare Routine
Some parts of skincare are necessary but are too rough on skin to be done every single day. Other things are too time consuming to be done every day so instead focus on doing them weekly!
2 Things to Do Yearly for Better Skin Health
For the healthiest skin possible consider adding professional treatments to your skincare routine. It doesn’t have to be very often, 1-2 times per year can be enough to make a big difference.
First up is to visit the dermatologist every year. This will allow you to address any specific concerns such as cystic acne, melasma, redness and so much more. Additionally, it is a good idea to be going to the dermatologist regularly to have your skin checked for moles or other early signs of skin cancer. Your health insurance may cover part or all of a visit to the doctor.
Secondly, you can get professional facials done 1-2 times per year to help target specific skin conditions or promote healthy skin. It probably isn’t as expensive as you might think with many facials starting in the $50-$75 range. I like to use Groupon to find specials on facials in my area too! It is a great way to support local and get a great deal.
Skincare Products and Reviews
Cetaphil Gentle Facial Cleanser
I have used Cetaphil products since I was in middle school, which at this point is over ten years ago! The Cetaphil gentle facial cleanser is super gentle and it works well for me. Most other cleansers I’ve tried dry out my skin horribly.
L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Hyaluronic acid serum is a deeply hydrating serum you apply to your face twice a day. Along with hydration it plumps skin and helps reduce wrinkles. I started using it because I started noticing small wrinkles appearing on my skin. Wrinkles may be natural but I don’t like them so this was a great gentle way to start addressing the wrinkles.
My only complaint is how small the bottle is for the price, I run out of this product fairly quickly.
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion
Just like the Cetaphil cleanser I have been using their lotion for over ten years. It is really lightweight and it leaves my skin feeling great. I use the moisturizer in the morning and at night.
Garnier Green Labs Pinea-C Serum Cream with SPF 30
This vitamin C serum helps brighten your skin, something I felt was really lacking after I gave birth to my son. It made a noticeable difference really quickly. It also contains SPF 30 and this was an easy way to start including sunscreen in my skincare. Something it was lacking before.
This Garnier Pinea-C serum is lightweight, gentle on skin and only has a slight sunscreen smell that disappears really quickly. I love using it!
Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Lip Care
Burt’s Bees lip balm is my absolute favorite. It feels good and is lightweight with no color to it. I keep one everywhere for easy access as I reapply multiple times a day.
Palmer’s Coconut Oil Lip Balm with SPF 15
When on vacation in Bali I got the worst sunburn of my life on MY LIPS! I had never experienced that before and afterwards set out to find a lip balm with SPF to prevent that from ever happening again. I found Palmer’s coconut oil lip balm to be the perfect, inexpensive solution.
Now if I am going to be outside for an extended amount of time I wear this. It is really lightweight which is nice but I do feel like it wears off fairly quickly so I keep it handy for frequent re-applications. I haven’t had sunburnt lips since.
Rael Beauty Miracle Patch
These pimple patches by Rael have been a staple in my skincare for several years now. When a large pimple pops up then I gently pop it and place one of these pimple patches over it. I usually sleep in it and by morning it has sucked all the junk out and decreased redness and swelling. Really large pimples may take 2-3 nights of this to completely disappear but it happens much faster than it would on its own.
The pimple patches are clear and not very noticeable so if you need to wear one during the day you definitely could. They also have larger patches for problem areas. I have used one on my chin before and it was amazing what it took out of my skin overnight! This is great if you get lots of acne in a small area like your cheek or chin.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
I CONSTANTLY have dry lips that are peeling despite my religious lip balm use. A couple months ago I added this lip mask to my routine and it seems to be helping. It goes on thick at night before bed and in the morning your lips feel super soft and moisturized.
Tinkle Dermaplaning Razor
If you want the best possible surface on which to apply your make-up for a smooth flawless look then I recommend you try dermaplaning. This dermaplaning razor sloughs off all the hair and dead skin which makes your skin look fresh and smooth.
Exfolikate Intensive Pore Exfoliating Treatment
Exfoliating is important to skin care however it is abrasive so you don’t want to use it too often. I feel like once a week is frequent enough to see the results but not overdo it. Find a way to remember to exfoliate such as by keeping the exfoliating scrub in the shower and incorporating it into your shower routine. I received this Exfolikate exfoliant in the FabFitFun box and loved it but it is pretty pricey.
The Aveeno Exfoliating Face Scrub is a MUCH more affordable option that is just as effective and has so many positive reviews.
Ceale Facial Steamer and Pore Vacuum
This facial steamer and pore vacuum set is my favorite part of my skincare routine. The steamer feels amazing as it opens your pores with warm steam. Then you use the pore vacuum to suck out all the juck that has occumulated in your pores over the last week. I am always amazed by how much it gets out, it is super satisfying.
My husband gifted me this set for my birthday one year and I love it but it is a little pricey! This facial steamer and this pore vacuum are very affordable and simply have to be purchased separately on Amazon.
Face Mask
Face masks are fun to use but to be honest this is more of an occasional thing for me because they take a decent amount of time to use. I have tried several different kinds of masks from mud masks to films to gels. I don’t have one clear favorite and I enjoy trying new ones each time.
Masks are inexpensive and a great form of self care, I love including them in my low maintenance skincare routine!
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Low Maintenance Skincare Routine
Following this low maintenance skincare routine religiously will lead to better skin health. Do it every single day without skipping for best results. Try to build skincare into your routine so that you won’t be tempted to skip it when you are tired or running late. Consider putting all your skincare products somewhere easily accessible like your nightstand so that you can grab it easily.
The only time I treat my skincare routine differently is when I travel. My travel skincare routine is very simplified to only cleanser and moisturizer to save space in my luggage.
Is there anything you would add to your skincare? Let me know in the comments along with any questions.
