This is probably going to be deeply upsetting to the beauty community.
I do not complicate my skincare routine. I don’t have a 14-step beauty routine. I don’t even use expensive face wash…and I don’t use anything other than facewash. Why? Well, I’ve been using it since I was 18, and I have flawless skin. I don’t break out. I don’t have discoloration or redness, and I never have blemishes. With that said, why on earth would I change my routine?
I like to keep things simple. I learned from my grandmother (the single most beautiful woman on earth for over a century) that simple is almost always preferable, and there’s no reason not to take that kind of advice from a woman who was stunning every day of her life.
I don’t have a makeup fridge in my master bath. I don’t own any serums. I don’t use peptides or acids, antioxidants, retinoids, or whale sperm facials (apparently that’s a real thing?). Perhaps you should sit down for a moment, because I’m about to tell you I don’t even get facials – and I won’t. I don’t do peels or let anyone touch my skin. I don’t even touch my skin (true story…I never touch my face). I don’t change my products every three weeks when I don’t see immediate results.
I’m 43, and I have flawless skin, and I’m convinced it’s because I don’t overcomplicate things. I don’t make things harder on myself than they need to be, and I won’t make changes to something that obviously works beautifully. My skincare philosophy is essentially the same thing as my everyday philosophy: don’t make it harder than it needs to be.
I use Neutrogena (the pink kind) on my face when I shower in the mornings and in the evenings. My daytime moisturizer is Clinique Moisture Surge. My evening moisturizer is the Laneige Bouncy and Firm Sleeping Mask. And guys? That’s literally it, and it’s all linked right here.
The only other thing I do to my face is Botox twice a year (I have great Botox face…it lasts forever). I do my forehead, my 11s, and the laugh lines around my eyes. As for my body, I moisturize following every shower with my $12 Target purchased Eos lotion, and my skin is great.
I wear sunscreen. I wear a hat in the sun. I wear sunglasses anytime I’m outdoors. I don’t let my face touch the sun – ever. I keep things very simple, and I honestly think that’s why I have such great skin. But, I also adopted a few habits as a young teen that changed my skin for the better. I was prone to breakouts when I was a young teen, and I couldn’t stop it. So, I did the research (ie – I read magazines because it was the 1900s and the internet did not exist) and I learned what not to do.
That said, I wanted to share the habits that have allowed me to have flawless skin my entire adult life, well into my 40s.
I do not touch my face
Nothing touches my face except my makeup brushes, and those are washed every three days with a gentle makeup conditioning cream. I do not touch my skin. I don’t put my phone against my face. I don’t rest my hands on my face. I don’t lean my face on my hands when I’m tired. I don’t touch my face.
I eat well
I’m no perfect eater, but I do eat a healthy diet on a regular basis. I don’t overindulge in sugary sweets. I’m more of a protein-rich breakfast girl and a yogurt with fruit in the afternoon girl, and a healthy dinner girl. Don’t threaten me with a goodtime when there’s cookie dough or brownies, but I’m not eating them daily. And I’m certainly not into super greasy food.
I drink a lot of water
I’ve always felt that if our bodies are made up primarily of water, why not drink plenty of it? I hydrate because it’s good for me, and because water is actually my go-to beverage of choice. Nothing fancy. Just water. No flavors or anything like that. Just water. Boring? Perhaps, but it’s good for me.
I prioritize sleep
But let me be clear this is not for the sake of my skin. This is simply because I’m a bitch when I’m tired. I need to sleep a minimum of 8 hours a night to feel good the following day, otherwise I’m a living, breathing nightmare. Please ask anyone who knows me. It’s not for my skin, it’s for the safety of everyone around me. But I’m sure it’s good for my skin.
I don’t stress myself out
We all have stress in our lives, sure. But I don’t let mine stress me out (most of the time) to the point that it overtakes my life. Sure, I need a hot minute to have a breakdown and panic entirely and sometimes lose my cool, but if you give me 15 minutes I eventually remember that everything is figure-out-able and that it’s really not that big of a deal, and I’m fine again. And that also helps my skin.
The moral of the story is this
I keep my skincare routine as simple as possible because overcomplicating things, adding a million products and regimens and procedures cannot possibly be good for your skin. Simple is usually better. Like my grandmother always told me, there is usually a very simple solution to everything, and that’s usually something like sun, water, and movement. So, I spend time outdoors doing things I enjoy (gardening, reading, walking my dog), I drink plenty of water and I do spend time in the ocean when we are at the beach (because nothing cures anything quite as well as saltwater does), and I move my body and keep active.
What I’m trying to say is that I’m not an expert. I’m not a doctor or anyone with a degree in anything skincare related, but I actually have perfect skin, so maybe I’m onto something. Age hasn’t changed my skin yet, and neither has life. So, perhaps…just maybe…keeping it simple is the best solution.
