How to follow an Intuitive Skincare Routine (with video!)

We have all heard of intuitive eating, but did you know that this idea also translates into the world of skincare too? Intuitive skincare involves listening to your skin and applying the products that it needs at that time instead of always following your regimented routine. Don’t get me wrong, a consistent routine already deserves a round of applause! However, practicing your routine intuitively is an effective way to bump it up a notch. By allowing your skin to tell you what it needs in the morning and night, you may see quicker improvements in your skin concerns. Yes, it can be difficult to get started with this technique…luckily for you guys I have curated this guide fit for beginners.

Why it’s beneficial

Let’s say Hannah* has been doing skincare for a little bit. She has the essentials plus some more. She always follows the label and uses the same products every day. Hannah gets a round of applause, that’s awesome! But, she is feeling really dry right now. She went on vacation to Florida and spent a lot of time in the sun. Her routine consists of cleanser, exfoliating toner, HA serum and gel cream. She doesn’t know why her skin is like this since she always uses the same things and doesn’t ever have dry skin.

Because skin changes people! If Hannah used intuitive skincare, she would probably remove the toner and maybe add in a soothing facial mask or richer moisturizer to supplement while her skin goes back to normal. This may sound like a no-brainer to some of you skincare junkies, but let’s humble ourselves and remember our daily St. Ives scrub when our face was screaming for moisture. Overall, We don’t have to own 100 products to be intuitive because knowing what to remove from a routine is just as essential as knowing what you can add in.

Another note- we won’t always be right. We may add or subtract things that don’t end up working for our skin. This is all in the process of trial and error and it takes time! Intuitive skincare does not have to be perfect.

*Hannah is fake, but let’s be real…she is all of us at one point.

Getting Started

First, stock your skincare arsenal with the essentials: cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Everything else you add to your routine is extra. These “extra” products will depend on your skin type, concerns, and preferences!

Adding mindfulness to your skincare routine:

• Ask how your skin feels. Knowing your overall skin type is super helpful and important. Still, we often forget that our skin changes daily, week by week and throughout the year! Your skincare serves an important purpose- to supplement your skin’s natural function. The products you use should be assisting it in performing its daily processes AND improving current and long term skin concerns. This is how I do daily skin check-ins:

Start by looking at your skin in the mirror. It does not have to be magnified (I actually do not recommend that). I like to look at it before I cleanse and after, just to get an idea of any changes visually. Then I will feel it with clean hands to note changes in texture. After this, I apply products based on how it is feeling at the current moment.

• Intuitive skincare heavily relates to your skin concerns. We all have skin goals. As an esthetician, I tell people not to say statements like “I want perfect skin!”, “no more acne ever” or “erase my wrinkles”. These should be changed to more realistic goals. Some examples include, “I want to reduce the amount of breakouts I have right now”, “I want my skin to feel more hydrated”, or “I want plumper, firmer skin”. Overall, skin goals are important, but more importantly is skin positivity. Make your goals realistic and understand that no one has perfect skin. Here are my current and long term skin concerns that I work on:

I am hoping to achieve brighter, more even toned skin. I have some hyperpigmentation that I use specific treatments for. Overall, I am hoping to keep my skin balanced and healthy.

• You can layer treatments, but you don’t have to. You can have an effective 3 step routine, or a great 10 step routine. Intuitive skincare does not equal minimalism, it just means being mindful! Without a doubt, it depends on what you’re using and if it is right for your skin. Knowing what products are right can take some time to learn! Here is how I layer my products based on what my skin is needing:

I typically layer hydration every day! We know to only exfoliate a couple times a week, and to not layer acids. If you want to add extra serums and products, first have a general idea of what each serum does for your skin. You don’t need to be able to recite the ingredients, just knowing what it should be doing is great. This cuts down on wasting products that you may not need at the moment so they will last longer! And also reduce the possibility of sensitizing the skin with the wrong products for your skin that day.

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The best first step is to seek out an esthetician or dermatologist to understand your skin concerns and get help on the correct products to starting using. Check out my acne class, dry skin master class , or Vitamin C blog on these skincare concerns.

More takeaways…

Enjoy the skincare process – so often we are rushing through our routines, when it is the perfect time to take slow down and take a deep breath.

Don’t get overwhelmed – intuitive skincare is intimidating. Starting off, you can choose a few sunscreen or moisturizer options. This will help you slowly start understanding your skin and know how to listen to the hydration levels. Some days you need that thicker cream and others you want a light weight option! Getting started with numerous serums is a more advanced technique to work your way up to.

Think about how your day may have affected your skin – External stressors to note include climate and pollution while internal things such as your stress, diet, and hormones all play a role in how your skin looks and feels. If you practice your routine intuitively, you can add or subtract products based on how your day has been or how these stressors may have changed your skin.

Let me know your thoughts on intuitive skincare routines. Do you plan to start this practice? Remember to follow me on instagram @taratheestie for more awesome skincare content and photography 🙂

Other intuitive skincare info here on Byrdie’s article