DO I HAVE TO DO ALL THE STEPS? Skincare Routines in 1,3,5,7,and 10 minutes.

At a recent Mask Party, I was asked a questions I get a lot: Do I have to do all the steps?  To put this in context, we had just completed a multi-step treatment that had included a double cleanse, essence mist, mini-peel, eye mask gels, lip mask, sheet mask, moisturizer, and facial oil (and just for fun I sent everyone home with samples of a sleep mask and two hand creams I am testing for retail).  The entire process had taken almost AN HOUR, which while lovely for a Mask Party - and an absolute treat before a major event - is not realistic for most people on a regular basis. Which really begs the question: do I have to do all the steps?

The short answer, of course, is: NO, OF COURSE NOT.  I run a skincare studio where having clear skin is part of my job and while I am diligent with my skincare even I have nights where washing my face before it hits the pillow is a challenge.  Which begs a second question:

WHAT STEPS CAN YOU DROP?

The short answer is this: that depends.  As I write in the Mission Statement on my website, skincare doesn't have to be complicated. Know your skin. Clean, exfoliate if you need to, hydrate, treat, protect, repeat.  How many steps you want to include in that really depends on what kind of skin you have, and how much of a commitment you want to make. Taking care of your skin is like taking care of your teeth, or staying fit, or anything else that requires consistency: you get out of it what you put into it.  If you are genetically blessed, you will have to put in less effort than someone who is less fortunate.

The longer answer is: prioritize and make the most of your time.  Since at Shondra Jin Skincare we do treatments by time, let's get into the nitty-gritty of time-management with skincare routines for 1,3,5,7, and 10 minutes.

A NOTE: These are just guidelines, not a blueprint, especially the timing. KNOW YOUR SKIN. Use what works for you and disregard the rest, or pass it along to a friend who might find it helpful. The whole point is to experiment and find out what gives you the results you want. If you are looking for something more personal or need product recommendations, text me 207.522.8911 or shoot me a message.  If you live nearby, please schedule a free consult: https://shondrajinskincare.com/appointments/

AM

In the morning your priority should be protecting and preparing your skin for the day.  If your skin is not very oily or acneic and you took care of your skin before you went to bed the night before, you probably do not need to wash your face in the morning (not saying that you can’t, or even that you may not look better if you do, but that it may not be necessary).  Hydrate, exfoliate if need be, more hydration if you have time, and then prepare your skin to meet the elements. I highly recommend an antioxidant serum to help protect your skin against UV, pollutants, and other irritants (some research even says it protects against blue light); moisturizer (unless you are very oily); and put sunscreen wherever you don’t want to get wrinkles or skin cancer.

ONE MINUTE

Forget serums and facial massage - you've only got a minute!  Come on, move!

  1. If your skin is very oily or you have scaly patches, wipe a cleansing pad over your face or use a gentle cotton pad with a little toner on it. (20 seconds)  If your skin is dry, skip this step.

  2. Mist with the essence toner or hydrosol to prime your skin. (20 seconds)

  3. If you have dry skin, mix a little moisturizer with your sunscreen and slap it on. (40 seconds) If you have oily skin, skip the moisturizer and go directly to sunscreen (20 seconds)

Off you go!  Your minute's up!

THREE MINUTES

You have a little more time, so let's add a little more product and give the skin a little more love. Take more time with each step - but don't dawdle! Start as you would with the One Minute Routine but add in these steps and products:

  1. If your skin is very oily or you have scaly patches, wipe a cleansing pad over your face or use a gentle cotton pad with a little toner on it. If your skin is dry, skip this step. (30 seconds)

  2. Mist with the essence mist or hydrosol to prime your skin. (30 seconds)  

  3. Tap a little eye cream around your eyes.(30 seconds)

  4. Apply a little serum. (30 seconds)

  5. Apply moisturizer.  (30 seconds) If you are very oily, skip this step.

  6. Apply sunscreen. (30 seconds)

Yay! You got in a full roster of steps!

FIVE MINUTES

You have the basic roster from the Three-Minute routine, but as you have a little more time, let's really make the most of it and give your skin some real glow.

  1. If your skin is very oily or you have scaly patches, wipe a cleansing pad over your face or use a gentle cotton pad with a little toner on it.  Really pay attention to your skin and concentrate on those areas that need the extra exfoliation. If your skin is dry, skip this step. (60 seconds)

  2. Mist with essence mist or hydrosol to prime your skin. Gently pat in, stimulating the skin.  Repeat to give your skin a little more hydration and glow. (60 seconds)

  3. Gently tap a little eye cream around your eyes, taking a few extra seconds to gently pat along the orbital bone, waking up the eyes. (60 seconds)

  4. Apply a little serum, taking the time to gently pat in the product and allow it to absorb. (60 seconds)

  5. Apply moisturizer, gently pressing and patting into the skin, giving the skin a little massage. (60 seconds) (If you are very oily, skip this step.)

  6. Apply sunscreen, making sure you have applied it everywhere, and evenly.  (60 seconds)

Now, don't you look glowier for the extra two minutes!

SEVEN MINUTES

With seven minutes you can add steps and be a little more targeted in your treatment.  

  1. If your skin is very oily or you have dry patches, do a double cleanse (see Step 1 of the Three MInutes PM routine) or use a gentle peeling gel. (2 minutes)  If your skin is very sky or sensitive, skip this step.

  2. Mist with the essence mist or hydrosol to prime your skin. Gently pat in, stimulating the skin.  Repeat twice (three passes total) to give your skin extra hydration and glow. (90 seconds)

  3. Gently tap a little eye cream around your eyes, taking a few extra seconds to gently pat along the orbital bone to wake up the eyes. Gently apply pressure for a few seconds at the pressure points at the inner corners of the eye and the temples.  (90 seconds)

  4. Apply a little serum, taking the time to gently pat in the product and allow it to absorb. (60 seconds)

  5. Apply moisturizer, gently pressing and patting into the skin, giving the skin a little massage. (60 seconds) ( If you are very oily, skip this step.)

  6. Apply sunscreen, making sure you have applied it everywhere, and evenly.  (60 seconds)

  7. Put 2-3 drops of facial oil suited to your skin in the palm of your hand and press between your palms.  Gently press your palms to your face, especially along your cheekbones and neck, waking up the skin and giving you a very natural looking glow. (60 seconds)  If you are very oily, skip this step.

TEN MINUTES

Take advantage of the time to really focus on your face and give yourself maximum glow.

  1. If your skin is very oily or you have dry patches, do a double cleanse or use a gentle peeling gel. (2 minutes)

  2. Mist with essence mist or hydrosol to prime your skin. Gently pat in, stimulating the skin. Repeat until you have done this seven times. (3 minutes)

  3. Gently tap a little eye cream around your eyes, taking a few extra seconds to gently pat along the orbital bone, waking up the eyes. Gently apply pressure for a few seconds at the pressure points at the inner corners of the eye and the temples. (90 seconds)

  4. Gently pat in your serum, then use your palms to gently press along your forehead, cheekbones, in front of your ears, and along your jawline, pressing the serum into the skin and helping it to more fully absorb while waking up the skin. (90 seconds)

  5. Apply moisturizer, gently pressing and patting into the skin as in step 4. (90 seconds) ( If you are very oily, skip this step.)

  6. Apply sunscreen, making sure you have applied it everywhere, and evenly.  (60 seconds)

  7. Put 2-3 drops of facial oil suited to your skin in the palm of your hand and press between your palms. Gently press your palms against your face, especially along your cheekbones and neck, waking up the skin and giving you a very natural looking glow. (60 seconds) If you are very oily, skip this step.

PM

At night you want to prepare your skin for all the heavy lifting it does while you sleep. Ideally this is when you want to most of your heavier work. Priority Number One is to gently and thoroughly remove ALL makeup and accumulated debris from the day.  Nighttime is a great time to do a little extra exfoliation or treatment on your face and also time to bring out a more heavy-duty cream or oil that might be too heavy to wear under a makeup but which really brings out your glow. But did I mention the priority here is making sure you get ALL the makeup and debris off your skin? However long it took for you to put all of that on, put equal time and care into getting it all off - if you are wearing serious eye makeup or more than two coats of mascara consider starting at the 5 or 7 minute routines.  

ONE MINUTE

I get it. You are exhausted.  But please, take this quick minute and your face will thank you in the morning.

  1. If you are wearing a full face of makeup, use almost the whole minute to remove as much of your makeup that you can with micellar water and cotton or a cleansing pad, or with your favorite cleanser.  Realistically, you are probably not going to get it all off, but this is MUCH better than nothing. Run a warm washcloth over your face or splash your face with warm water and skip to step 6.

  2. If you are not wearing makeup, use 30 seconds to gently remove your sunscreen and daily debris with micellar water and cotton or a cleansing pad.

  3. Run a warm washcloth over your face or rinse with warm water (10 seconds)

  4. Mist with essence mist or hydrosol. (10 seconds)

  5. Slap on a sleep mask. (10 seconds)

  6. Drop into bed.

I realize if you are really tired or not used to a PM routine you are probably only going to make it through step one. But step one is better than nothing! Do your best! If you can manage to to the mist and sleep mask steps you will truly look better for it in the morning.   

THREE MINUTES

OK, let's do a real cleanse and see how much we can squeeze into the time remaining.

  1. Double cleanse: use an oil cleanser first on dry skin, rinse or remove with a warm washcloth, then follow with a foaming wash and rinse or remove with a warm washcloth. Take one full minute with each step. (2 minutes) IF YOU ARE WEARING SERIOUS EYE MAKEUP soak two cottons in micellar water and press them gently onto your eyes and let them sit for 30 second before gently swiping off your eye makeup or use an make-up remover suited for eye make-up. Follow with a very quick double cleanse or consider moving on to the 5,7, or 10 minute routines.

  2. Mist the face with essence toner and gently pat in (20 seconds)

  3. Tap a little eye cream around your eyes, being careful not to apply inside the orbital bone. (20 seconds)

  4. Smooth on a sleep mask or moisturizer or night cream (20 seconds)

  5. Drop into bed.

Yay!  Now won't you look glowy in the morning.

FIVE MINUTES

Add a little more time to your cleanse to really get everything off, and then use the remaining minute to add eye cream and serum.

  1. Double cleanse. Start with an oil cleanser on dry skin, massaging for a full minute. Rinse or remove with a warm washcloth (30 seconds), then follow with a foaming wash, massaging for a full minute, and rinse or remove with a warm washcloth (30 seconds). (3 minutes total) IF YOU ARE WEARING SERIOUS EYE MAKEUP soak two cottons in micellar water and press them gently onto your eyes and let them sit for 30 second before gently swiping off your eye makeup or use an make-up remover suited for eye make-up then proceed with the double cleanse, taking a minute for each step. (3 minutes)

  2. Mist the face with essence toner and gently pat in. (30 seconds)

  3. Tap a little eye cream around your eyes, being careful not to apply inside the orbital bone. (30 seconds)

  4. Apply a serum suited to your skin. (30 seconds)

  5. Apply a sleep mask, gently massaging into the face, neck, and decollete. (30 seconds)

  6. Drop into bed.

SEVEN MINUTES

Take a little more time to really massage in your creams and serums.

  1. Double cleanse. Start with an oil cleanser first on dry skin, massaging for a full minute. Rinse or remove with a warm washcloth (30 seconds), then follow with a foaming wash, massaging for a full minute, and rinse or remove with a warm washcloth (30 seconds). (3 minutes total) IF YOU ARE WEARING SERIOUS EYE MAKEUP soak two cottons in micellar water and press them gently onto your eyes and let them sit for 30 second before gently swiping off your eye makeup or use an make-up remover suited for eye make-up then proceed with the double cleanse, taking a minute for each step. (3 minutes)

  2. Mist the face with essence toner and gently pat in. Repeat twice, for a total of 3 times. (1 minute)

  3. Tap a little eye cream around your eyes, being careful not to apply inside the orbital bone. Gently massage to fully absorb. (1 minute)

  4. Gently massage in serum or an anti-aging ampoule suited to your skin type. (1 minute)

  5. Apply a sleep mask, gently massaging into the face, neck, and decollete. (1 minute)

Take a deep meditative breath or two and off to bed.

TEN MINUTES

Give yourself time to enjoy each step and pamper yourself a little before bed. Once or twice a week add an exfoliating step.

  1. Double cleanse. Start with an oil cleanser first on dry skin, massaging for a full minute. Rinse or remove with a warm washcloth (30 seconds), then follow with a foaming wash, massaging for a full minute, and rinse or remove with a warm washcloth (30 seconds). (3 minutes total) IF YOU ARE WEARING SERIOUS EYE MAKEUP soak two cottons in micellar water and press them gently onto your eyes and let them sit for 30 second before gently swiping off your eye makeup or use an make-up remover suited for eye make-up then proceed with the double cleanse, taking a minute for each step. (3 minutes)

  2. Gently exfoliate the skin with a peeling gel or exfoliating pad.  Do this 1-2x a week if you are dry or sensitive, or nightly if you have oily or resistant skin. (1 minute)

  3. Mist the face with essence toner and gently pat and press in, repeating for a total of 7 times. (3 minute)

  4. Tap a little eye cream around your eyes. (1 minute) If you have dry or sensitive skin and you are not exfoliating, take an extra minute on step 4, 5, or 6, or spread this extra minute between all three steps.

  5. Gently massage in serum or an anti-aging ampoule suited to your skin type. (1 minute)

  6. Apply a sleep mask, gently massaging into the face, neck, and decollete. (1 minute)

A FINAL NOTE: Wow, this turned into a much longer post than I anticipated. I hope you found it helpful. Please take a moment and let me know what you think! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? I welcome your feedback.







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