I’m 100% guilty of checking out on my phone for a bit, but my favorite way to spend a few minutes alone these days is taking care of my skin. If you’re looking for self-care ideas while stuck in quarantine, or just looking for a distraction from everything happening on the other side of your bathroom door, I highly recommended adopting a skincare routine.
The Basics of Skincare
All good self-care in the form of skincare starts with the basics. You’ve got to keep your skin clean and moisturized! Finding the right products starts with understanding your skin type. Does your skin have a tendency to get too dry? Is it oily and prone to breakouts? Knowing this will help you pick the perfect cleanser.
If you aren’t sure what kind of skin you have—and many people have combination skin, meaning it’s oily in some areas and dry in others—you can take a skincare quiz online, or visit a specialty shop to have your skin tested.
Moisturize Me
For dry skin, I really love milk cleansers, which tend to be easier on the skin while removing makeup and bacteria. My personal favorite? The Cream Cleanser by Mad Hippie. The cleanser itself is jam-packed with oils, including jojoba, macadamia, and sesame. Plus, if you take a look at the ingredients list you’ll find hyaluronic acid, which is a killer way to lock in moisture for your dry skin.
If your skin is oily, a foaming cleanser will help keep your skin clean and remove excess oil. The Daily Cleanser by Cetaphil is a long-time favorite for a reason, it will get your skin squeaky clean without leaving it too dried out. It holds a 4.5-star rating with 2,556 reviews on Amazon and can be bought online, at Target, or at drug stores like CVS or Walgreens.
Always follow up a good wash with a moisturizer. If you’re worried about breakouts, something labeled as non-comedogenic is your best bet since it won’t clog your pores. I chose Paula’s Choice RESIST Super Light Daily Wrinkle Defense because it is made with oily skin in mind. I also love that it has an SPF of 30 and is tinted. This makes it a simple final step to your skincare routine on busy days.
Feeling Extra: Moving Beyond the Basics of Skincare
Once you cover the basics, there’s a whole exciting world of skincare extras to explore. Whether you want to stock up for daily use or a weekly at-home, quarantine spa-night, these awesome products will take your self-care to the next level.
For Your Whole Face
If you’re willing to splurge, it’s hard to compete with the Luminous Dewy Skin Mask by Tatcha. Green tea, rice, and algae are just a few of the nutritious ingredients found in the mask. Place it on a clean face, close your eyes, and relax for 20 minutes and imagine you’re on a beach for a mini-getaway. A single mask cost $12 but a 4.6-star rating suggests it’s worth the extravagance.
I really love the TONYMOLY I’m Real masks for a more budget-friendly face mask option. Each mask style or scent is assigned its own attribute, making it pretty simple to seek out a mask to address specific skin needs. The Green Tea mask is purifying, the Olive mask boasts of encouraging radiance, and the Aloe mask is moisturizing. Grab a single mask for $3 or a 10 pack for $25.
For Under Your Eyes
The delicate skin under your eyes will love a little extra attention eye masks provide. Whether you’re breastfeeding through the night, chasing a toddler, or preparing for another bizarre school year, the Cacorry Collagen Eye Masks are exactly what tired eyes need. Hyaluronic acid moisturizes puffy eyes and this brand uses collagen to reduce the appearance of fine lines.
If you want something that feels a little fancy, I recommend the 24k Gold Eye Masks by Demora. According to the creators, these golden masks are a great way to get rid of puffiness and dark circles under your eyes. What new parent doesn’t need that as part of their self-care routine?
For Your Lips
In my humble opinion, no skincare list is complete without the Lip Sleeping Mask by Laneige. Swiping this berry scented mask on my lips at the end of a long day is cherry-on-top of my self-care routine. Ingredients like berry extracts and shea butter make for a moisturizing blend for lips chapped by the sun or winter weather.
A great skincare routine doesn’t need to take up a ton of time. With a few products you know you love, an extra five or ten minutes can provide the self-care you need to start your day off on the right foot. Or, you know, when you need a little pampering while hiding in the bathroom from your kids. Either one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What products do you need for skin care?
Again, the skincare products you need depend on your own skincare needs. We recommend starting with basic cleaning and moisturizing, then tailoring to your own specific areas. And hey, we’re all moms here, so let’s just admit sometimes baby lotion works just fine.
What is a good skin care routine?
A good skincare routine involves exfoliation, cleaning, and moisturizing. And don’t forget to hydrate and eat healthy, because good skin comes from within!
