14 Girl Doing Skincare Worth Trying

Last Tuesday at Whole Foods, I caught my reflection in the deli glass and realized my face looked like a greasy, peeling tomato. I was trying out a harsh new morning routine, but honestly, being a girl doing skincare is sometimes just an exercise in accidental chemical burns. You see those aesthetic videos online of a perfect girl doing skincare in her pristine, softly lit marble bathroom. Reality is me standing in my cramped apartment, accidentally getting 2 percent salicylic acid in my left eye and crying for ten minutes. I’ve spent years researching products for freshfaceroutine.com. I’ve made every mistake possible. I used to scrub my face with crushed walnut shells until it was raw and stinging. Now I stick strictly to what dermatologists actually recommend. Skip the trendy, heavily fragranced stuff. It smells like cheap perfume and ruins your skin barrier. I’m going to walk you through exactly what works, what to buy, and how much to use. Let’s fix your routine right now.

1. The 1/4 Teaspoon Sunscreen Rule For Every Girl Doing Skincare

Most people apply a tiny, pea-sized drop of sunscreen and think they’re protected. You aren’t. Dermatologists recommend a generous 1/4 teaspoon of broad-spectrum SPF for your face, and another 1/4 teaspoon for your neck. If you don’t measure it out at least once, you’re definitely under-applying. I completely burned my forehead last summer because I skimped on my SPF. I highly recommend EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 ($43.00, 1.7 oz). It’s incredibly lightweight and doesn’t leave that thick, sticky, white residue that smells like a public pool. If you want something you can grab while running errands, look for La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk SPF 60 ($39.99, 5 oz) at Target. It has a slightly thicker lotion texture but melts into the skin beautifully without feeling greasy. You have to reapply every two hours if you’re outside. Don’t rely on the SPF 15 in your foundation. It won’t protect you from UVA rays that cause premature aging. Trust me.

2. Double Cleansing Is Non-Negotiable Every Evening

If you wear makeup or waterproof sunscreen, a single pass with a wet wipe won’t cut it. You’re just smearing oily grime around. Double cleansing is mandatory. Start with an oil-based cleanser on dry skin. I’m obsessed with DHC Deep Cleansing Oil ($29.50, 6.7 oz). Pump 2 to 3 drops into your dry palms and massage it over your dry face. You’ll literally feel the mascara melting under your fingertips. It looks terrifying in the mirror, like you have raccoon eyes. Rinse that off with lukewarm water. Then, follow up with a gentle, water-based cleanser. I buy the massive pump bottle of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser ($11.49, 16 oz) at Costco. Use 1 pump on damp skin to wash away the remaining residue. If you skip this second step, that oil will clog your pores and cause massive breakouts along your jawline. I learned that the hard way.

3. Vitamin C Smells Terrible But Actually Works

I won’t lie. Good Vitamin C serum smells exactly like hot dog water. It’s a weird, metallic, meaty scent that takes some getting used to. But it’s essential for brightening dark spots and protecting your skin from environmental damage. I use the Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum ($26.95, 1 oz). It has a very watery, slightly sticky texture. Apply 3 to 4 drops to your clean, dry face every single morning before your moisturizer. Here is the trick most people miss. Let it dry completely. I used to slap my moisturizer on immediately, and the products would pill up into gross little white balls. Wait at least 3 minutes. Brush your teeth while you wait. Vitamin C degrades quickly when exposed to light and air, so keep the little yellow bottle tightly closed and store it in your fridge.

4. Start Retinol Like A Complete Coward

Retinol is the gold standard for anti-aging and acne, but it will absolutely destroy your face if you rush it. I bought Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment ($14.97, 0.5 oz) at Walmart and slathered a thick layer all over my face every night for a week. By Friday, my skin was peeling off in sheets and burned when I smiled. Don’t do that. You need exactly one pea-sized amount for your entire face. That’s it. Start by using it only two nights a week. I highly recommend the sandwich method. Apply a thin layer of basic moisturizer, wait 5 minutes, apply your tiny pea-sized drop of retinol, wait another 5 minutes, and add another layer of moisturizer. This buffers the harshness. Your skin will likely look a bit red and flaky for the first month. Push through it. It’s just your skin adjusting. Stick to a gentle routine on the nights you aren’t using it. You might also like: 15 Charming Aesthetic Pictures Skincare Worth Trying This Year

5. Hyaluronic Acid Requires A Damp Face

Hyaluronic acid is a moisture magnet. It can hold 1000 times its weight in water. But if you apply it to a bone-dry face, it will literally suck the moisture out of the deeper layers of your skin, leaving you feeling tight and dehydrated. I made this mistake for months. I couldn’t understand why my face felt like dry parchment paper. You have to apply it to damp skin. I keep a little spray bottle of plain tap water on my counter. I mist my face until it’s slightly wet, then apply 3 drops of The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 ($9.60, 1 oz). It has a thick, slippery, gel-like texture. Massage it in, and immediately trap that hydration by applying a thick moisturizer over the top while your skin is still tacky. Your face will instantly feel plump and bouncy, like a fresh grape instead of a shriveled raisin. You might also like: 15 Brilliant Skincare Routine Ideas That Make a Real Difference

6. Stop Scrubbing With Physical Exfoliants

Throw away those gritty, fruity-smelling face scrubs right now. The jagged little pieces of crushed walnut shells or apricot pits create microscopic tears in your skin barrier. I used to scrub my nose so hard it would bleed slightly, thinking I was clearing out my blackheads. I was just causing chronic inflammation. You need a chemical exfoliant instead. I swear by Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant ($35.00, 4 oz). It looks and feels exactly like water. You pour a quarter-sized amount into your palm and gently pat it over your face 2 or 3 nights a week. The salicylic acid actually penetrates inside your pores to dissolve the sticky glue holding dead skin cells and oil together. It smells slightly chemical, but it works miracles on textured skin. Just don’t use it on the same night as your retinol, or your face will turn bright red and sting. You might also like: 20 Lovely Aesthetic Night Routine Skincare for a Fresh New Look

7. Oily Skin Still Needs Daily Moisture

When my skin was an oily, acne-prone mess, I refused to wear moisturizer. I thought I was drying out my pimples. In reality, I was severely dehydrating my skin. When your skin lacks water, it panics and overproduces thick, sticky sebum to compensate, making you even oilier. You have to moisturize, but you need the right texture. Skip the heavy, buttery creams. You need a lightweight water gel. I always grab Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream ($19.99, 1.7 oz) when I’m shopping at Kroger. Scoop out a dime-sized amount. It feels incredibly cooling and absorbs instantly without leaving any shiny film behind. It has a very faint, clean scent. If you skip moisturizer, your skin barrier will weaken, allowing bacteria to enter and cause more cystic breakouts. Hydration is the secret to calming down angry, overactive oil glands.

8. Pimple Patches Stop The Midnight Picking

I have a terrible habit of picking at my face when I’m stressed. I’ll stand in front of the mirror at 11 PM and squeeze a tiny red bump until it turns into a massive, bleeding crater that takes three weeks to heal. Pimple patches changed everything for me. I keep a box of Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Original ($12.99, 36 count) in my bathroom drawer. They’re tiny, translucent hydrocolloid stickers. When you feel a pimple forming, wash your face, dry it completely, and stick a patch directly over the spot. Leave it on overnight. The patch physically blocks you from touching it. More importantly, the hydrocolloid absorbs all the fluid. When you peel it off in the morning, you’ll see a satisfying white bubble of gunk trapped on the sticker, and your pimple will be completely flat. They don’t work on deep, cystic acne, but they’re magic for whiteheads.

9. Silk Pillowcases Save Your Skin And Hair

You spend eight hours a night with your face smashed into a pillow. Standard cotton pillowcases are highly absorbent. They act like a sponge, soaking up all those expensive serums and heavy moisturizers you just carefully applied. Cotton also creates a lot of friction. I used to wake up with deep, red sleep creases stamped into my cheeks that took hours to fade. Switching to a silk or satin pillowcase fixes both problems. I bought a Kitsch Satin Pillowcase ($19.00, standard size) and it’s incredibly smooth and cool to the touch. Your face literally glides across the fabric when you roll over. It doesn’t absorb your skincare products, so they actually stay on your face where they belong. Plus, it stops your hair from turning into a frizzy, tangled bird’s nest while you sleep. You have to wash it weekly, though, or oil builds up quickly.

10. Your Phone Screen Is Causing Cheek Breakouts

I was standing in line at Trader Joe’s last month, talking on the phone, when I pulled it away and noticed a thick smear of my foundation and facial oil covering the screen. Our phones are absolutely filthy. We set them on public bathroom counters, touch them after handling greasy food, and then press that warm, bacteria-covered glass directly against our cheeks. I kept getting cluster breakouts on the right side of my jawline, right where my phone rests. You have to clean your screen daily. I buy a massive box of Care Touch Alcohol Prep Pads ($9.99, 200 count). I keep a few in my purse and a stack on my nightstand. Every single evening, I wipe down my phone screen, my pop-socket, and my phone case until the alcohol smell dissipates. It takes five seconds and dramatically reduces those random, painful cheek pimples. No exaggeration.

11. Treat Your Neck And Chest Like Your Face

Most women stop their skincare routine right at their jawline. I did this for years. Now, my face looks smooth, but my neck is starting to show faint rings, and my chest has tiny little sunspots. Your neck and chest (the décolletage) have very thin, delicate skin that shows signs of aging fast. Whatever you apply to your face, bring it all the way down. That means your cleanser, your Vitamin C, your moisturizer, and especially your sunscreen. For nighttime repair, I started using Gold Bond Age Renew Neck & Chest Firming Cream ($11.97, 2 oz). Squeeze out a quarter-sized dollop and massage it upward from your cleavage to your chin. It’s thicker than a facial lotion but doesn’t feel sticky under a t-shirt. If you ignore your neck, it will eventually look twenty years older than your face.

12. You Have Too Much Niacinamide In Your Routine

Niacinamide is a fantastic ingredient for reducing redness and controlling oil, but skincare brands are sneaking it into absolutely everything right now. It’s in your cleanser, your toner, your serum, and your moisturizer. Dermatologists agree that a 2% to 5% concentration is perfect. Anything higher can actually cause severe irritation. I bought a trendy 10% niacinamide serum and applied it twice a day. Within a week, my face was incredibly flushed, hot to the touch, and stung when I applied plain water. I was overdosing my skin barrier. Check your ingredient labels. You only need one product containing it. I recommend the Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum ($6.00, 1 oz). It’s a safe, gentle percentage. Apply 2 drops in the morning. It has a slightly slippery texture but absorbs quickly. Don’t layer five different niacinamide products on top of each other.

13. Stop Buying Expensive Creams In Open Jars

I hate skincare products packaged in heavy, open jars. Every time you unscrew the lid, you expose the delicate active ingredients to light and air, which causes them to break down and become completely useless within a few months. Worse, you’re constantly dipping your unwashed fingers into the cream, introducing bacteria that breeds in the moist environment. It’s gross. Always look for products in opaque pump bottles or squeeze tubes. I love the CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($15.99, 3 oz). It comes in a sturdy plastic bottle with a locking pump. Two pumps dispense the exact amount you need for your face and neck. The texture is a lightweight gel-cream that feels incredibly soothing. If you absolutely must use a product that comes in a jar, buy a tiny plastic skincare spatula to scoop it out. Never use your bare fingers.

14. The Simplest Routine For A Girl Doing Skincare Wins

We’ve all been influenced into buying a massive, 10-step skincare routine. I used to spend forty-five minutes every night layering toners, essences, ampoules, and sleeping masks. My skin was constantly red, irritated, and breaking out because I was overwhelming my barrier with too many active ingredients. Dermatologists will tell you that the best routine is a simple one. You only need a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen. Everything else is just a bonus. When my skin freaks out, I drop everything and go back to basics. I’ll pick up a tube of Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer ($14.99, 3 oz) while browsing the aisles at Sprouts. Squeeze out a dime-sized amount. It has zero fragrance, zero harsh actives, and feels like a comforting hug for angry skin. Consistency with three basic products will always give you better results than randomly applying fifteen different expensive serums. It took me years to figure out.

Building a routine doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. I’ve ruined my skin enough times to know that gentle consistency is the only thing that actually works. Stick to these dermatologist-recommended basics, measure your sunscreen, and stop picking at your face. I’d love it if you pinned this guide to your skincare boards so you don’t forget these specific product recommendations the next time you’re standing confused in the drugstore aisle.