Most people have a skincare routine. Maybe it’s just face wash and moisturiser. Maybe there are five or six products lined up on the shelf.
But there is another routine that often gets overlooked.
It’s what you do during the rest of the day.
Think about it. You touch your phone, spend time in the sun, drink coffee, sit in an air-conditioned room, rush through meals and probably touch your face more often than you realise. None of these things feels like “skincare,” but they are still part of your everyday life.
The good thing is that you don’t need to change everything at once.
It’s easy to remember sunscreen when you’re heading to the beach. On an ordinary workday, though, it can be the first thing people skip.
Try not to think of sunscreen as a special-occasion product. If you’re going outside, applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen can become part of getting ready in the morning.
You don’t need to make the routine complicated. Find a sunscreen that feels comfortable on your skin and that you’re actually willing to use regularly.
That’s usually a better plan than buying something expensive and leaving it unopened in a drawer.
How often do you finish a whole day and realise you barely drank any water?
It happens, especially when work gets busy.
Drinking enough fluids is important for your general health. While drinking more water isn’t a cure for every skin concern, staying adequately hydrated is still a sensible everyday habit.
Keep water somewhere you can see it. On your desk, in your bag or beside you when you’re watching TV.
Sometimes making something convenient is all it takes to remember it.
This one is surprisingly difficult.
You might rest your cheek on your hand while working. You might rub your forehead when you’re thinking. You might pick at a spot without even noticing.
Try paying attention to it for one day.
Your hands come into contact with plenty of surfaces throughout the day, so repeatedly touching your face isn’t the best habit. Picking at spots can also irritate the area and make marks more noticeable.
You don’t have to keep your hands perfectly still. Just try to catch yourself doing it.
There is always another skincare product being recommended online.
A new serum promises brighter skin. Another cleanser is supposed to remove every trace of oil. Then there’s an exfoliator, a mask and something else you’ve never heard of before.
It can get confusing.
A simple routine is often easier to follow. Use products that suit your skin, introduce new products gradually and don’t assume that a stronger product will automatically give better results.
If your skin feels uncomfortable after using something, that’s useful information. Listen to it.
You don’t need to eat a perfect diet for your skin.
Instead, look at what you normally eat across a week. Are you getting fruits and vegetables? Enough protein? Different types of whole foods?
Small improvements are easier to maintain than extreme restrictions.
And if you enjoy a dessert or a takeaway meal occasionally, that doesn’t mean you’ve ruined your skincare routine.
Your overall eating pattern matters much more than one meal.
Stress can make an ordinary day feel exhausting.
Sometimes there isn’t much you can do about the source of it. Deadlines still exist. Emails still arrive. Family responsibilities don’t disappear.
What you can do is find small breaks.
Take a short walk. Put your phone away for ten minutes. Listen to music while making dinner. Sit outside for a bit.
It doesn’t have to be a formal meditation session. Sometimes simply stepping away from everything for a few minutes helps.
Your face isn’t the only thing that needs cleaning.
Think about your phone. You hold it all day and regularly put it close to your face.
Then there’s your pillowcase. It spends hours against your skin every night.
Cleaning your phone and changing your pillowcase regularly are simple habits. They won’t magically clear every skin problem, but keeping commonly used items clean is a reasonable part of personal hygiene.
Nighttime is a good opportunity to keep things simple.
Wash your face gently, use a moisturiser if your skin needs one and avoid throwing several new products into the routine at once.
Sleep is important too.
Staying up late occasionally is normal. But if late nights have become your usual routine, it may be worth looking at your bedtime.
Your skin is part of your body, after all. Looking after yourself generally is still part of looking after your skin.
Some people prefer to include supplements in their everyday wellness routine.
A collagen skin gummy is one option that may appeal to people who don’t enjoy swallowing tablets. Formulations vary, so ingredients can be different from one product to another.
A skin gummy shouldn’t replace basic skincare habits, nutritious food or sun protection. Think of it as something that may complement your routine rather than becoming the centre of it.
If you’re considering a skin gummy, have a look at the ingredients and suggested serving before using it. If you take medication or other supplements, it can also be worth asking a healthcare professional whether it is appropriate for you.
This might be the most useful thing to remember.
Your skin won’t look exactly the same every morning.
You may have a breakout before an important event. Your cheeks might feel dry after a change in weather. You may notice more oil during a hot day.
That’s normal.
Trying to fix every little change can turn skincare into a stressful process. Instead, give your routine some time and focus on habits you can realistically maintain.
Better skin habits don’t have to involve a complete lifestyle makeover.
Wear sunscreen. Drink water. Eat reasonably well. Get enough sleep. Keep your hands away from your face when you can. Don’t go overboard with skincare products.
And if you choose to add something like a skin gummy, make sure it fits comfortably into the rest of your routine.
There isn’t one perfect skincare routine that works for everyone. Your skin changes, your lifestyle changes and your needs can change too.
The best routine is usually the one that’s simple enough to keep doing.