Skincare has become an increasingly broad topic with so many different products for many different ailments and goals which can confuse even people knowledgeable in the subject. I have avoided some aspects of skincare in the past for this reason. It seemed like such a chore to sort through the heaps of content and find out what moves the needle in terms of skin quality.
This post aims to establish an effective core skincare routine that can then be modified and added to in the future.
Following the core skincare routine consistently will give you most of your overall results, so if nothing else sticking with this should be your bare minimum. This also allows for experimentation, cost-effectiveness, and overall efficiency.
The Pareto principle: “Roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes”
We will then cover some of the most common lifestyle and diet interventions outside of the core skincare routine that impact the skin, then discuss popular products for specific issues like acne and aging.
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Building a 3-Stage Core Skincare Routine
Before starting, it may be helpful to learn about your specific skin type: is it dry, oily, or a combination of the two? This helps you tailor your product choices more specifically to your skin and what may suit it best.
However, this is not always necessary; some products are specifically formulated to be more flexible.
Now for the three-step core skincare routine: cleanse, moisturize, protect.
Cleanse
Cleansing allows for the removal of buildup from your daily life, things like bacteria, dirt, dead skin, and oils, as well as any other products used. This study showed cleansing regularly is even key for things like aging and the overall quality of the skin.
I use this gel cleanser from CeraVe as it is cost-effective and high-quality. It is good for use with many skin types.
Cleanse 1-2 times daily depending on your skin, schedule, and other factors. I usually cleanse in the evening to have a clean slate for everything I apply at the time. In the morning I do a slightly less intensive cleanse to remove those ingredients from the night before.
You may also try a two-step cleanse, where you will use an oil-based cleanser first to remove your daily products better, and then a second gel cleanser to get to the skin and clean it.
Consider using something like a cloth for light exfoliation, but don’t go overboard and scrape or irritate your skin.
Moisturize
Moisturizing helps the skin barrier and replaces some of what might have been removed while cleansing. It can help with both dry and oily skin as well, just choose a moisturizer that suits your skin type.
I moisturize in the morning and the evening after cleansing.
In the morning I use the CeraVe AM lotion and in the evening I use the CeraVe PM lotion. The AM lotion has SPF 30 so I don’t have to figure out what to do for sunscreen and further complicate my routine.
Protect
Sunscreen is key for protecting skin, excessive exposure can lead to damage and premature aging. Sun exposure is one of the top causes of premature aging.
Don’t worry though, there is ample evidence that daily sunscreen use prevents photoaging extremely effectively. Experts currently recommend daily use of a broad spectrum SPF 30 product. I simplify this step by using the CeraVe AM lotion I previously mentioned, it is SPF 30 offering great protection from the sun while also moisturizing the skin.
Some skincare procedures and products like microneedling or Tretinoin may increase photosensitivity to the sun making it even more important to protect against.
Factors Impacting Skin
Now that we have addressed the skin externally and established a core skincare routine, we should also quickly cover the factors impacting your skin internally. Internal factors include things like diet and hydration as well as your overall lifestyle. Even things like your gut health have an impact.
Nutrition & Skincare
To provide a brief overview, an optimal diet for skin health will likely consist of high-quality, whole, fresh foods as a staple. I like to eat a wide range of fresh organic fruits and vegetables for a variety of reasons. Quality protein will also be key here for repairing and maintaining healthy skin. Avoiding highly processed foods and foods that spike your blood sugar, as well as dairy, can help reduce acne for some people.
I won’t dive into deep health topics in this post but I would look into building a diet around supporting a healthy gut for many many reasons in regards to overall health which may provide downstream benefits to the skin. Lots of people who talk about skin gloss over or even advise against dietary changes which is shocking to me. External products can only do so much especially if you are unhealthy at baseline.
You can also look into supplementing with something like oral collagen which has been shown to provide some benefit. Make sure vitamin and other nutrients levels are kept up with and are in range. Things like beta carotene can also alter coloring which I find useful for fighting the pale look due to avoiding the sun. All topics for another time.
In terms of water, you should focus on hydrating yourself well. This might seem obvious but I recently started tracking my water intake and I was drinking surprisingly small amounts of water. If you don’t already and want to improve in this area start tracking your intake with a free app. A study showed that 2.25 liters of water daily did increase skin thickness but only for people who didn’t drink much before. I aim for 3 liters daily.
Don’t fret about eating chocolate or a dessert here or there, think about how you eat as a whole every day, and optimize those 2 or 3 meals you eat consistently. If you aren’t drinking enough at baseline, worry about that instead.
Lifestyle & Skincare
This is pretty similar to diet and hydration, you may already have each of these areas covered, and if you don’t – you probably already know where you need to improve. I won’t go into much detail here.
Avoid smoking, stress, and anxiety, and gravitate towards an active lifestyle filled with exercise. Cardio is great for circulation, strength training can tone your body, and yoga and meditation can benefit posture and relax you.
Sleep is a large factor here as it can cause that “dried out” look if you get poor sleep. Quality sleep allows for quality restoration and repair of the skin. Consider optimizing your circadian rhythm for optimal rest and recovery.
Specific Products & Goals
After consistently following our core skincare routine and addressing external factors we can start to tackle more personalized interests. This is the benefit of a simple core skincare routine, we are now free to experiment with our choices of active ingredients for things you may personally want to target.
Just remember that when you start adding products it may be tempting to buy and start using a ton of products at once (I have fallen victim to this) but for testing what helps you and reducing the chances of adverse reactions I recommend slowly introducing new products.
I will outline a few popular products used on top of the common cleanse, moisturize, and sunscreen routines.
Tretinoin
This product is one of my all-time favorites. I write about it in more depth here. Anyone serious about skincare or anti-aging likely has this in their core skincare routine.
Tretinoin is a heavily researched topical retinoid that can reduce the impacts of photoaging and improve collagen production, all while fighting and resolving acne more effectively. In the USA this product is available via prescription and many telehealth services offer it.
I have personally used Tretinoin for 1 year now and while I haven’t noticed drastic anti-aging results what I did see was a noticeable healthy glow to my skin and a visible reduction in pores, something I struggled heavily with beforehand. Cleaner, healthier skin overall in my case.
You do need to be careful with Tretinoin. There are different strengths available with the most common being 0.01%, 0.025%, and 0.05%. This is a strong product and I stick with 0.025% strength 2-3 times weekly. Some people continually increase the strength of the product as they adjust to it but I have not felt the need to.
Starting, you may try very small amounts after moisturizing to give your skin time to adjust, eventually increasing days of usage and perhaps before moisturizing depending on preference. You may notice skin irritation if you overuse this product. Avoid using this product anywhere near your eyes as some users have anecdotally reported dry eyes for extended periods, sometimes permanently when used without this in mind. Tretinoin itself does spread a bit so you should be very mindful when applying and using it. It also increases photosensitivity so sunscreen use in combination is a must here.
Despite how carefully it needs to be used, Tretinoin has been a great addition to my routine and I have noticed substantial improvement in my skin quality. If you want something similar but lighter to start with, check out Retinoids like Differin or for something even lighter: Retinol. These products work in similar ways and Differin is thought to be just as effective for acne while being less harsh on the skin.
I cannot recommend a specific product here as in many countries, Tretinoin is controlled. You can consult a telehealth service online for further information and convenience of purchase. Results may differ depending on the individual. Always consult a qualified medical professional regarding prescription products and medical information.
Chemical Exfoliants
Chemical exfoliants help the skin get rid of dead skin cells. They can help to further smoothen and brighten skin and have personally helped me finally achieve the complexion I have been trying to achieve for so long. Some even stimulate collagen production. These are a great addition to any core skincare routine.
I would argue they are safer than physical exfoliants and give a much better result.
My personal favorite chemical exfoliant is the AHA + BHA chemical peeling solution from The Ordinary (TO). I could not find the product consistently on Amazon but you can buy it directly from TO here.
I would advise caution and discretion with this product – it is extremely high strength and can burn you if used for too long or incorrectly. I burned myself for a day when I used this right after washing my skin with exfoliating soap, it’s no joke. The product instructions state to use no more than once or twice a week – I think this is too much and use it once a week at the most. Rub the product onto the skin, leave for 10 minutes, and fully rinse the skin.
To put it simply, AHA breaks down dead skin cells on the surface of the skin while BHA targets deeper into pores to remove buildup there. AHA on the surface helps collagen and brightness while BHA can work to fight acne and buildup.
This is an excellent combination and the simplicity and cost of The Ordinary’s combination product is why I recommend it. Of course, there are other products and chemical exfoliants available, this is just a cheap yet high-quality product with fair amounts of evidence.
Copper Peptides (GHK-CU)
Copper Peptides are also well-studied and provide benefits such as increased healing, antioxidant-like effects, reduced wrinkles, and overall enhancement of the skin.
“GHK is a naturally occurring peptide found in human serum with levels averaging 200 ng/ml at age 20 but declining to an average of 80 ng/ml by age 60. The molecule has a very high affinity for copper and forms the chelate GHK-Cu. The peptide as well as its Cu (II) chelate has anti-inflammatory and tissue remodeling properties. GHK-Cu has been shown to promote skin remodeling, wound healing, and regeneration, and has prominent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in in vitro and in vivo studies.” – The Potential of GHK as an Anti-Aging Peptide
I have seen great results with this product. As I mentioned before, Tretinoin alone was not enough to smoothen out some of my worst wrinkle areas but this topical peptide really helped me around the nasolabial fold areas, and my forehead wrinkles were also much less noticeable.
I currently use The Ordinary Copper Peptides as they are a reputable “no-nonsense” producer. If you wish, other brands offer stronger formulations.
Note: Some users complain about the “copper uglies” which may occur when overusing the product at high quantities/strengths. This isn’t something that overly concerns me as skin care is very personal, if you experience negative cosmetic effects you can either discontinue use or decrease the quantity used.
Other Products
There are, of course, many other products available for a wide variety of needs that you can think about adding to your core skincare routine.
Things like hyaluronic acid, topical Vitamin C, other types of peptides, collagen boosters, etc all may be things to check out depending on your personal situation.
Final Thoughts
This post has given you a solid core skincare routine for optimizing and enhancing your skin quality and will allow you to experiment more with specific interventions related to your own goals.
To end off I would just reiterate: worry about the small things after you have been following a base routine for a while – as boring as that is.
Hope this helped, best of luck.