How do you create an effective face care routine? Here I will answer not only what to do in the morning and evening but also what results you will achieve by sticking with it over an extended period of time.
Today we’re going to create a solid plan to get you great results. I’ll review the key ingredients you should incorporate into your skin care routine.
These are only general recommendations, so I invite you to discover what works best for you.
I am a former Los Angeles beautician
,now living in 
. Now I’m 44 and these are my Beauty, Skin Care & Happier Life secrets
You can follow me on instagram and get all the updated first.
I’ll start with how I put together my own routine.
💦 1. CLEANSING is one of the most important steps
✓ I cleanse my skin in the morning and evening (usually with CeraVe cleanser).
✓ The water should be neither very hot nor very cold.
✓ I use a microfiber cloth. Why? Because water dries out the skin, I want to have as little contact with it as possible. The microfiber cleans the skin easily and quickly, without scratching or irritating it. I avoid microfiber cloths that are dyed in bright colors. I also replace my wipes every month because I wear a lot of makeup, which needs to be removed thoroughly, so the microfiber wears out quickly.
✓ If your SKIN IS DRY, you may not need a cleanser in the morning. Dry skin secretes less oil, so the protective barrier is thinner. Protect this barrier. You may only need water.
✓ OLIER, combination, and NORMAL skin will love the salicylic cleanser CosRX. Cleanse with this product two or three times a week. Dry skin may not need this cleanser.
✓ How long you should cleanse with salicylic acid depends on the skin. Imagine that the highly active ingredient (BHA or salicylic acid) on your fingertips travels into the pore and cleans it. If you have blackheads, the product may need a few minutes to do its job.
✓ A cleanser with salicylic acid can cause unwanted effects if you use it too often. Women with oily skin especially like the feeling of being oil-free, so there is a tendency to use it too often. However, instead of achieving the desired results, you will irritate the skin so that it starts to produce even more oil in defense.
2. Our skin needs VITAMINS, ANTIOXIDANTS, and MOISTURE every day. Serums can provide this.
☀MORNING ROUTINE
✓ Use a serum with antioxidants in the morning.
Antioxidants take care of scavenging free radicals. I recommend having one good quality serum with antioxidants. I usually use Timeless Q10. This serum not only captures free radicals but also stimulates collagen production. The more collagen, the tighter the skin.
✓ Vitamin C and niacinamide are also good antioxidants.
✓ Skin needs MOISTURIZING DAILY. Good moisturizers: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or snail secretion.
🌙EVENING ROUTINE:
What other products might you need? It all DEPENDS ON YOU PROBLEM, and you should use products to solve those problems in the evenings.
✓ If you wear heavy makeup, you will need to moisturize again in the evening.
✓ Serum with peptides are good in the evening, so it works at night and stimulates collagen production.
I like the Timeless Serum with Peptides (pink bottle). The Ordinary Buffet Peptide Serum performs a similar function. It’s a great formula, but I don’t like the sticky feeling left behind by this serum. In addition, it “bubbles.” I prefer Timeless Peptides, especially around the eyes.
✓ If you have acne, dark spots, or pigmentation and want long-term benefits, you need to find a retinol serum. I’m starting to like Medicaid. I can also recommend Olay, Drunk elephant, and CeraVe retinol.
ABOUT RETINOLS: Apply a serum that contains only retinol on dry skin. Do not mix retinol with other serums.
My skin is used to the products, so I can apply the retinol serum three evenings a week. My advice: you need to make friends with retinol, so introduce it into your routine gently and slowly. Observe how the skin feels. A small drop is enough to spread easily on the face with your fingertips.
A cream can be applied over the retinol serum but remember: the sooner you apply another product on top, the more you will dilute the serum.
When first using retinol, you may wake up in the morning with a wrinkled face. Don’t be alarmed. Give yourself a month to get used to this active ingredient.
Retinol needs to be used over a long period of time for it to “spark” cell regeneration. This is not a quick process.
3. INTEGRATION OF ACIDS INTO THE ROUTINE:
✓ You will have to use trial-and-error to determine how often you need acid exfoliation.
✓ Oilier, blemish- and acne-prone skin may need more exfoliation than dry skin, but not more often than every five days.
✓ If the skin is irritated or red, do not use acids for a while.
I use The Ordinary AHA+BHA acid. I know my skin quite well: after feeling the irregularities, I understand that my skin does not have the strength to shed the layer of dead cells, and it needs help.
A lighter and milder acid is “The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5%.” Sometimes I use it as support. I apply it two evenings a week, and it does not need to be washed off. You can apply serum on top of the lactic acid after 10 min.
👉 GENERAL RECOMMENDATION FOR A MONTHLY ROUTINE:
Daily—proper washing, antioxidants, moisturizing.
2-3 times a week—retinol.
Every 5-10 days—exfoliation with acids.
As needed—niacinamide and azelaic acid to improve skin tone.
I really hope that you find my recommendations helpful and that by having more knowledge, you will be able to achieve your desired results faster.
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Yours,
Ruta