This past Saturday, I had the absolute luxury of receiving a 60-minute facial—a beautiful moment of self-care that reminded me just how essential it is to regularly care for our skin. Although this wasn’t my first facial, it was the first in quite some time, and the experience left me glowing from the inside out.
Living in the South, where dry, chapping winters collide with hot, sticky, and humid summers, our skin is constantly exposed to a wide range of environmental stressors. Add in layers of sunscreen, makeup, pollen, and the gleaming Southern sun, and it’s a recipe for clogged pores, breakouts, dullness, and premature aging. Without a consistent skincare routine, our skin begins to wear the weight of it all.
But here’s the good news: with just a few intentional steps and small changes, you can support your skin in its natural mission—protecting, renewing, and radiating from within. After all, our skin is our body’s first layer of defense, and treating it with love and care is a beautiful act of wellness.
Here’s my tried-and-true, 5-step skincare routine to help you reclaim a glowing, healthy complexion:
Step 1: Know Thy Skin—Determine Your Skin Type
Before you buy another product or test out a new serum you saw on Instagram, take a moment to understand your skin. Knowing your skin type is foundational. It’s your map to choosing the right products, avoiding irritation, and supporting your natural skin barrier.
There are five basic skin types: Normal, Dry, Oily, Combination, and Sensitive. Each one requires a different approach. A licensed esthetician can help you properly diagnose your skin type and tailor a regimen that works for you, not against you.
Step 2: Cleanse with Care
Begin your morning and evening routine with a gentle cleanse to remove makeup, oils, impurities, and daily residue. Think of it like starting with a clean canvas. Avoid harsh cleansers that strip the skin—your goal is to purify, not punish.
Pro Tip: Double cleansing at night—first with an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup and SPF, followed by a water-based cleanser—can deeply clean without drying out the skin.
Step 3: Exfoliate the Right Way
Exfoliation is key to revealing fresh, radiant skin. By gently removing dead skin cells and debris, exfoliating helps unclog pores, reduce dullness, and improve skin texture.
However, less is more. Over-exfoliating can lead to redness, irritation, and breakouts. Opt for a gentle exfoliant 1–3 times a week, depending on your skin type. Whether you use a physical scrub or a chemical exfoliant with AHAs or BHAs, always follow with hydration.
Step 4: Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
Hydrated skin is happy skin. No matter your skin type—even if you’re oily—moisturizing is non-negotiable. Our skin craves hydration to stay plump, youthful, and resilient.
Choose a moisturizer that suits your needs: lightweight gels for oily skin, richer creams for dry or mature skin. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, or squalane to lock in moisture and support your skin’s barrier function.
Step 5: Protect with SPF, Every Single Day
If there’s one step you never skip, let it be this one. Daily sun protection is the ultimate anti-aging secret. Sunscreen defends your skin from UV damage, sunburn, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer.
Even on cloudy days, and yes—even indoors if you’re near windows—your skin needs SPF. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30, and reapply every two hours if you’re outdoors.
Final Thoughts: Your Glow Is in the Ritual
Skincare isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling good, too. These simple steps are more than a beauty routine; they’re a ritual of self-love, healing, and protection. Your skin reflects how you care for yourself, and when you honor it, it will honor you back with clarity, softness, and glow.
So whether you’re new to skincare or coming back after a long hiatus (like me), just know: it’s never too late to reset, refresh, and revive your glow.
