It’s the last week of Skin School, so let’s put it all together! Building your ideal skincare routine is all about identifying your goals, being real about how much time you have, getting the timing right and understanding how much product to use. By now, you should have a pretty good idea of the key products and ingredients you’re looking to add to your routine.Check out this week’s homework to help you narrow in on the right products. In the meantime, let’s dive into the other factors behind building a skincare routine.
How Much Time Do You Have?
As tempting as it is to load up on skincare in the hopes that you’ll use it, you’re better off starting small and being realistic about what you can actually commit to. If you’re a busy new mom or a medical resident, you probably don’t have more than five minutes and that’s okay! The key to healthy skin is consistency. Here’s a quick look at what you might commit to based on your availability.
Really busy, No time
Daily:
Weekly:
3-5 products and/or tools
Dermaplaning or peel
Have More Time At Night
Daily:
2-3x Weekly:
3-5 products and/or tools
Peel at night
All the Time In The World
Daily:
2-3x Weekly:
1x Weekly:
5 products and/or tools
Peel at night
Dermaplaning
When to use your skincare
Remember what we said about consistency? Your skin loves getting the same treatment day after day, week after week. But some things are best applied at night or only used a few times per week. Here's your cheat sheet:
Product
Timing
Frequency
Cleanser
2x Daily
Epidermal Growth Factors
2x Daily
Hyaluronic Acid
2x Daily
Vitamin C
1x Daily
Anti-Aging Peptides
2x Daily
Peels & Masks
1-5x Weekly
Retinol
1-7x Weekly
Moisturizer
2x Daily
SPF
1x Daily and as needed
Microneedling
3-5x Weekly
Dermaplaning
1x Weekly
High Frequency
1x Daily
Ice Rolling
2x Daily
skincare serving sizes
So now you know when you should apply your products, but how much should you really be using? In general, people apply too much skincare–except for SPF, which most people under-apply. Reference this quick guide to use the right amount every time.
Product
Serving Size
Cleanser
Quarter-sized dollop
Serums
3-5 drops
Peels
1 dropper full or enough to evenly cover face & neck
Retinol
Pea-sized dollop
Moisturizer
Dime-sized dollop
SPF
1/2 tsp or quarter-sized dollop
a word on spf
We haven’t talked much about SPF at Skin School but that doesn’t mean it’s optional! You need to apply sun protection Every. Single. Day. While there are a lot of premium sunscreens available, there are also a lot of great options at your local drugstore. It’s worth testing a few to find one that you really love using. In general, we prefer physical sun protectants like zinc oxide to chemical screens because they are less irritating to sensitive skin. Want to learn more? Check out this simple sunscreen guide.