Tips for optimizing your at-home skincare routine.
Tips for making your skincare routine the best it can be! I’ve listed out these tips according to skint ype. Enjoy!
scrub me secret: your AM skincare routine should differ from your PM skincare routine. The purpose of an AM routine is to preserve and protect your skin for the day and the purpose of your pm routine is to cleanse, moisturize, and treat any specific concerns.
Oily/congested skin:
Cleansing routine:
Cleansing both AM and PM is best for skin types that produce excess oil or often feel congested. Gel cleansers that create a nice cleansing lather like PCA Facial Wash or Indie Lee Purifying Face Wash are good options for this skin type. What I think is even better to get the pore-clearing and skin mattifying results you desire are cleansers that contain a small amount of a BHA or AHA acid or both. Common BHA acids are salicylic or willow bark; AHA is lactic or glycolic acid. It’s important that when choosing a cleanser with AHA/BHA acids that you choose one with a BHA (salicylic) under 2% and an AHA (lactic or glycolic) 5% or under. This is key because you don’t want to overly cleanse or unbalance your skin by treating it with something that’s too harsh for twice-daily use. Using a cleanser like this will soften and work on removing dirt and debris in the pores. It also helps clear excess oils and keeps pores nice and tight. I really like the Kalos AHA/BHA cleanser or Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser.
Toner situation:
The toner you use will be dependent on what type of cleanser you have. If you are using a more basic gel cleanser without any BHA or AHA acids in it then I suggest a toner that contains either salicylic acid or glycolic acid. A toner that contains an acid should be used once daily in the PM. This will give you the pore-clearing and oil-balancing effects you’re looking for. I like Evolve Liquid Radiance Glycolic Toner and Dermalogica Breakout Clearing All Over Toner. If you are using a cleanser that contains an acid I suggest using a toner that is lightly astringent with some calming and balancing factors. A toner like this is used two times a day, after cleansing. I suggest Ology Essentials Blot toner or Thayer’s Facial Toner with rose and witch hazel.
Helpful serums:
Cleansers and toners for oily and congested skin types work to decongest skin & clear/absorb oils. We don’t want to leave the skin stripped of healthy oils and nutrients it needs to stay healthy and radiant looking. Having a lightweight nutrient-rich or hydrating serum restores the skin and will help keep your complexion clear and even. I like PCA vitamin C&E serum and the Skinceuticals C&E Ferulic serum; these are both day time serums (vitamin C should always be used in the AM). I also like PCA total strength serum and Osea Hyaluronic Sea Serum for AM & PM use.
Your best moisturizer:
A lightweight hydrator that gives your skin some moisture without clogging pores is key. Giving your skin this hydration will help keep your oils at a more balanced level. Without a moisturizer, your skin will feel the need to create more oils to nourish itself and that’s where we can end up feeling oily. An AM moisturizer should contain an SPF to protect your skin from daily UVA/UVB rays. Lightweight day time SPF moisturizers I like are Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream and PCA Weightless SPF. Balancing, non-pore clogging PM moisturizers I suggest for an oily/congested skin type are PCA Rebalance or Clearskin or Herbivore Pink Cloud Moisturizer.
scrub me secret: If your skin is really congested with lots of blackheads I suggest having an AHA/BHA cleanser in your routine for AM/PM use, plus a toner that contains an AHA like glycolic acid or BHA like salicylic acid that you use strictly in the PM. You can opt to add a calming toner to your AM routine like Heritage rose water or Ology Essentials Blot toner. You will still be using your AM/PM serums and moisturizers to complete the routine. This will be helpful in clearing blackheads and smoothing complexion.
Aging/dull skin:
Cleansing routine:
To prevent skin from aging or feeling dull I recommend using a pre-cleanse oil before your cleanser. A lightweight cleansing oil softens dead surface cells & debris in the pores while you massage it onto your face. This is great for aging and dull skin types because it’s like you’re giving yourself a short facial massage with an oil that contains vitamins and nutrients. I like to use scrub me Nourishing Serum or Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse. Follow this cleansing oil with your favorite slightly foaming cleanser like scrub me toning treatment bar, balancing bar, or PCA facial wash. I recommend a cleanser like this to give your skin the purifying it needs without unbalancing it.
scrub me secret: For some, your skin will respond better to using a facial wash only once a day. If your skin isn’t producing a lot of oils and it doesn’t often feel congested then I recommend only cleansing in the PM. Your skin will feel more balanced and have an even complexion because the barrier will be in a healthy state. Play around with your AM/PM cleansing routine and see how your skin responds best. When you’re only cleansing in the PM your AM routine will start with toner and then move on to your serums and moisturizer.
Toner situation:
Hydrating toners or “skin essences” are best for giving your skin a dewy, youthful glow. A water-based, moisture-infusing skin mist will help rebalance your skin after cleansing and give it a little boost. A toner like this will also help your serums and moisturizers work better; when your skin is refreshed, healthy, and balanced, products like serums and moisturizers can really do their job! Another great thing about a hydrating toner is that you can use it whenever you want, as often as you want without having to worry about irritating your skin. If your face is feeling a tad dull or dry, just spritz a little mist onto your face! It’s totally okay to mist a hydrating toner onto your skin over makeup, SPF, or other skincare that has been applied. I really like Heritage Rosewater Facial Toner, PCA Hydrating Toner, Ology Essentials Mature Toner, and Herbivore Rose Hibiscus Face Mist.
Helpful serums:
There are a ton of anti-aging serums on the market and I know it can be kind of confusing as to what to choose and also very tempting to keep trying new things. I’m going to list some of my favorite anti-aging serums that have given my clients great results. In my experience, I’ve learned that choosing a great serum that your skin responds well to and sticking to it will give you your optimal results. Switching to a new serum each time your bottle runs out isn’t going to give you the anti-aging results you desire. With that being said, you can definitely use multiple serums at a time in your skincare routine. I have 3 serums in my home care routine right now and may add another in the future. The key is to have multiple serums that benefit your skin in different ways. Here are some of my recommendations (you can try using ALL of these serums or just a couple).
PCA Exlinea - for fine lines and wrinkles (spot treat fine lines with this product)
PCA Total Strength Serum or Dr. Dennis Gross Clinical Concentrate Radiance - for preserving skin elasticity (use AM or PM or both)
PCA Vitamin C&E or Skinceuticals C&E Ferulic - preventing further aging & evening skin tone (AM use only)
Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Serum or PCA Intensive Age Refining Treatment - smooth and lift skin, making it appear more youthful (PM use only 2-4 times a week)
Your best moisturizer:
Daily SPF is key in preserving our skin from further damage and aging. I like PCA Hydrating SPF or Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream. The PCA Hydrating SPF will give you the moisture your skin needs if your skin feels dry in the AM. Josh Rosenbrook Day Cream is a bit lighter weight but has antioxidants that will make your skin glow. It depends on what texture day cream you like. For PM hydration I recommend a moisturizer with added proteins or collagen to support your skin’s elasticity. I like Dr. Dennis Gross Collagen Deep Cream, PCA SilkCoat Balm, or Osea Advanced Protection Cream.
scrub me secret: Adding a nutrient-rich facial oil on top of your PM moisturizer will give your skin extra nourishing and anti-aging benefits. scrub me nourishing serum is a great option because it contains carrot seed oil. I also like Herbivore Botanicals Orchid Facial Oil or Grown Alchemist Antioxidant Facial oil. Just pat a small amount of facial oil on top of your serums and moisturizer to complete your PM routine.
Sensitive or acneic skin:
scrub me secret: the reason I put sensitive and acneic skin in the same category is that acneic skin types are inflamed most of the time and can be very reactive to certain products. Treating acneic skin with a lot of the same skincare you would treat a sensitive skin type with is the best way to reduce redness, heal, and even complexion.
Cleansing routine:
For sensitive skin and acneic skin that is sensitized a calming cleanser is a great option. Acneic skin types with active breakouts should cleanse both AM and PM. Sensitive skin types will benefit from cleansing only in the PM. Calming cleansers I recommend are scrub me balancing treatment bar, Ology Essentials Blot CBD Cleanser or Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser. It’s important when cleansing skin that is inflamed to use cool or lukewarm water to remove the cleanser.
Toner situation:
This is where your products will differ depending on if you’re a sensitive or acneic skin type. I’ve broken it down into 2 sections. One great toning tip that is helpful for both skin types is to keep your facial toner in the refrigerator so it’s nice and cool when you mist or apply it onto your face. This helps alleviate redness.
For sensitive skin - Skin refreshing toners with limited ingredients is best for this skin type. Organic rose water by itself or rose water with aloe is my favorite for sensitive skin. I also like Christina Moss Naturals Facial Toner for sensitive skin. Use your toner after cleansing and as needed during the day if your skin starts to feel hot or inflamed.
For acneic skin - To treat acne and active breakouts effectively I recommend 2 toners for your skincare regimen. Your AM toner will be the same as what I suggested for sensitive skin types, something simple and calming. For your PM toner, I suggest a toner containing Benzoyl Peroxide, salicylic acid, lactic acid, or a combination of these ingredients. This will help reduce breakouts by controlling bacteria, oils, and helping with cell turnover. I suggest Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid, True Botanicals Clear Nutrient Toner, or Goop Pore Refining Tonic. This type of toner you use only once a day, in your PM routine right before your serums.
Helpful serums:
A vitamin C serum like PCA C-Quench Serum or vitamin C&E serum like Skinceuticals C&E Ferulic serum is great for both of these skin types because it helps protect skin by using powerful antioxidants. Resveratrol is an antioxidant ingredient that helps with overall complexion and redness, I specifically like this ingredient a lot for reducing redness. You can find this in PCA Resveratrol Serum and SkinCeuticals Resveratrol B E serum; both of these serums are formulated really well. An acneic skin type could benefit from using a retinol serum 2-4 times a week. I always suggest starting with using a retinol 1-2 times a week to make sure it’s right for your skin; retinol can be too harsh for some people (i’m one of those people!) I recommend PCA Intensive Clarity Treatment.
Any active serums or toners with acids suggested are for those who are not using any prescription retinol or other acne prescriptions recommended by your dermatologist. If you have a topical or oral acne prescription from your doctor, consult them before adding more products to your home care routine.
Your best moisturizer:
Lightweight non-pore clogging moisturizers are great for both sensitive and acneic skin types. Believe it or not, lightweight facial oils are also helpful for treating both these skin types. The main goal here is to balance the skin’s barrier and infuse it with the nutrients and healthy oils so it can start to heal and restore itself. Giving acneic skin a dose of lightweight facial oil like Herbivore Emerald Facial Oil helps it feel balanced to prevent excess oils from being produced. The Emerald facial oil I mentioned contains CBD which is amazing for reducing inflammation. I also like Ology Essentials Blot CBD Facial Lotion. PCA Rebalance is a lightweight moisturizer I recommend to a lot of my clients with sensitive or acneic skin.
scrub me secret: lymph drainage massage is awesome for every skin type but it’s particularly helpful for inflamed skin. Using your hands, a chilled facial roller, or facial stone you can manipulate and massage stagnant lymph fluid in the skin that holds toxins and makes your face feel puffy. Lymph drainage movements are easy to do at home and are explained here in this diagram. Try incorporating a lymph drainage facial massage into your routine a few times a week.
Dry or combination skin:
Cleansing routine:
Similar to the cleansing routine for dull and aging skin I suggest using a cleansing oil in the AM instead of an actual soap or cleanser. scrub me Nourishing Serum and Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse are great options for a cleansing oil. For your PM cleanser, an AHA exfoliating cleanser like Kalos AHA/BHA cleanser or Murad AHA/BHA Cleanser is really helpful for softening and removing dead skin cells that give skin it’s dry texture & prevent moisturizing products from working their best. As long you follow your exfoliating facial wash with a hydrating toner, the correct serums and moisturizer your skin should feel soft, healthy, and not dry.
Toner situation:
With a dry or combination skin type, you can play around with what toner or toners your skin likes the best. You could go with hydrating rose water and aloe toner to keep skin soft and plump. Nutrient-rich toners like PCA Nutrient Toner and Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator infuse skin with complexion evening, protecting antioxidants. You could also try a slightly astringent toner like Thayer’s Facial Toner with rose and witch hazel or Herbivore Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner. I suggest having a nutrient-rich toner that you use in the PM and a different toner you like for the AM; Heritage Rose Water is my go-to toner.
Helpful serums:
Vitamin C serums like I have suggested in the sections above (PCA C&E or SkinCeuticals C&E) are always great for preserving skin’s overall health. Serums containing hyaluronic acid help bind moisture to your skin, you can use a hyaluronic serum both AM and PM to help skin retain hydration. I like Osea Hyaluronic Sea Serum and PCA Hyaluronic Serum. Other serums with hydrating elements that I like are Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Serum and SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel. Antiaging serums like PCA Total Strength is also great for dry skin because when your skin is strong & healthy it can retain moisture better.
Your best moisturizer:
A thicker peptide or antioxidant-enriched moisturizer like Josh Rosebrook Vital Balm Cream, Ursa Major Golden Hour Cream, or PCA Apres Peel Balm is what I suggest as your PM moisturizer. This will infuse moisture, help keep it in and soften your skin. Depending on how dry your skin feels you can also use this moisturizer in the AM underneath your SPF. Some days depending on climate, diet, etc. your skin will feel like it needs more moisture. Daytime SPF moisturizers I suggest for dry/combination skin types are PCA Hydrating SPF, Daily Defense, Juice Beauty Stem Cell SPF, or Josh Rosebrook Day Cream. This daily SPF is key to keeping your skin from degrading from UVA/UVB rays.