A few weeks ago, I shared my current non-toxic skincare routine. Today, let’s talk about creating your own skincare routine using non-toxic products. I believe caring for and nourishing the skin, our body’s largest organ, is important. I also believe this can be done on any budget.
Keep in mind, I’m not a skincare expert. I didn’t go to school for any skincare related fields. I went to school to be a teacher. After teaching for a number of years, I had a baby and started a blog about real food-a new journey for us. As our diet changed, we also began making changes to the kind of cleaning and body products we purchased and used.
I didn’t always have a healthy relationship with my skin. For a number of years, I dealt with adult acne from hormonal, stress, and gut issues. Over the past few years, I’ve been learning how to care for my skin, naturally. I’ve read books, listened to podcasts with skincare experts and functional medicine doctors, been on the receiving end of facials and skin treatments (like gua sha, peels, and microdermabrasion), and experimented with various products.
I was never taught how to care for my skin as a teen and young adult. I thought skincare was about applying a bunch of makeup and hiding everything underneath. Now I know that isn’t the answer. The answer is to care for and nourish the skin.
Today, I want to share what I’ve learned about creating a skincare routine with the goal of inspiring you to create your own skincare routine. I’m not talking about anything crazy here; just a simple skincare routine that nourishes and supports the skin.
Components of a Skincare Routine
There are three components to focus on when it comes to building a skincare routine: cleanse, tone, and moisturize. From there, you can build in other practices, if desired or needed. This might look like a mask used 1-2 times a week, a serum for a specific need (like acne, hyperpigmentation, brightening, cell turnover, etc.), and an exfoliator (which can also be a mask or an actual scrub exfoliator).
Cleanse:
A face cleanser shouldn’t be harsh or strip your skin of its own natural (beneficial) oils or even sterilize the skin. This stripping causes an imbalance of the skin, and this can cause breakouts and other issues. Instead, a cleanser should clean your face, gently, by removing dirt, makeup, and other debris from the day. Some people like to double cleanse, which simply means cleansing the skin twice. If you wear a lot of makeup during the day or you find your skin just doesn’t feel clean after one cleanse, double cleansing may be a good option for you. To do this, you can use the same cleanser twice, or use an oil cleanser first (or even a makeup remover made with nourishing ingredients, like this makeup remover balm) and then a dedicated cleanser. Personally, if I feel the need to double cleanse, I just use the same cleanser twice. There’s no need to use a cleanser in the morning. I’ve learned the secret to using any face cleanser is to first massage the product on a damp face and then use a soft, wet washcloth to rinse off the cleanser and any dirt/makeup (rinse a couple of times, if needed). The cleanser will loosen dirt and cleanse the face, but it’s important to use a cloth to aid in the process. I use gray washcloths since they don’t show makeup or dirt.
Tone:
A toner is a liquid sprayed on the skin that helps to calm, hydrate, balance the pH of the skin and regulate oil production, and prepare the skin for a moisturizer. There are couple of ways to apply a toner. Either spritz the toner on the face and then use your hands/fingers to press it into the skin or apply the toner with a cotton ball.
Moisturize:
When it comes to hydrating and moisturizing the skin, there are a few different options. The first option is an oil. I know, applying oil sounds scary. Many of us, including myself, were taught that oil equals breakouts. Just like we were taught that margarine is healthier than butter. Oils have been used for generations, including by ancient civilizations, to nourish skin. Oil can cause breakouts. Certain oils are more likely to clog pores and cause breakouts, which is why it’s important to avoid oils that are high on the comedogenic scale. The higher the number on the scale, the more likely that oil will clog pores and cause breakouts. Coconut oil is one of the highest ranking oils on the scale, at a 4. This means coconut oil is more likely to clog facial pores. Oils can be incredibly nourishing for the skin and have in fact radically transformed my skin; it’s just important to pick the ones that will work best for your skin. The second option is a cream. Creams are different than lotions in that they are made with oil and water, but have more oil in the mixture than a lotion. Again, if you’re concerned about clogged pores, it’s helpful to think about how the oils rate on the comedogenic scale. The third option is lotion. A lotion is made with oil and water, so the oil used isn’t concentrated. Because of this, lotions are many times cheaper than facial oils (since they’re “cut” with water). This doesn’t make them inferior; just different.
Building Your Skincare Routine
What a skincare routine looks like in the morning and evening may vary. You have to find what feels good and works best for your skin. As an example, here’s what works best for me…
My morning skincare routine
My morning skincare routine is quick, simple, and to the point (about 5 minutes). I simply rinse my face with water (no cleanser needed in the morning), spritz toner, and apply moisturizer. If I wake up early enough, I may apply a mask in the morning, too. This generally happens twice a week. For simplicity, we’re not talking about extras today (like a mask); just a basic skincare routine.
My evening routine
My evening routine has more steps/products than the morning routine. In the evening, before bed, I wash my face with a cleanser to remove dirt and makeup and debris from the day, spritz toner, and then moisturize. I also add in a serum (for cell turnover), but a serum is just an extra and not something we’re going to talk about right now. I’ve also added in a couple of extras as well, because I’ve noticed a difference when using them, but these are also not required for a basic skincare routine.
I shared my personal skincare routine via video. If you want to see what I personally use and how I use the products, head over to this post.
Skincare on a Budget
The price tag on most skincare products made with safe-for-your-skin-and-body ingredients aren’t going to be the cheapest options on the market. If you’re on a tight budget, I recommend going the do-it-yourself route. Making products is many times a less-expensive option, but even then the ingredients aren’t cheap. A bottle of oil to make your own facial oil will cost you $12-15 and that’s just one oil. If you want to combine oils or add an essential oil, you’ll need to spend more. Many times you can use these ingredients multiple times, making them less expensive than a store-bought option, but there’s still an upfront expense.
With that said, if you don’t want to go the DIY route, let’s talk about prioritizing where to spend money for a budget-friendly approach. If I had to pick the one product I recommend spending money on, that would be a moisturizer. My second pick for where to spend money is a cleanser.
Let’s talk about some options that I’ve personally tried and loved for cleansers, toners, moisturizers.
I think it’s great to experiment with options. Just because a product is natural or non-toxic and made with nourishing ingredients doesn’t mean it’s right for your skin. What works amazing for one person may not be amazing for you. Skin is incredibly unique and it’s important to get to know what your skin loves and also what it doesn’t love.
When it comes to store-bought options, here are my recommendations for experimenting with products without spending a ton of money…
Try samples
The Detox Market lets you pick up to 4 products to sample with My Little Sample Bag. This is a fantastic way to try products before making a final purchase. It costs $7.99 for 4 products, which is a small price to pay compared to dropping hundreds on multiple products that you may or may not love. Some individual companies will also send sample bags of products. You may need to email the company or just poke around on their website. If you try a product and love it, order a larger size. If you don’t, move on.
Take a quiz
Follain offers a customized quiz that will help you determine which products will work best for your skin.
Visit a green beauty store
Green beauty stores are few and far between. Follain, Detox Market, Credo, AILLEA, and Lemon Laine are just a few of the stores you can visit across the nation and Canada. Most of these stores offer samples or you can try product while in the store. And most of these stores curate products, so they only sell what they believe is the “best of the best” in each category: cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. Even Sephora sells some products now, but it’s hard to know what’s actually a non-toxic product and what’s not. So if you’re new to non-toxic skincare, Sephora may not be the best option, unless you’re going in specifically for a product you already know about.
Try a subscription
True Botanicals, one of the brands under the high price category, offers a subscription service called Sun and Moon. The free subscription allows you to choose how often you receive a specific product and also take advantage of a subscription discount. Luminance Skincare offers a similar subscription discount option.
When looking for a non-toxic skincare product, choose a product made by a company that’s transparent about ingredients. A company should be proud of the ingredients used and should clearly state these ingredients on packaging and their website. A company shouldn’t hide behind mysterious words like fragrance. Instead, a company should be willing to share exactly what’s in a product and how it’s made.
I’ve tried a lot of different brands and homemade products over the years. I don’t want to leave you “hanging” when it comes to creating a skincare routine. I thought it would be helpful to leave you with a few product recommendations. Since you can develop a skincare routine on any budget, let’s talk about high, middle, and low price range recommendations. Low is up to $15, middle is between $15-30, and high is over $30.
Cleanser
Low
- Homemade Honey and Aloe Facial Cleanser: If I went back to a homemade cleanser this would be the one. This cleanser is incredibly simple and affordable, containing just three ingredients: aloe, honey, and oil.
- Homemade Basic Natural Face Wash: If you want a soapy cleanser, this is a great one. This face wash is made with a base of castile soap and can be customized based on your preferences.
- Acure Cleansing Gel: Acure is a budget-friendly brand found at Whole Foods and many retail shops. They make two different cleansers, a gel and a cream option, based on your preference. I particularly like the gel option. ($8-10)
- Luminance Skincare Delicate or Cream Cleanser: The delicate cleanser in this line reminds me of the homemade face wash above, but with other nourishing ingredients added. If you’d like to use a cream cleanser, particularly if your face feels dry after cleansing, this is an affordable option. ($19-23)
Middle
- One Love Organics Easy Does It Cleanser: If you’re looking for a store-bought option that’s foaming, this is a great option. This cleanser is suitable for all skin types, including dry skin since it won’t dry or strip your skin. ($25)
High
- Marie Veronique Cleansers: Marie’s products are formulated specifically with the microbiome of the skin in mind. Second to OSEA Ocean Cleanser, Marie’s Gentle Cleanser is my favorite. ($35-40)
- OSEA Ocean Cleanser: I use this cleanser daily. The seaweed cleanser hydrates, balances, and removes makeup and other residue from the day. It contains lactic acid (derived from beets) which helps to exfoliate the skin. The bottle is quite large, so I find one bottle lasts several months. ($48)
For more recommendations and details on toners and moisturizers, check out the original article here.
FAQs
Can I create a non-toxic skincare routine on a budget?
Yes, you can create a non-toxic skincare routine on any budget. There are affordable options available, and you can also experiment with DIY recipes using natural ingredients.
How do I know which products are right for my skin?
It’s important to listen to your skin and pay attention to how it reacts to different products. Trying samples or visiting green beauty stores can help you determine which products work best for your skin type.
Are expensive skincare products always better?
Expensive skincare products are not always better. It’s about finding the right products that work for your skin. There are affordable options available that provide excellent results.
Conclusion
Creating a non-toxic skincare routine doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. By focusing on cleanse, tone, and moisturize, you can build a simple and effective routine that nourishes and supports your skin. Whether you choose store-bought products or opt for DIY alternatives, there are options available for every budget. Remember to listen to your skin and experiment to find what works best for you. Happy skincare journey!