Inside The Treatment Room
Less Is More: Building a Skincare Routine That Actually Works
The last few months have been me preaching a “less is more” approach, and I’m going to continue more of the same. Oftentimes, overcomplicated routines can end up creating more skin problems than they solve. It becomes difficult to pinpoint which products may be causing issues. Some products also contain hidden active ingredients alongside the actives you may already be utilizing, and before you know it, you could be overloading your skin. When I look at a client’s routine, the main products I try to incorporate are: Cleanser, Toner, Serum, Moisturizer, SPF, Exfoliant. I do sometimes have clients who want the simplest possible regimen, and honestly, that’s perfectly fine! The simplest routine would be: Cleanser, Moisturizer, SPF. These are my non-negotiables, especially SPF. It’s important to understand that not every step is mandatory for every person. Your skin type, concerns, lifestyle, and overall skin health should determine what makes it into your routine. The goal isn’t to collect products; it’s to find the products that actually serve your skin. Let’s go into a little more detail about what makes each of these steps important.
Building the Foundation: Cleanser, Toner, and Serum
Cleanser, Toner, and Serum — Cleanser is the foundation of any skincare routine. Removing dirt, oil, makeup, sunscreen, and debris helps keep the skin clean and reduces the buildup of impurities that can contribute to congestion and irritation. If you’re a makeup wearer, I often recommend a double cleanse to ensure you’ve removed makeup and sunscreen before your actual cleanse. Think of the first cleanse as breaking everything down and the second as cleaning the skin itself. I generally recommend cleansing twice a day, but this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Many people do perfectly fine cleansing just once in the evening, particularly those with dry or sensitive skin. Your skin type, lifestyle, and the products you use all play a role in determining what works best. Remember, squeaky clean is not the goal! We want clean skin, not stripped skin. Toner, especially in Korean skincare, is often focused on hydration and preparing the skin for the next steps in your routine. Think of it as your first layer of moisture. Applying hydrating products while the skin is slightly damp can help support hydration and make layering your remaining products easier. Not all toners are created equally, though. Some are designed for exfoliation or oil control, while others focus on hydration and soothing. This is where reading those ingredient labels becomes important! If you’re already using exfoliating acids or other active ingredients, you may want to avoid adding another active toner into the mix. Sometimes a simple hydrating toner is exactly what your skin needs. And remember, toner isn’t a requirement. If your cleanser, moisturizer, and other products are already meeting your skin’s needs, you aren’t missing out by skipping it. Serums are where we get a little more specific with your skin goals. These products typically contain concentrated ingredients designed to target particular concerns, whether that’s dehydration, uneven skin tone, fine lines, acne, or compromised barrier function. This is where we can really customize your routine. However, more serums do not necessarily mean better results. You don’t need a different serum for every concern, and layering multiple active ingredients can sometimes create irritation rather than improvement. One thing I frequently see is clients unknowingly doubling up on active ingredients. You might have a serum with exfoliating ingredients, a toner with acids, and a moisturizer containing retinol or other actives. Even if each individual product seems harmless, the combination may be too much for your skin. The goal is to choose ingredients that complement each other and address your skin’s actual needs. Sometimes one well-chosen serum can do more for your skin than five different products layered together.
Protecting What You’ve Built
Moisturizer, SPF, and Exfoliant — Moisturizer is important for hydration and supporting the skin’s protective barrier. Your skin barrier is responsible for helping retain moisture and protecting against environmental irritants. When that barrier becomes compromised, you may experience dryness, tightness, redness, sensitivity, and increased irritation. A good moisturizer helps replenish and support that barrier. And no, oily or acne-prone skin doesn’t automatically mean you should skip moisturizer! Finding the right formulation for your skin type is what matters. I also want to emphasize that hydration and barrier support should be priorities, even when you’re treating concerns like acne, pigmentation, or signs of aging. We don’t want to sacrifice the health of your skin in pursuit of a particular result. Healthy skin is the foundation for everything else. I’m going to get on my soapbox for a minute. You can invest in beautiful serums, expensive moisturizers, professional treatments, and all the latest skincare innovations, but if you’re not protecting your skin from UV damage, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Daily sunscreen helps protect against premature aging, hyperpigmentation, and UV-related skin damage. It also helps protect the progress you’re making with your other skincare products and treatments. I recommend a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every single day. Yes, even when it’s cloudy. Yes, even in the winter. And please remember to reapply every two hours when you’re outdoors, as well as after swimming or sweating. If you take nothing else away from this blog, let it be this: SPF is not optional skincare. It’s preventative skincare. You can spend hundreds of dollars trying to correct sun damage, but protecting your skin consistently is one of the best investments you can make. As we age, our natural skin cell turnover process tends to slow down. Exfoliation helps remove accumulated dead skin cells from the surface, improving skin texture and allowing your complexion to look brighter and smoother. There are different types of exfoliants, including chemical exfoliants like AHAs and BHAs, as well as physical exfoliants. The right option depends on your skin type, concerns, and overall skin health. For many people, once or twice a week is plenty. However, exfoliation isn’t necessarily a requirement for everyone. If your skin is sensitive, irritated, or experiencing a compromised barrier, taking a break from exfoliation may be exactly what it needs. Over-exfoliating can compromise your skin barrier, leading to redness, sensitivity, dryness, and irritation. This is especially important if you’re already using retinoids, exfoliating toners, or other active treatments. And here’s something I want you to remember: just because a product says it can be used daily doesn’t mean your skin needs it daily. Sometimes giving your skin a break is the best thing you can do for it.
Putting It All Together
Here’s where I want to bring everything together. You do not need a 12-step skincare routine to have healthy, beautiful skin. You need products that serve a purpose, ingredients that work well together, and a routine that is sustainable enough for you to actually stick with. If you’re just starting out, focus on the basics: a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer that supports your skin barrier, and a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Once those basics are established, we can start introducing targeted treatments based on your individual concerns and goals. And please, don’t feel like you need to introduce everything at once! Give your skin time to adjust, introduce new products gradually, and pay attention to how your skin responds. Introducing one new product at a time also makes it much easier to identify what is and isn’t working for you. One of my biggest goals as an esthetician is to help you understand your skin rather than convince you that you need an endless supply of products to fix it. I would much rather see you using three products consistently that are making a difference than ten products that are working against each other. Skincare should feel empowering, not overwhelming. Your skin doesn’t need more. It needs what works. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your current routine, let’s talk! Bring your products to your next appointment, or schedule a consultation, and we can work together to simplify things and create a regimen that makes sense for your skin. Less clutter. More intention. Better skin.
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