How to Actually Stick to Your Skincare Routine

So you started a new skincare routine. You cleaned your mirror for peak admiration of results, popped open each bottle with vim and vigor, and slathered on your products with full conviction that you would continue to do so every morning and night until the end of time.

Then something derailed you: a tight deadline at work or school; a particularly hectic holiday season; travel. Whatever it was, you find yourself suddenly either overwhelmed or underwhelmed or both by your skincare routine. You know you need to take care of your skin, but how can you build a skincare routine that you’ll actually stick to?

1. Start simple, with minimal products

It’s tempting to jump into an elaborate skincare routine with multiple steps, but starting small is more sustainable and gives you something to fall back on when you’re feeling, for whatever reason, less jazzed about taking care of your skin.

The essentials of a morning skincare routine:

The essentials of a nighttime skincare routine:

When you shower, use a gentle body wash, and then follow up with a nourishing body lotion to lock in moisture and keep your skin hydrated. If your skin dries out easily, consider moisturizing your whole body both morning and night, regardless of when you shower, to maintain softness and prevent dehydration.

And that’s it! Once you’ve nailed the basics, you can choose whether you want to gradually add new products to your routine, like gels or serums.

2. Set a reminder and/or have your routine written down

When life gets crazy, it’s easy to let your skincare routine fall by the wayside. So when you’re getting started with your routine (and thus feeling more motivated), be proactive and employ the reminder system that works best for you — an alarm on your phone, a calendar invite, a sticky note – for those days down the line when you’ll need it.

It can also be helpful to have a written list of your skincare routine posted somewhere near where you apply your skincare products, particularly when your skincare routine goes beyond the essential products listed above. Type up your routine and post it near your mirror, write it on a whiteboard, or even scribble it on your mirror with a dry-erase marker.

Having your routine written down somewhere nearby serves not only as a great visual reminder to take care of your skin but also reduces how much thought has to go into your routine when you’re maxed out for the day.

3. Keep all of your products visible and in one place

Out of sight, out of mind… and out of routine. Keeping your skincare products on or near your primary sink is one of the easiest ways to ensure you’ll actually use them. If you’ve worked up to a multi-step routine, it can be useful to line them up in order of application.

4. Add extra incentives

Skincare doesn’t always feel like self care. Sometimes it just feels like a chore, and no self-talk about the importance of skin health can make it feel appealing. When that happens, pair your skincare routine with something else you enjoy to motivate you to follow through with your skincare resolutions.

Listen to that podcast or audiobook that you’ve been looking forward to. Put on that album you’ve been vibing to. Or bundle your skincare items and a small mirror into a caddy and truck them to the TV room to apply while watching your favorite show — just remember to bring them back!

Alternatively, you can opt for a reward system. There’s the tried and true sticker chart, or you can gift yourself a little something each time you finish a bottle of product. Whatever works for your brain and budget.

5. Have a plan for when life gets hectic — and give yourself some grace

As you’re devising and revising your skincare routine, keep a bare-bones routine in your back pocket for those days (or even longer spells) when you simply cannot be bothered to do your 10-step GRWM-style beauty routine.

Perhaps more importantly, try to approach those days with the mindset that those minimalist skincare days are just as important as the days when you use every product in your lineup. The minimum is not nothing – your skincare checklist does not need to be completed in full for it to “count.”

The true value of routine comes from consistency, and consistency demands knowing when to simplify (or, yes, even occasionally skip) your routine so that you don’t get burned out.

Gladskin offers a range of skincare including essential moisturizers and cleansers, all designed with a focus on supporting the skin’s microbiome.