A Lazy Girl’s 10 Step Guide to Healthy Skin Care For Dry Skin

“Healthy skin care routine, clean skin care products, dry skin care routine … what is all this??”

I know what you’re thinking…

“Kemi, I haven’t shaved since March and unsure if I can ever wear a bra again and you’re talking about a healthy skin care routine?”

Yes, sis (gender-neutral here). I am.

Let’s face it: we’ve all let ourselves go since the start of global lock down with brows turning into mono brows, nails morphing into claws and talons, hair screaming with split ends and two-tone roots, a steady rotation of PJs, head scarves and those two over-size shirts you wear as sleep and lounge wear.

Sigh. The struggle is real but if that’s what we consider struggle, then we are highly blessed.

I’m “lucky” to have dry skin that doesn’t break out at the smell of butter but it comes with its own cons of tightness, endless hydration and moisturizing, steaming and masking.

Confession: This healthy skin care routine has not been stuck to daily since lock down – hence the lazy girl’s guide title – but, I have been keeping up with my clean skin care routine enough to ward off spots and dry skin patches. I hope these easy skin care routine tips I follow for dry skin especially will be useful for fellow lazies with dry skin who are into a clean skin care routine but are put off by unnecessary steps our faves seem to have.

 

Lazy Girl’s Guide: Easy Skin Care Routine Tips

Healthy Skin Care Routine: Know Thy (Skin) self

What is your skin type? Do you know?

First, determine that, then research clean skin care products that work best for your skin type. Do not fall into the trap of buying everything your MUA and skin care insta and YT faves use, even if they have your exact skin type. Either one of you may have combination skin or you might have sensitive skin and react to an unknown ingredient.

That said, you do NOT need to fork out wads of cash for clean skin care products as Walgreens and CVS carry affordable clean skin care brands for all skin types. Have a couple of tried and tested products in your arsenal and you can avoid becoming a classic product junkie.

Stay in your lane and suss out your skin type.

 

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Cleanse, Cleanse, Cleanse

By this, I mean both cleansers and facial washes, even though both are used interchangeably.

“But what is the difference?”

Both do a great job of cleansing your face but facial washes lather and are great for removing dirt from pores if you have no make-up on and just need to wash your face of the day’s grime. For my dry skin, I prefer washes without artificial scents – they are harsh on dry skin – but I can tolerate natural scents in soft doses. Facial washes are great for morning routines because your face is devoid of make-up and doesn’t require deep cleansing at that point.

I currently use Aveeno Positively Radiant Brightening Cleanser as a facial wash because it rinses off and the brand focuses mainly on dry skin, which is my forte. Another clean skin care and responsible brand I support is Alaffia Everyday Coconut Face Cleanser for all skin types which also rinses off and is great for daily use. In addition, Alaffia is Black African owned (from Togo) and manages socio-environmental empowerment projects for the women in Togo that make shea based clean skin care products for the Alaffia brand.

While cleansers remove impurities, excess make-up and grime, you have to know which ones are right for your skin type. Cleansers can be oil or water based, do not require rinsing off like facial washes, and can be applied with a cotton pad. Work the oil-based product into your face so that it dissolves layers of make-up, then wipe off thoroughly. Repeat as needed.

Know that feeling when you wash your face and dab only to see remnants of smudged waterproof mascara giving you raccoon vibes?

Oil-based cleansers are preferable because they dissolve make-up and grime while keeping skin supple. After a long day of make-up, pollution and dirt, it is advisable to use an oil-based cleanser then a facial wash for maximum cleansing. Some clean skin care oil-based cleansers I use are Fresh, Biossance Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil and Caudalie Makeup Removing Oil, all in the $30 range because affordable is our middle name.

 

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Toner

Toner is the second step to the recommended CTM skin care routine – cleanse, tone & moisturize – and something that I barely do.

“How do they work?”

Toner is clear like water and preps skin after cleansing by removing any layer of dirt or dead skin cells. They are all the rage in K Beauty skin care regimens and are so popular that there is a 7 skin method available for toning. No ma’am. Not for this lazy girl.

Now, toners can also be astringents and those I use during the occasional break out or every couple of weeks to remove dirt and grime. For example, I swear by Clean & Clear Deep Cleaning Toner for sensitive skin – aka “the blue one” – because it is less harsh than the “brown one”. A little goes a long way as too much tightens the skin but I’ve been using this for years, followed by a deep moisturizer after and I rarely break out. Again, one of the few perks of dry skin.

Lastly, a new toner I’ve discovered is the LANEIGE cream skin toner & moisturizer with claims to prep like a toner and moisturize and hydrate like a cream. I gravitate towards skin care products touting hydrating benefits for dry skin care so I will look for a sample to try.

 

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Moisturize

This step I follow religiously as part of a healthy skin care routine regardless of how lazy I am and is one step you should not skip in your lazy  girl healthy skin care routine for dry skin. There are two moisturizers I use interchangeably for my dry skin care depending on availability and these are Body Shop Glow Boosting Moisturizer and Botanics All Bright Day Cream with SPF 15.

Botanics is the epitome of clean skin care and is packed with phytonutrients – plant chemicals – and in sustainable packaging which can be recycled, a zero waste quality I look for in products and purchase if the price point is amenable to me. It comes in hibiscus, clary sage, purple orchid and rosehip, all with different benefits to skin. I prefer the hibiscus range day and night cream because it is hydrating and includes SPF.

The Body Shop moisturizer is orange, has citrus scent that doesn’t overpower my senses and leaves my skin soft and dewy. The only con is that it has no SPF but seeing as it can be used as both a day AND night cream, I see why. Whenever I use in the day time, I mix it with a dollop of my favourite sunscreen and slather the mixture upward and outward from my neck to my forehead.

Most women forget their neck in a healthy skin care routine and this bites them later as the neck shows signs of aging faster than the face.

Don’t get me wrong, aging is natural but neck aging should happen simultaneously with the rest of your body, imho.

Oh. I use night cream as well and in this lock down age with no make-up to remove, my lazy girl, easy skin care routine tips – give or take a couple of steps – are:

facial wash –> hydrating mask –> steam –> rinse –> serum –> night cream.

 

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Serums

This I love to use because it is light-weight and a little goes a long way with antioxidants and vitamins in them. Serums, like all skin care products, are according to skin type and your specific skin concerns to address. For example, peptides are for anti-aging and glycolic acid is great for discoloration so if you don’t have these concerns, best avoid serums with these ingredients.

My current serum is Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost Instant Smoother and I LOVE the citrus scent, dewy finish and radiance I get after. It’s in the same range as the Glow Boosting Moisturizer above so I usually buy them together.

Serums go on after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing and can be used both day and night either daily or every other day.

Skin care Tip: For dark-skinned individuals, always test new skin care products on a patch of skin and document results for a two week minimum. Some products may contain skin lightening ingredients that will lighten you considerably, but with quality clean skin care products, this is not necessarily a great concern.

 

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Facial Oils

Another staple in my dry skin care routine that is mandatory. I usually get Shea Moisture Facial Oil from the drug store but I splurged once on Body Shop Oils of Life that lasted three months. As much as I love Body Shop, I wasn’t keen on this because it made my eyes tingle and water but I finish the bottle because at $55 a pop, it is not cheap.

It might differ for you but regardless of brand, I love facial oils that leave my face moisturized for when I opt out of moisturizer.

 

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Sunscreen

As a Black woman, people are surprised that we need sunscreen. Yes. We’re blessed with glowing melanin and billions of Black humans live in tropical climates and have done so for millennia … but we still need sunscreen to protect against harmful UV rays.

As with most beauty products, sunscreen is one that dark-skinned people cannot just pick off shelf. There are factors to consider, such as:

“Does it make me look ashy? Is it chalky? How easy does it wash off?”

Alas, some sunscreen brands make us look like we slathered white paint on. Seriously. I know it’s the Titanium Oxide or some other ingredient, but it is not a pretty look. I learn this the hard way when I buy a popular drug store brand prior to a beach vacay without seeking advice from the community. Let’s just say that I’m grateful for a floppy hat and palm tree shade.

I discover La Roche Posay Double Repair Moisturizer UV at Walgreens and cannot believe it. It literally melts into skin like a lotion and is neither ashy nor chalky. What is this witchcraft? At $20, it is very affordable AND useful for lock down days in your backyard. I even mix this with the Body Shop Moisturizer above to slather on my face for time out in the sun and it blends in beautifully.

If you’re more the luxury type, Murad has clean skin care sunscreen for a pretty penny, but it is a luxury brand after all.

Regardless of colour and season, sunscreen should be used daily when leaving the house.

 

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Masking

This one is everyone’s favourite, especially the K Beauty sheet masks, and I confess that I indulge in gold sheet mask, snail mask and anything that claims to be hydrating and moisturizing … because dry skin. Don’t forget to cleanse (and maybe tone, if you’re not too lazy) skin prior to masking so that all beneficial ingredients penetrate deeply.

Body Shop has 2 for $10 Sheet masks but get a 16pk K beauty sheet masks on Amazon for about $10. I never thought I’d put snail’s essence on my face for anything but here we are lol.

Other mask types I use religiously are Shea Moisture Glow Honey Manuka Mask and Farmaesthetics Herbal Hydration Complex and I use them interchangeably as they are both moisturizing and hydrating. They are gentle enough to be used daily but seeing as this is a lazy girl’s healthy skin care routine, I mask thrice a week.

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Rollers

Jade rollers popped into the modern beauty space in recent years but they have been around in Eastern cultures for generations. They are made of crystals with different healing properties that help to lift, de-puff and sculpt the face while enabling clean skin care ingredients penetrate through. Jade rollers also boost blood circulation in the face and I use it on my neck too.

I store my jade roller in the freezer and use it to sculpt my face when masking to enable mask ingredients penetrate more. On truly lazy days, I just cleanse face, use jade roller on face and under eye, moisturize after and keep it moving.

Always remember to roll upward and outward.

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Steam it Up

This is one practice I’ve taken up in recent months and my dry skin thoroughly loves it. I steam nightly at least twice a week and follow up with my regular healthy skin care routine. I splurged on a $30 facial steamer and it is even more pleasurable in winter or when you have the flu because it comes with a nasal inhaler as well.

My easy skin care routine tip with the steamer is:

facial wash –> face mask –> steam –> rinse with cool water –> serum –> moisturize.

 

Healthy Skin Care Routine: #Facial Scrubs

Raise your hand if you ever used St. Ives Apricot Scrub as a teen *raises both hands*.

Those were rough and ignorant times … and apricot scrub was so rough that I also used it as a foot exfoliator *face palm*. We’ve seen the light and now use clean skin care scrubs such as Acure Brightening Facial Scrub.

A more natural and gentle exfoliator is in the form of Wyld French Pink Clay Konjac Sponge. It is hard at first but soak in water to soften, rub in circular motions on lathered face, and rinse thoroughly when done. I use it to rinse my face after steam/mask routine and it dries my face in the process, no towel needed!

Why I love the Konjac sponge even more is for its sustainable qualities because it is made from 100% plant fibre, perfect for all skin types and compostable. Replace it every 6 weeks and toss in with regular compost to biodegrade.

 

Bonus Healthy Skin Care Routine Tips

#Body Butters & Oils

The focus has been on the face as that is front and centre but, we shouldn’t forget the rest of our body too. Just like my face, I have dry skin on my body so I prefer moisturizing butters and oils such as Alaffia Shea Butter and Coconut Oil. It is made with shea butter and oils sourced and made in Togo and has no irritable scent which is perfect as that makes my dry skin worse.

As a West African lass who grew up on the continent, I’ve been using shea butter (ori) and natural black soap since I was a child. I remember chunks of shea butter sold in newspapers and crumbled with fingers to soften and the glistening of melanin as it was rubbed thoroughly into my skin.

In addition, I use body oil from L’Occitane Supple Skin Body Oil for $50. As frugal as I am, this is definitely worth the cost, from the consistency of the product, silkiness of your skin, to the fresh almond scent that lingers on long after application. It is one of my favourite clean skin care products and it lasts for months if you mix it with your favourite body butter. How’s that for an easy skin care routine tip!

#Body Scrub

The last dry skin care routine I’ll leave you with is exfoliating.

Just like your face, body exfoliation should be done to rid dead skin cells, patchy dry spots and leave skin soft and open to all these clean skin care products I’ve introduced you to. I don’t have a favourite body scrub brand but I use Body Shop Spa of the World body scrub and at $40 a tub, it stretches for months.

I finish off with moisturizer and L’Occitane almond body oil for silky smoothness.

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Hope you glean some easy skin care routine tips to incorporate into your regimen if you have dry or combination skin.

I prefer clean skin care products and as these become mainstream and non-exclusive, costs get affordable. Clean skin care products are in regular people drugstores – in store and online – and are not limited to high end stores.

Let me know in comments what clean skin care products you use or what your healthy skin care routine is regardless of skin type. Don’t forget to share and subscribe too.

See you on the social streets!

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