Are you finding it hard to establish a consistent morning skincare routine due to your busy schedule? Do you still love to achieve that fresh and pretty look always? Then this is for you!
A lot of time and effort goes into achieving that clear and glowy skin.
The last thing any regular person wants to be concerned about early in the morning is spending hours in front of a mirror applying multiple products to their face or skin.
However, having a morning skincare routine is the secret to achieving flawless skin. We know that everyone wants that shining, spotless skin but is not ready to commit to a full morning skincare routine.
But imagine how much you could transform your skin just by spending a few minutes in the morning daily to protect it from any external aggressors that might harm it. All it would take to have clear skin is high-quality skin care products and applying them daily.
You can have a morning skin care routine without having to worry about what product to use first and what product comes next.
This blog post provides you with an ultimate guide to help you start your morning skincare routine to get that perfect skin and prevent any skin concerns. From the right skin care products to use to the arrangement of each product, you want to read to the end.
Article Contents
Why Do You Need a Morning Skincare Routine?
You may be wondering why you need a skincare routine. Here are a few reasons you don’t want to skip your morning skincare routine:
Clear Skin Blemishes
Most of the time, your face loses moisture when you sleep. This could cause excess oil in the face and clogged pores, which is why it is important to have a morning skincare routine.
Even after your nighttime cleansing routine, your skin still generates oil overnight, skin toxins, and dead skin cells. Sticking to a morning skin care routine will help replenish your skin and prevent any clogged pores.
Well-hydrated and Moisturized Skin
If you have oily, sensitive, or dry skin, you want to maintain a morning skincare routine to help replenish the moisture in your skin. This is because the skin tends to dry overnight, which leads to more skin issues if you don’t have a good skin care regimen.
A morning skincare routine will help your skin stay hydrated, soft, and glowy while preventing fine lines and wrinkles. Doing your morning skincare routine will provide your skin with the right amount of protection it needs for the day.
Protection from Harsh UV Rays
Exposure to harmful UV rays will affect your skin. This is why you need to apply sunscreen, which is a key part of your morning skin care routine.
Your morning skin care routine will protect your skin from UV rays that can damage your skin or lead to intense skin concerns during the day. Not only will you be protecting your skin from harm, but you’ll also get to maintain glowy and healthy skin.
The Right Skin Care Products You Need to Get Started with Your Morning Skincare Routine
The first thing that matters most when starting your morning skincare routine is getting high-quality skincare products.
To get this right, you want to consider your skin type and your skin needs before picking any skincare products.
When it comes to your morning skincare, you want to start with at least four essential products. This could range from a cleanser (optional), serum, moisturizer, toner, eye cream, and sunscreen.
It’s even more important to understand your skin type when choosing the right product to apply in the morning. For dry skin, you might not always want to use a cleanser in the morning, especially if you also have a nighttime skincare routine that you are used to.
Moreover, knowing your skin type will help you determine the perfect skin care product for you. If your skin is sensitive, oily, or dry, ensure to pick products that are designed for your specific skin type.
For instance, products with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide are right for you if you have acne-prone skin.
A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Go About Your Morning Skincare Routine
There is an order you want to stick to when applying your morning skincare products. The best way to apply your products is from the thinnest to the thickest because you want to ensure your skin properly absorbs each product.
Here is how you can apply your skincare products in the morning in the right order:
Cleanser
The first step to your morning skincare routine is cleansing. It’s not possible to achieve the best result if you don’t wash or rinse your face. This will remove excess oil and dirt that your skin might have generated when you were asleep.
While you don’t necessarily have to rigorously wash your face, it’s recommended to rinse your face in the morning before applying any product. It’s best to do this to ensure that the products penetrate your skin and become even more effective.
You want to avoid cleansers that contain alcohol or any ingredients that might excessively reduce your face oils. If you have dry or sensitive skin, micellar water or any hydrating cleanser are great options to cleanse your skin.
For oily skin, you want to use cleansers with salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or benzoyl peroxide to manage excess oil.
Washing your face with a cleanser will only take you a few minutes. All you have to do is splash water on your face, then rub in your face wash with your fingertips. You can rinse off the product, then dry it off with a towel.
Antioxidant Serum
Every day, your skin is exposed to harmful UV rays and environmental aggressors that can cause hyperpigmentation, fine lines, spots, and wrinkles.
Using an antioxidant serum will help provide your skin with the protection it needs. Serums with antioxidant properties like vitamin E, green tea, or vitamin C are perfect to include in your morning skincare routine because they will provide the right protection that will last you all day.
Vitamin E and serums with hyaluronic acid keep dry skin hydrated, while vitamin C is effective for all skin types and also brightens the skin. Niacinamide serum is also perfect for oily skin types to help reduce oil, clear pores, and brighten the skin.
However, you don’t want to mix two serums because it reduces their effectiveness.
Moisturizer
You don’t want to forget your moisturizer when applying your skincare products. This is because your skin needs to lock in moisture to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Try to avoid the mistake of picking the wrong moisturizer that makes your face feel sticky. A light moisturizer is recommended to prevent your skin from producing oil, especially if you have oily skin.
For this part, you might choose a gel moisturizer if you want something light on your face in the morning. Lighter moisturizers are better if you want to use primer and makeup.
However, rich moisturizers that contain glycerin, ceramides, or shea butter are perfect if you have dry skin. You can also use midnight lotion if you want something a little heavier than gel moisturizers.
Eye Cream
The eye needs extra care and attention, which makes it even more important to get yourself an eye cream. You want your eye to appear vibrant and glowy without any glaring dark circles or wrinkles.
Since the eye area is delicate, it also needs hydration and proper blood circulation. This is because your eyes will be the first place to see signs of wrinkles, puffiness, and crow’s feet.
Adding an eye cream to your morning skin care routine will help you achieve a youthful look.
You also want to use eye creams that include antioxidants and SPF to help protect your under-eye skin from harmful UV damage. You might also want to consider eye creams that contain caffeine to help enhance blood circulation and treat dark circles.
All you have to do is rub an adequate amount of the cream on your under-eye with your ring finger until it fully absorbs into your skin.
Apply Sunscreen
Sun damage to the skin is real and it gets even worse if you are exposed to UV rays daily.
Your sunscreen is the last part of your morning skincare routine. It gives you maximum skin protection, prevents aging, and gives you a glow.
You are to apply your makeup after allowing the sunscreen to absorb perfectly into your skin.
You should use your sunscreen daily whether it’s cloudy or scorching outside. Also, you want to apply sunscreen when you are indoors because UV also reflects into the room through your window.
You want to choose a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to give you maximum protection. Also, you want to reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours when you sweat or get in the water.
While these should be the core part of your morning skin care routine, you can go ahead to add any of these depending on your choice.
You can go ahead to add:
Toner
While toners are optional, you can choose to add it to your skincare routine. If you have dry skin, you want to use a hydrating toner to further hydrate your skin, reduce the appearance of pores, and for that gentle exfoliation. If you want to apply toner, you will have to apply it before your serum and moisturizer.
Face Mask
This is perfect when you need a facial treatment that you can do for yourself at home. Putting a mask on your face allows the skin to properly absorb the ingredients to help you achieve youthful and shiny skin. Your face mask doesn’t necessarily have to be a sheet, you can go for creams, clays, or gels.
Exfoliator
While it’s not always recommended to exfoliate in the morning because it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun, you might want to exfoliate to get that smooth face.
If you would exfoliate, you should do so two times a week and ensure you use a mild exfoliator. It’s highly recommended to exfoliate at night so your skin gets repaired overnight.
Another exception is when you use harsh ingredients at night like retinol. In that case, you want to exfoliate in the morning.
Helpful Tips to Help You Get Maximum Results from Your Morning Skincare Routine
You want to bear this in mind when you start your morning skincare routine.
Give it Time
If you have the habit of hoping to get instant results when you’ve only just started using a product, you should stop that habit now.
When it comes to starting a morning skincare routine, you need to be consistent to see changes. Give it at least 2 weeks before you decide it’s not working.
Start from the Thinnest to the Thickest
This is one rule you want to guide you when applying your skin care product. You want to apply your leave-on products from the thinnest to the thickest.
This is why you want to start with a toner first before your serum then moisturizer, before finishing it with sunscreen.
You want to stick to this rule to ensure that the products rub into your skin perfectly so they can work effectively. However, you ruin it when you apply super thick lotion before your serum.
Give the Products Time to Absorb
You should wait for at least a minute to let your skin absorb each product before applying another product.
You don’t just rub all the products together on your face. It’s recommended to wait at least 60 seconds after applying each product. You can choose to wait longer than that, especially if you want to apply makeup after your sunscreen.
Choose the Right Makeup Product
Speaking of makeup, you want to choose one that complements your skincare products to prevent ruining your look during the day.
You should also check the ingredient labels of your makeup product to ensure they are chemically compatible. If you are wearing a water-based leave-on product for your skincare, you want to match that with water-based makeup.
On the other hand, silicone-based skincare products are compatible with silicone-based makeup. Avoid matching them wrongly.
Know the Ingredients to Avoid
There are some products you can use at night but want to avoid during the day because they increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun.
You want to avoid retinoids and chemical exfoliators (AHAs and BHAs) during the day because they make your skin more sensitive to the skin. This means you could get sun burned or any sun damage.
Wrapping Up
Your skin deserves the best treatment. You can achieve flawless and perfect skin only if you are willing to put in the effort.
Since you have a nighttime cleansing routine, you should also have a morning routine. This is because there are lots of environmental aggressors out there during the day. So, you need the right morning skin care routine to fight them before stepping out of the house.
You should cleanse your face first, then apply serum, moisturizer, eye cream, and sunscreen to protect you from the harmful rays of the sun.
If you find it hard to stay consistent with your morning routine or you don’t know the products to start with, do well to reach out to a board-certified dermatologist for expert guidance and advice.
You want to apply your skincare products every day, so you shouldn’t skip any day. You can place your products right where you can see them to help you stay more committed.
Additionally, you don’t have to neglect your body due to busy routines. Try to invest in good body lotion to also help protect your body as well.
I hope you found this guide helpful. Share your thoughts in the comment below this blog post.
