Most of us have a hard time letting go of old routines. It is human nature for habits to be ingrained into our neural pathways. But unfortunately, human nature can hinder us from making effective changes to our skincare routine. For a skincare routine to be proper and effective, it should be done every day, but according to a 2017 skin survey done by CeraVE, 54% of people do not wash their faces every night. When it comes to improving our skin, being consistent and changing detrimental habits like not washing our face might be difficult. For example, if you’re accustomed to going to sleep rather than washing your face after the last task of your day, it might be difficult to change this habit. More simply, it’s easy to notice that your skincare routine needs a change after seeing more pimples, but completing these changes can be a struggle.

So, here are five easy tips for creating routines that have been studied and scientifically tested to help with habit formation. If you can’t stick to these tips because you are moving around all of the time or you have a condition like ADHD, that’s completely understandable. There are all types of disabilities that prevent someone from being able to even stand at a sink or walk to the bathroom. But, in this blog, we have provided some general tips that you can customize to your lifestyle, and hopefully, they will help you be more consistent with your skincare routine.

#1 Washing your face in the shower

The most common place to wash one’s face is the sink, but sometimes standing at the sink creates an added task and likewise discourages us from washing our face regularly. Washing your face regularly is paramount to improving your skin, and convenience is key to consistency. When you wash your face in the shower, it increases the likelihood of consistency because you’re integrating two tasks (showering and cleansing) into one. Moreover, making tasks easier reduces the amount of discipline required to complete it.  

Another reason why cleansing in the shower helps consistency is that it can decrease the emotional and mental task of washing your face. Some people get anxious from staring at themselves for an extended period of time, and some associate looking in the mirror with scrutinizing their skin or picking at their face. Likewise, these anticipated stressors can lessen the probability of getting the skincare routine done every night.

Furthermore, people who have anxieties like “fear of contamination” might find skincare routines stressful. Perhaps you dislike touching your faucet before washing your face or perhaps you feel the need to repeat the process upon deviating from a perfect face washing ritual. Psychologist, Dr. Reider says,“Often, limiting the time spent on a regimen and number of times per day dedicated to self-care can be the key difference between helpful and maladaptive behaviors like these.” Given that washing your face in the shower decreases time and the number of tasks within a self-care routine, it might assist in making your skincare routine less stressful. 

And lastly, if you’re unable to stand or lean over in front of a skin. Washing your face in the shower is a great way to make a skincare routine more accessible if you have a sitting stool in the shower.

PS: Also make sure the water isn’t too warm as this can dry out the skin.

#2 Apply Your SPF after a mandatory task.

Although you’re supposed to apply your SPF multiple times a day to help with skin degradation, acne, and hyperpigmentation, this can be difficult. However, applying it after something you do multiple times per day such as eating can be helpful. If you eat 3 times a day, you can apply your SPF directly after each meal. Applying sunscreens after meals allows you to attach new habits to ones that already exist.  

#3 Simplify your skincare routine.

Go for skinimalism, and take out the products that you don’t need. The only products that you truly need are a cleanser, a moisturizer, and an SPF. A serum is recommended, but you can go without that. As mentioned before, shortening tasks really helps keep them consistent, especially if you’re tired or feeling in pain.

#4 Make sure you enjoy your routine. 

Incentivizing an action is a great way to maintain it. So, if you find skincare that you enjoy, you’re more likely to do it every night. For example, if you’re a person who enjoys sensorial experiences like or skincare that you can feel, try to look for products like this so you’re skincare routine can become something you enjoy. Try a non-stripping cleanser that bubbles or warms up on your face. If you’re not sensitive to fragrance, try a cleanser without essential oils that smell nice. Enjoying your skincare routine is an integral part of making the task a routine and sticking with it. 

Dear Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop -$22

This product is an amazing sensorial experience. It warms up on the skin, and then it cools down. The delivery system combined with the formula makes an amazing product. If you’re looking for increased suppleness, this is an amazing product to try. It feels like putting your face in a sauna. It’s good to wear while you have your mask on all day, and it also increases the efficacy of sunscreen. It has ascorbic as and other vitamins, but it also has lavender so if you are sensitive, you might want to tread with caution.

#5 Put a skincare travel bag beside your bed.

As mentioned before, limited mobility might pose a barrier to people who want to wash their faces every. For some, getting out of bed or standing at a sink can be cumbersome. Additionally, some people with ADD or ADHD might have a hard time stopping or switching up a task, or perhaps you forgot to do your skincare routine, and now you’re resting comfortably in bed. If this is an issue, consider having a travel skincare pack at your bedside just the way you might have medications or an alarm clock. Putting them by your bedside makes them easy to apply, and when you wake in the morning or go to bed, you can put some skincare on. You can also try micellar wipes and biodegradable cotton pads. 

#6 Set alarms for your skincare.

Sometimes all consistency takes is a reminder. Having a friend or an alarm that keeps you accountable is wonderful.  Reminders help you form habits, and from there, it might be easier to start implementing other changes. It’s help to set up environments and give ourselves resources that will  enable new habits.

Too see Cassandra chat about this further in a video, click  here.