Do you feel clueless about skincare but also feel like it’s time to start taking better care of your skin? Maybe you’ve tried skincare routines in the past but never really felt like you knew what you were doing or didn’t really love them? In this post, we’re covering How to Start a Skincare Routine for Beginners in 3 easy steps (and with just 3 products).
Have you seen those 20-step / 20-product skincare routines on TikTok or Instagram? Yea, we’re not doing that today.
And no shade on anyone who’s found a beauty routine that works for them.
But today’s post is about how to start a skincare routine for beginners. With “start” and “beginners” being our keywords. I will have other posts for when you want to take your skincare game to the next level. I’ve got you!
Side note: I’m not a dermatologist or aesthetician, so this post is from a friend-to-friend perspective. If you’re looking for an expert opinion, this might not be the post for you. But if you’d like to know what I’d tell you as a friend grabbing a coffee with me, then keep reading! Additionally, this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links, I may make a commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting TCL!
3 Step Skincare Routine for Beginners
Most people I talk to find skincare completely overwhelming.
And with the huge amount of information available on this topic online and some influencers touting that their 20-step / 1-hour routine is the ONLY way, it’s totally understandable.
That’s why we’re going to keep things suuuuper basic on this post.
You only need 3 steps for a basic skincare routine for beginners (for morning and night):
- Cleanse
- Treat
- Protect
If you want something a little more robust, then of course go for all the steps and products you’d like. I’ll be writing two more skincare routines to help you take your skincare game to the next level.
For this post, let’s discuss how to start a skincare routine for beginners in just 3 easy steps.
Step 1: Cleanse
Whether you wear makeup or not, it’s actually important to cleanse your skin on a daily basis.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends washing your face twice a day (morning and night). Note: The AAD also recommends washing your face after sweating since sweat can irritate your skin.
Although there are tons of tools out there, I find that using my fingers and hands is the easiest and most effective way to apply cleanser and clean my face. It’s even the recommended tool by the AAD.
The method of cleansing will depend on the product you use. Some are applied directly to your skin whilst some are mixed with water before being applied. Get my product recommendations below.
Step 2: Treat
The treat step is related to using a serum or other “bonus” product to help treat any specific concerns or interests you may have. For example: some serums are specifically designed to help with dry skin while others are more geared towards reducing redness or dark sports.
Whilst this step is not technically “required” for a basic skincare routine, I’m recommending it because I believe it’s a beneficial step to include in even your basic skincare routine to maximize your results and potentially even prevent future downstream issues.
Step 3: Protect
Moisturizers help lock in serum and protect your skin all day and night.
Personally, even with the gentlest of cleansers, my skin would be quite dry and irritated if I didn’t add a moisturizer to my skincare routine. So moisturizer is a definite must for me.
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These are the 3 easy steps I recommend for how to start a skincare routine for beginners. Personally, I can be easily overwhelmed by too many products, so I like to start with the ultimate basics and then start to layer in more.
Let’s discuss product recommendations…
Product Recommendations for Your 3 Step Skincare Routine for Beginners
The best products will always be the ones that fit your personal values, preferences, and of course budget.
Whilst I have a background of being pretty cheap with how I spend my money, I have made decisions on where to save and splurge. And skincare is an area I’ve selected to splurge on high quality, clean beauty products.
Since I’m a blogger and not a dermatologist or aesthetician, I’ll be recommending the products I personally use. However, if you’d like me to look into some other options based on my value system, let me know in the comments below.
The brand I’m currently using is Oliveda. I chose them because one of my trusted friends raves about them and her skin looks amazing. I’m a referral girlie, so I like using references as a date point for my decisions. Additionally, Oliveda is a Clean Beauty brand. And while most other beauty brands use up to 70% water as filler, Oliveda is a waterless beauty brand using “beauty elixir” instead from the olive tree.
Here are my recommended Oliveda products for this simple 3-step skincare routine:
- Cleanse: F38 Purifying Cleansing Gel
- Treat: F06 Cell Active Serum Face
- Protect: F07 Anti-Aging Face Cream
Since we’re doing the simplest skincare routine for beginners possible, I’m recommending products you can use at both day and night. Less products = more budget friendly and easier to manage.
Additionally, since most of The Chic Life community is in their 30s / 40s, you’ll note that I’m recommending some products with anti-aging features. Please use this information to make the best decisions for you. You can always take this quiz to get more customized recommendations directly from Oliveda.
Step 1: Cleanse (F38 Purifying Cleansing Gel)
This is my current face wash. I use this AM and PM.
From the site: The F38 Purifying Cleansing Gel is “gently foaming, thoroughly cleansing facial cleansing gel for morning and evening.“
The product recommends 3-4 pumps (they’re small!), but I use 3 if I’m washing my face and removing make-up and 2 if I’m just washing my face. I use this at the sink and in the shower.
To Use (AM and PM):
- Pump the gel cleanser into your hand. Use your fingers to gently spread it across your dry face. I find this gentle enough to remove my eye makeup.
- Add water to your hands and gently massage into the cleanser to create a cleansing foam.
- Rinse.
I love an efficient skincare product. And the fact that I can use this to both wash my face and remove makeup makes me super happy.
Step 2: Treat (F06 Cell Active Serum Face)
Serums are great for addressing specific concerns. The F06 Cell Active Serum is a great serum for most people since it’s designed to address many common concerns like moisturizing and nourishing for dry skin, refining pores, reducing dark spots, and minimizing wrinkles.
From the site: “This highly concentrated F06 Face Serum strengthens, tones, repairs and regenerates stressed and dehydrated skin with its highly concentrated anti-aging power.“
To Use (AM and PM):
- Shake the bottle before use.
- Use your fingers to gently apply a few drops evenly around your face, avoiding the eye area.
Step 3: Protect (F07 Anti-Aging Face Cream)
Because I have a history of combination (and sometimes even dry) skin, this might be my favorite step. I love the nourishing feel of getting more moisture into my skin with a great moisturizing product.
And the F07 Anti-Aging Face Cream is a great option that you can use both day and night.
From the site: “This highly active anti-aging cream contains olive polyphenols oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. These two natural anti-aging ingredients profoundly stimulate living cells and prolong their lifespan.“
To use (AM and PM):
- I like to dab little bits of the cream around my face and then use my fingers to gently massage the cream into my skin.
- Remember: start with less because you can always add more to any areas that could use a bit more product.
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What to Buy Next
Once you get the basics down, you may want to explore what to get next. Here are my recommendations:
- F67 Corrective Facial Tonic: Insert this product as a new step in between Cleanse and Treat. Great for both morning and night. “The highly effective Glow Tonic Corrective with lavender helps to soothe the skin and rid it of dead skin cells. The super antioxidant hydroxytyrosol and the vitamin C booster camu camu offer the best possible protection against free radicals and, in combination with hyaluron, give the skin a radiant and youthful glow.“
- F09 Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream: This is a gentle moisturizer for the delicate eye area. This eye cream also smoothes fine lines and small wrinkles while also reducing puffiness. “This gentle eye cream contains a combination of active ingredients of olive leaf cell elixir and extracts from the black, sun-ripened Arbequina olive.“
- F59 Corrective Serum Face: Nicknamed “Botox in a Bottle”. This can be used as both a daytime and nighttime serum. “Fine lines, wrinkles, and high pigmentation can be reduced with regular use. Signs of premature aging can not only be prevented but minimized with this eco-friendly, water-free solution for your skincare routine.“
Note: If you’re like me and easily overwhelmed, I recommend picking your favorite and just adding one product at a time. Unless there’s a great sale. I do like getting a good deal and have been known to get a little more than normal if I think there’s a good chance I’ll like it and can save some cash monies.
Skincare Bonus Products to Try
If you want to start with the basics but sprinkle in some more fun / self care focused products, consider these:
- F76 Honey Enzyme Mask: This is actually the product that made me most excited to try Oliveda. It has a pretty green color. “This enzymatic peeling mask frees the skin from dead skin cells, refines the pores and leaves the complexion radiant and even. Honey moisturizes the skin and has a soothing effect.”
- F75 Lip Balm: “Based on the Beauty Molecule Hydroxytyrosol, this cell-protecting green Olive Tree Lip Therapy creates visibly beautiful lips in no time at all, counteracts the formation of wrinkles, regenerates, rejuvenates, and defines the lips.”
- B20 Softening Foot Balm: I’m starting to branch out from skincare to more body care and recently ordered this. You can use this daily as a moisturizing balm or with socks as more of a foot mask. “The exclusive mixture of herbs bestows maximum, comprehensive care without leaving an oily texture.”
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Skincare Quiz
Want to get more customized skincare recommendations? Try this beauty quiz by Oliveda. If you buy two products from the recommendation list (and there isn’t another sale / special running), you’ll get a free product.
Note: the free product changes occasionally, but you don’t need to buy your products immediately to get the freebie. If you wait too long, the product may change, though.
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Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my blog post on How to Start a Skincare Routine for Beginners (3 Easy Steps)!