Today on Lauren Luvs I want to talk about skincare. I am obsessed with skincare as self-care and love trying new products. With that said, sometimes I go a little overboard with trying new things or my skin is freaking out for whatever reason and I always go back to this simple, 5 step basic routine:

Step 1 – Oil Cleanse I know what you’re thinking – Why would I want to put more oil on my face? Using an oil cleanser is a great way to remove makeup, sunscreen, and build up from the day. The oil helps to draw dirt and impurities out of your pores. I like to use a dedicated oil cleanser that emulsifies with water and rinses clean. My current favorite is Banila Clean It Zero Purity. This is a gentle, non-comedogenic cleansing balm that is suitable for most skin types. Put directly onto your skin dry and massage for about a minute, rinse off with warm water.

Step 2 – Neutral PH Facial Cleanser Growing up I always thought that a cleanser needed to be somewhat harsh to really clean my skin – the opposite is true in fact! Harsh, stripping facial cleansers can damage your delicate moisture barrier and invite more bacteria into your skin, causing breakouts. Our skin’s natural PH is neutral and we need to use a neutral cleanser to keep that balance. My current favorite is Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser.

Step 3 – Moisturize After cleansing we need to moisturize to keep it from feeling dry and tight. I like to try out a lot of different types of moisturizers based on what my skin needs that day but the one I consistently come back to is Cerave Baby Moisturizing Lotion. Don’t worry it doesn’t smell like baby. I like to use this one because it has all the great ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide of the classic Cerave lotion but since it’s suitable for babies it’s also formulated without parabens. I use it on Margot, too!

Step 4 – Don’t Wash Too Much! Often I feel like we are told if we want clear skin we need to wash our skin night and day. This may not necessarily be true! You may be over-washing your skin and causing it to over-produce oil. As long as I did my skincare routine the night before, my face should be relatively clean when I wake up. First thing in the morning I like to rinse my face with warm water and pat dry with a towel. That’s it!

Step 5 – Sunscreen The last step may be the most important. The number one thing recommended for anti-aging? Sunscreen! Oh and it lowers your risk for cancer, I mean that’s good too. But seriously I am all about aging gracefully and I do not want wrinkles and sun spots for as long as I can help it. To get true, age defying, cancer preventing coverage, you need to wear SPF 50. Every. Day. I tend to be a fan of Japanese sunscreens. They’re lightweight, non-greasy, and go great under makeup. One of my favorites is Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence.

Obviously skincare is very personal and what works for me might not work for you, but hopefully this post is helpful. If you try out this routine I’d love to know how it works for you! Hit me up in the comments!