Many consider complex skincare routines to be the first step of glowing up and self-improvement, but creating a routine takes time and money. After noticing acne breakouts in fifth grade, junior Isabel Hylton (she/her) began to develop a skincare routine. She still follows a daily routine to prevent breakouts for her combination skin type.
“I really didn’t like the way that my skin looked, and it really bothered me and it hurt, so I really wanted to improve it,” Hylton said. “If I don’t do (my routine), then I get really harsh breakouts. But also, it’s just a good way for me to go throughout the day. In the morning, it helps me wake up. At night, it helps me go to sleep.”
Hylton’s routine starts with a Youth to the People cleanser, then a benzoyl peroxide
cleanser or micro exfoliant, toner, benzoyl peroxide cream, hyaluronic acid and vitamin A serum, salicylic acid moisturizer and hydrating moisturizer. This routine reduces the amount of oil in her skin, and the micro exfoliant and toner help remove dirt or makeup. Her products contain benzoyl peroxide, hyaluronic acid and salicylic acid to help calm and prevent acne.
“Hyaluronic acid — I don’t know the exact effects for everybody — but I know for me, at least, it really helps to reduce the amount of breakouts that I get and it helps with
dark spots as well,” Hylton said. “Benzoyl peroxide is what’s in the cream that was prescribed to me by my doctor. So it works really, really well to clear out the skin.”
Similar to Hylton, sophomore Kaylee Kim (she/her) started to worry about her skin in sixth grade when she started to get acne. Her routine started simple with a facial cleanser
and face lotion, but she now has two separate routines for morning and night. In the morning, she uses hypochlorous spray, toner, face spray and lotion. Hypochlorous spray is similar to toner and can be used to remove bacteria and balance skin. At night, she uses micellar water to remove makeup, a foam cleanser, toner, facial spray, niacinamide serum to reduce acne scars, lotion and adapalene gel, which she was prescribed to treat her acne. She said her skin type is dry and easily irritated, so she likes to use moisturizing products for her sensitive skin.
“(Some misconceptions are) probably that you need expensive products, or that you need lots of products. But I think that it really just depends on your skin,” Kim said. “Like some people don’t need a lot of products. Cheaper products can be just as good or even better than expensive.”
While consistent skincare is a vital aspect of achieving clear skin, both Hylton and Kim acknowledged that outside factors play a role in skin appearance. Hylton noticed that she tends to break out when traveling on planes, eating unhealthy foods or when under a lot of stress. Kim said that environmental factors like humidity or sunlight level can also affect the skin.
“I went to Korea last summer, and for some reason my skin became really clear there, I don’t know why. But then as soon as I came back to America, my skin started to break out really bad,” Kim said. “It was the worst breakout I’ve ever had. I don’t know if that’s because it’s my body or if it was the air.”
Kim discovered her favorite products by researching the best to buy for her skin type and then testing them through trial and error — using the products and waiting for a change in her skin. Hylton prefers cruelty-free, clean beauty products and uses social media to find the best ones for her skin.
“I’ve seen a lot of people who’ve had really bad acne on social media, and then I saw their process and their journey, and it helped me figure out how I was gonna help my skin and what would be best for me,” Hylton said.
For beginners, cleansers and moisturizers are the best first steps to start a skincare journey. With so many products available, Hylton said it’s best to be patient when experimenting. However, both Hylton and Kim agreed that simplicity is the key to any journey — especially when starting out with skincare. Instead of focusing on TikTok viral and celebrity brands, they advised students to focus on simple hydration and consistency. Hylton said that moisturizer is an essential for beginners.
“I think everyone should use a really good moisturizer, because even if you have really oily skin, you need to make sure that it remains hydrated,” Hylton said.
At the end of the day, skincare isn’t one-size-fits-all, and each person needs a different approach; finding the right products takes time and patience, and experimenting with different brands can help you create your own path.
“Be patient, because you have to try out so many different products,” Hylton said. “Your skin changes throughout the year. You have to adjust depending on the season and the weather. So just be patient, try new things.”
