How to Build a Simple Natural Skincare Routine for Healthy, Glowing Skin
When it comes to skincare, there's no shortage of advice. Scroll through social media or browse the beauty aisle, and you'll find routines with a dozen products that promise healthy, glowing skin. While those routines may work for some people, they aren't always necessary to achieve skin that looks and feels its best.
One thing we've learned over the years is that consistency almost always beats complexity. A handful of well-chosen products used every day will generally do more for your skin than a cabinet full of products that rarely get used.
If you're looking to simplify your routine or you're just getting started with natural skincare, here's a step-by-step guide to building a natural skincare routine that supports healthy, glowing skin every day.
What Is a Simple Natural Skincare Routine?
A simple natural skincare routine includes five basic steps:
- Cleanse
- Balance
- Treat
- Moisturize
- Protect
Each step has a purpose, and together they help support your skin's natural barrier while addressing your individual skincare needs. You don't need a ton of products. You simply need the right products for your skin and consistency using them daily.
Step 1: Cleanse Your Skin Gently Every Day
Healthy skin starts with clean skin.
Throughout the day, your face collects oil, dirt, makeup, sunscreen, and environmental pollutants. Cleansing removes these impurities and prepares your skin to absorb the products that follow.
The goal isn't to strip your skin of its natural oils. In fact, over-cleansing or using harsh cleansers can leave your skin feeling dry, irritated, and unbalanced.
Our Vitamin C Cleanser is designed to gently cleanse while refreshing the skin with antioxidant-rich vitamin C. It leaves your skin feeling clean without the tight, dry feeling that some harsher cleansers can leave behind.
For most people, cleansing twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed, is enough.
Pro Tip: Wash with lukewarm water instead of hot water. Hot water may feel relaxing, but it can remove your skin's natural oils and contribute to dryness.
Step 2: Do You Need a Toner, an Astringent, or Both?
After cleansing, your skin is ready for the next step. This is where an astringent and toner can help prepare your skin for the rest of your routine.
Although these products are often confused, they each serve a different purpose.
An astringent is typically formulated to remove excess oil and leave the skin feeling clean and refreshed. It's a great option for those with oily or blemish-prone skin.
A toner helps refresh the skin after cleansing and prepares it to absorb the products that follow.
If your skin is oily or acne-prone, using both products can work well together. Start with the Deep Cleansing Astringent to help remove excess oil, then follow with the Balancing Toner before applying any acne treatment or moisturizer.
A simple routine for oily or acne-prone skin might look like this:
- Vitamin C Cleanser
- Deep Cleansing Astringent
- Balancing Toner
- Acne treatment (if part of your routine)
- Moisturizer
If your skin is normal, combination, dry, or sensitive, you may find that the Balancing Toner alone provides everything your skin needs before applying serums and moisturizers.
The goal isn't to use more products than necessary. It's to choose the combination that best supports your individual skin type.
Step 3: Treat Specific Skin Concerns with Serums
Once your skin is clean and balanced, it's ready for targeted care.
Serums contain concentrated ingredients that target specific skincare concerns and are designed to work alongside your daily moisturizer.
For example, our Eye Serum is formulated for the delicate skin around the eyes, an area that often shows signs of fatigue and aging before the rest of the face.
Our Night Serum is designed to become part of your age-defying evening routine, helping nourish your skin overnight while you sleep.
The key is choosing products that match your skin's needs instead of trying every new trend that comes along.
Step 4: Moisturize to Support Your Skin's Natural Barrier
Every skin type benefits from proper hydration.
A quality moisturizer helps support your skin's natural moisture barrier, making it easier for your skin to retain moisture throughout the day.
If you're looking for lightweight daily hydration, our Renewing Lotion is an excellent choice.
If your skin tends to be drier or you simply prefer a richer moisturizer, Organic Beauty Crème provides additional nourishment to help keep skin feeling soft.
For an extra boost of moisture, especially during the winter months or in dry climates, Organic Beauty Oil can be applied after your moisturizer to help seal in hydration.
Many of the natural ingredients we've highlighted, including jojoba oil, rose hip seed oil, and squalane, are valued because they help support the skin's natural moisture barrier while leaving skin feeling balanced and healthy.
Step 5: Protect Your Skin with Sunscreen Every Day
If there's one skincare habit that dermatologists consistently recommend, it's daily sun protection.
Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is one of the leading contributors to premature skin aging. Even on cloudy days, UV rays can reach your skin.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher as part of your daily routine and reapplying as directed when spending time outdoors.
Morning vs. Evening Skincare Routine
Fortunately, your routine doesn't have to change dramatically throughout the day.
Morning
- Vitamin C Cleanser
- Deep Cleansing Astringent (for oily or acne-prone skin, if desired)
- Balancing Toner
- Eye Serum (optional)
- Renewing Lotion or Organic Beauty Crème
- Broad-spectrum sunscreen
Evening
- Vitamin C Cleanser
- Deep Cleansing Astringent (for oily or acne-prone skin, if desired)
- Balancing Toner
- Night Serum
- Renewing Lotion or Organic Beauty Crème
- Organic Beauty Oil, if desired
Common Skincare Mistakes to Avoid
Even a simple routine can produce disappointing results if a few common mistakes get in the way.
Try to avoid:
- Switching products too often before giving them time to work.
- Using harsh scrubs or over-exfoliating.
- Skipping moisturizer because your skin feels oily.
- Forgetting sunscreen on cloudy days.
- Introducing several new products at the same time.
Patience is important. Most skincare products take several weeks of consistent use before you begin noticing meaningful improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a complicated skincare routine?
Not at all. For most people, a consistent routine using quality products is more effective than an elaborate routine with numerous products.
Can I use facial oil every day?
Facial oils can be used daily if they're appropriate for your skin type. Many people prefer applying them as the final step in their evening routine to help lock in moisture overnight.
Is natural skincare better?
Natural ingredients can be an excellent choice, but the most important factors are product quality, thoughtful formulation, and choosing products that are appropriate for your individual skin type.
Healthy Skin Starts with Consistency
Healthy skin doesn't come from using the most products. It comes from choosing products that work well together and using them consistently. We hope these simple steps help you build a routine that leaves your skin looking and feeling its very best.
