Most of us don’t just wake up like this. You have to begin with a proper morning and evening skincare routine to achieve a flawless finish. If your skincare routine consists solely of trying to remember to take off your make up before you go to bed, this is for you! 

We’re going to cover the bare minimum for a proper skincare routine. Then we’ll go over additional products that should also be included in your skincare routine. Don’t worry. we’ll leave the exfoliators, face rollers, eye creams, spot treatments, and more advanced products and tools for a later time. For now, we’ll focus on the essential steps.

The Bare Minimum

You always need to begin your skincare routine with a clean face. So the first step is to remove any makeup you have on. You can use makeup remover wipes like those made by Lauren Napier Beauty, or you may prefer an oil cleanser like Kaike’s Melt Oil Cleanser. Kaike’s doubles as both a makeup remover and a facial cleanser, but most makeup removers will need to be followed by a separate facial cleanser. 

When it comes to cleansing your face you have a variety of options. You can use a beauty bar like Jacq’s Wild Hibiscus & Carrot Cleansing Bar. Beauty bars are also great if you have body acne, such as on your arms or back. You might prefer an oil cleanser like Yangu Beauty’s Gel to Milk Cleanser if you are looking for hydration. Then of course there are the more commonly known facial washes like Bolden’s Skin Clarifying Cleanser.

Once you’ve completed the initial cleansing of your face you need to tone your skin. Toners help to remove excess oil, dirt, and makeup that you may have missed. They also help to brighten dull skin and reduce pores. Most toners are applied with a cotton ball, though some may be sprayed on. ROSEN Skincare’s Gold Tides Toner may be a good option for you if you have acne-prone skin. Bask & Bloom Essentials’ Balancing Toner comes in a spray bottle. A summertime tip is to keep the toner in the refrigerator for a cooling effect when you spray it on!

After cleansing and toning your skin you must apply a moisturizer. Similar to cleansers, moisturizers come in different forms. Creams, such as Jade & Fox Co’s SÖL Moisturizer, are the most common form. If you are looking for a lighter moisturizer you might opt for a spray, like ROSEN Skincare’s Rose Water Face Dew. Base Butter offers a very popular gel moisturizer called Radiate Face Jelly. 

Other Key Skincare Products

Cleansing, toning, and moisturizing is the bare minimum for proper skincare, but there are two more products you should incorporate into your daily regimen. Serums should be used after you cleanse and tone your face, but before you apply your moisturizer. Serums provide a concentrated source of active ingredients that target specific skincare needs. The Hyper Clear Brightening Clearing Vitamin C Serum is formulated to lighten dark spots from hyperpigmentation and scarring. Whereas Klur’s Immersion Serum Concentrate is a hydrating serum packed with ingredients that hydrate your skin and improve moisture retention. 

Sunscreen is the other key product you should be including in your daily skincare routine. You should always end your morning skincare routine with sunscreen, especially if you applied a serum to your face. Black Girl Sunscreen was specifically formulated as a non-white residue sunscreen for Black women, and Bolden’s Brightening Moisturizer doubles as an SPF 30 broad-spectrum sunscreen.

The Essential Skincare Routine

In the morning you should (1) cleanse, (2) tone, (3) apply serum, (4) moisturize, and (5) apply sunscreen. In the evening you should (1) remove any makeup, (2) cleanse, (3) tone, (4) apply serum, and (5) moisturize.