4 Routines for Easy and Effective Skin Care

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Running late for work? Don’t fret, we’ve got the answer that gets you to the office in time without neglecting your skin! Here, we break down the various steps that you can do to fit skin care into your schedule. No matter how busy you are, you will always have time for skin care.

People who have a busy schedule tend to overlook skin care. Whether it’s an extensive one or just a basic routine, making time for proper skin care is important. You don’t need two hours or three hours to take care of your skin. Whether you only have an hour, 30 minutes, 10 minutes, or just five minutes, we’ve got you covered!

Why You Should Make Time for Skin Care

Remember that skin care is not a luxury but part of your hygiene. In fact, taking care of the skin should be a priority. Skin is the largest organ in your body and plays an important role in your health. It regulates your temperature and protects the body from pollution and damaging elements found in the environment.

Most of all, your skin’s health determines how you look. Dry and damaged skin can make you look older whereas a radiant and clear skin makes you look younger. The products that you use in skin care maintain the health and youthfulness of your skin. What’s more, if you have a busy schedule, you’re probably under a lot of stress and might not even have enough sleep. The worst enemy of skin is stress and lack of sleep.

Even if you are a busy bee, save some room for skin care. This might sound ironic, but busy women can save time by having a proper skin care. This is because a healthy and glowing skin does not need much makeup. Wake up in the morning looking ready for a busy day ahead!

Skin care can have simple steps and multi-use products that you can fit into your schedule. Follow the proper order of application to prevent the products from blocking the absorption of other formulas.  Here, we list the methods that you can do in an allotted time frame. Build a routine that covers the basics of skin care and provides extra benefits.

5-Minute Skin Care

Got five minutes before you leave? Here’s a quick and easy skin care routine for you. These are the basic methods in skin care. Make sure to do these steps every morning.

1. Cleanse – Cleanse your face while you’re in the shower or after waking up. Avoid using soap to wash your face. Look for some gentle water-based cleanser. Cleansing only takes a minute or less. The recommended time to massage the cleanser on the face is 30-45 seconds. Do this while you’re letting the conditioner set in your hair, which usually takes 2-3 minutes.
2. Tone – After shower, tone the skin. You can do this in two ways. The first is to use a cotton ball and put a few drops of toner in it. Massage face in circular motions. Another way to do this is to put the toner in a spray bottle. Spray it on your face making sure to give it full coverage. Pat skin gently to help the toner absorb through the skin.
3. Protect – Lotions or moisturizers? You can skip them! Just apply a moisturizing sunscreen all over the body. This works two ways – conditioning skin for long-lasting moisture and providing protection against sun damage! Let it set in before you leave.

Do these steps at night before sleeping except applying the sunscreen. All these steps just take five minutes to complete!

15-Minute Skin Care

Fifteen minutes is enough time to cover the basic skin care needs and provide extra nourishment or protection. Aside from the basics, here are additional steps you can do:

Morning Routine:

1. Cleanse - Wash skin with a cleanser suitable for your skin type.
2. Tone - Apply a toner to restore the pH balance of the skin.
3. Apply Sunscreen - Apply sunscreen to shield skin from sun damage.
4. Tone, & Apply Sunscreen – These are the basic steps of skin care.
5. Serum/Essence – Choose between serum and essence. If you have a skin concern you want to treat, serum is best for you. For dry and dull skin, use an essence! Apply this to your face and neck after using the toner and before using a sunscreen.
6. Primer – You can use a primer on the face without applying makeup. It gives your skin a glowing look and evens out your skin tone. Do this after applying sunscreen.

Night Routine:

1. Cleanse - Wash skin with a cleanser suitable for your skin type.
2. Tone - Apply a toner to restore the pH balance of the skin.
3. Moisturize - Restore the moisture to the skin using a product suitable for your skin type.
4. Oil Cleanse/Makeup Removal – If you use a primer or did a full makeup on your face, cleanse your face with oil. You can also just use makeup remover wipes. Do this before using a water-based cleanser.
5. Anti-Aging Cream – During sleep, the body repairs itself faster. This includes skin elasticity and texture. An anti-aging cream improves the ability of skin to promote skin cell renewal. Wake up to a fresh and glowing face in the morning. Apply the cream before the moisturizer.

For the night routine, cleanse face first with oil before using a water-based cleanser. Apply a toner then follow up with the serum. The anti-aging face cream goes first before the moisturizer.

30-Minute Skin Care

Have 30 minutes to spare? Make the best out of it by following these skin care steps. Nourish your skin and address specific skin care needs.

Morning Routine:

Your morning routine consists of these steps.

1. Cleanse - Wash skin with a cleanser suitable for your skin type.
2. Tone - Apply a toner to restore the pH balance of the skin.
3. Apply Sunscreen - Apply sunscreen to shield skin from sun damage.
4. Exfoliate – After washing with a water-based cleanser, use an exfoliating scrub on the face. Use gentle motions on the face and all over the body. Massage the skin using circular motions. Follow up with a toner.
5. Serum/Essence – Apply the essence to face after the toner sets in. Massage face until the serum is fully absorbed. Use it on the neck and upper chest area.
6. Eye Roller – Use an eye roller on the under-eye area for a minute or two. This helps reduce the appearance of dark bags. Do this after applying the serum.
7. Primer – Always let the sunscreen set on skin before applying a primer.
8. Face Mist – Use a face mist after the primer for extra moisture.

Night Routine:

Here are the steps for night skin care routine.

1. Cleanse - Cleanse skin using a gentle oil and follow up with a water-based cleanser.
2. Tone - Apply a toner to restore the pH balance of the skin.
3. Moisturize - Restore the moisture to the skin using a product suitable for your skin type.
4. Follow up with a water-based cleanser. There are steps to do before toning or moisturizing skin.
5. Exfoliate – Remember to only exfoliate twice a week. Do this only if you haven’t exfoliated in the morning or the day before. Follow up with a toner.
6. Serum/Essence – You can use one or two serums with different uses. For example, you can use a retinol serum and a hydrating serum. Let the products set in before applying the next product.
7. Treatment Products – If you have certain skin concerns such as acne, wrinkles, or dark spots, apply the treatment products at night after using a serum.
8. Eye Crème – To prevent dark bags under the eyes, use an eye cream. It helps reduce the appearance of crow’s feet too.
9. Face Oil – An oil cleanser is different from a face oil. This has a light texture that absorbs well into the skin. You can use it to give skin extra hydration and to retain its youthfulness. Let skin dry after application before using moisturizer.

60-Minute Skin Care

On days that you can spend an hour in the morning or at night, why not treat yourself to a soothing and luxurious skin care? Aside from the steps mentioned above, here are other things that you can do.

Morning Routine:

Take a soothing and moisturizing warm bath in the morning instead of a hot or cold shower. This helps condition the skin and gradually awaken your senses. Use bath bomb, bath salt, or essential oils for a better experience. Do this for a maximum of 20 minutes before doing the rest of your skin care routine. Women can get an extra hour without waking up early in the morning. Skip the makeup and instead stick to lip balms and primers. A healthy skin care gives you a radiant bare face.

Night Routine:

For your night routine, apply a face mask. You can use a moisturizing face mask after exfoliating the skin. Detoxifying mud masks are great too! They provide minerals that revive the skin. Leave the face mask for an average of 20 minutes before applying a toner. You can also take a warm bath at night and do the face mask application in the morning.

Pro Tip: For less time you need to spend on skin care, look for multitasking products that have two or more benefits for your skin. Your moisturizer that contains SPF doubles as a sunscreen. Serums and moisturizers also work as primers, which you can apply before doing your makeup.

Don’t let your stress or tiredness show on your face. These easy routines give you enough time to provide the care your skin needs. Whether you only have five minutes to spare, it’s not a reason to skip even the most basic skin care! There are always methods you can squeeze in to fit into your schedule. Try these routines for yourself and keep your skin looking fresh and radiant even without makeup!