Love, Hash

For every person who takes their time to massage their cleansers, layer their serums, and use a gua sha for their morning lymphatic drainage – there’s a person in the next room scrambling to get their shoes on and walks out the front door without breakfast to get to their first meeting of the day.

 Though I’m a huge advocate for romanticizing your skincare routine, it’s no secret that most people just don’t have the time. I’ve had my fair share of 4am wake up calls to catch the LIRR to work. I get it. It’s hard managing a busy career while trying to maintain healthy and flawless skin.

Lucky for you, I’ve mastered an under-5-minute routine that’s ACTUALLY effective, helps maintain clean, healthy and supple skin while fitting into even the most hectic schedules.  

Simple Is Key

In a world where people are now using salmon sperm on their face, figuring out a skincare routine has become seriously overwhelming. But the truth is, you don’t need a 7+ step routine to have clear skin. In fact, scaling back might be the secret to clearer, healthier skin. 

The Make or Break of This Skincare Routine 

First things first – don’t compromise on quality.

 If you’re cutting down your routine, this is a key factor. The last thing you want is to blindly have faith in a product that leaves your skin feeling drier than when you started. 

But let’s be clear: good quality does not necessarily mean breaking the bank. If you can splurge on some hi tech products, great – but there are so many affordable products that also contain powerhouse ingredients.

You’re probably going to have to invest a bit of time on choosing products with ingredients that suit your skin – and believe me, you’d much rather do that than desperately trying to fix irritated skin later. 

4 steps, 2 minutes

Morning

1. Start

While using expensive cleansers might seem to be the solution, a 15-second face wash renders those products – and your money – useless. 

If you’ve been MIA on skincare TikTok, you’re probably not familiar with the 60-second rule. According to LABeautologist, taking a full 60 seconds to wash your face allows the active ingredients in your cleanser to do its job – break down the dirt, oil and makeup that’s trapped deep in your pores.

There’s no hard science backing this, but many experts agree that a 30 to 60 second wash should be effective enough without over-drying your skin. Just pay attention to how your skin feels and take it from there.

If you still think this is too long, try doing it while mentally planning your outfit or replaying that song that’s been stuck in your head. It’s literally a minute. 

Use a formula that works for you like a light, gel based cleanser for oily or combination skin or a cream based cleanser for those on the drier side.

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2. Moisturize 

Pick a moisturizer that’ll do the heavy lifting for you. Use one with  hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides, that will lock in moisture and make you look like the freshest person in the room (even if you’re not). If you’re on the drier side, go for a thicker formula.

Don’t forget your neck and the back of your hands! 

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3. Wear Protection 

You didn’t think cutting down your routine meant skimping on your SPF, did you? A simple routine can only work when you’re  protecting your skin from further damage in our current climate war – and your strongest soldier, your sunscreen. Rain or shine, SPF is an absolute necessity.

 Sun protection and anti-aging in one product? Literally nothing to cry about. 

No time AT ALL? Find a moisturizer with SPF in it.

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4. Don’t forget the lips 

Pretty self-explanatory. 

There are way too many products on the market for anyone to be walking around with dry, crusty lips. With options like Vaseline, hydrating lip masks, and budget friendly on-the-go lip balms, there are no excuses. 

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5. Optional But Recommended 

Got another 15 seconds? Add an antioxidant serum – a Vitamin C serum for brightness or Niacinamide for oil control – to help with any of your skin’s specific needs or just give it an extra oomph.

This can take your basic routine to the next level. 

Nighttime Skincare

You can keep your routine simple, but when you have a bit more time, adding extra step or two can help maintain that clear, healthy and plump effect throughout your day. 

1. Cleanser 

Wash away all of the dirt, oil and makeup that’s built up in your pores throughout the day and take your time with it, you don’t have anywhere to be right now. 

2. Serum

Take a couple of seconds to feed your skin with a serum that’ll make your skin thank you after the day it had. 

3. Moisturizer

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Lock in moisture at night to keep that skin soft and supple through the next day.

This also preps your skin for the next step.

4. Retinol

THIS, this is the nighttime essential if you’re over 20. Retinol increases cell turnover, meaning you can worry a little less about wrinkles and fine lines appearing anytime soon.

Warning: Retinoids can be an irritant, especially for those with sensitive skin so ensure you thoroughly moisturize before applying any retinol or retinoid product and use sunscreen the following day to avoid sun damage.

Yes, this ingredient comes with a few warning signs, but trust. Along with many others, I myself have seen the benefits and retinol use is scientifically proven to show firmer and plumper looking skin. Can’t argue with that.

5. Lips

Do I really need to say it?

Weekly Essentials 

• Exfoliate: Be it a chemical exfoliant or a scrub, weekly essentials include getting rid of any dead skin and giving your face a deep cleanse to keep it fresh throughout the week.

• Face mask: Homemade face masks, sheet masks, clay masks, gel masks, the options are endless. Choose a face mask that targets your skin’s concerns to allow the concentrated ingredients to their job – nourish, calm and reduce inflammation on your skin.
  

If these steps are still leaving your skin dull, take a second look at your daily diet. You can layer on as many serums as you want, but you can’t expect glowing, healthy skin on a steady diet of caffeine and Chinese takeout. Nourishing your skin starts from within. A little balance and care for your gut can make a world of a difference.

Choosing to minimize your skincare routine can work wonders. But slapping on just any face cream that goes on sale is not skincare.

 Giving your body and skin what they need – inside and out – will ensure this 2-minute routine actually works so that you’re out that door with a little less stress.

Skincare doesn’t have to be complicated – just effective.

Love,
Hash