When it comes to skincare, there are thousands of guides online. You can choose from blogs or vlogs–and everything in between. Endless lists have been created to explain why you should have different products for your nighttime skincare routine, and an equal amount exists to explain the opposite.
With all these complicated recommendations online, is it even possible to make skincare easy?
Pair up
Building accountability is the best way to encourage yourself to do something. However, it’s also not easy. When you’re tired and you just want to go to bed, you don’t want to think about all the cleansing, toning, and moisturizing you have to do. But if it’s something you do with your partner or roommate, it becomes an enjoyable activity. Do it together as you talk about each other’s day or plan for the next. Make this a fun bonding experience. For married couples who feel like they don’t have the time to talk to each other anymore, this might be one of the solutions.
Play a game
Similar to how you’ll be tracking your mood and looking for patterns, track which parts of your skincare you like best, and which shows the best effects. Did you successfully do your skincare every day last week? What was your mood like those days? Do you usually run on autopilot after you’ve applied your rosewater toner, and barely remember what else you did in your routine? If you don’t feel present and you don’t enjoy this supposed form of skincare, then surely there’s something wrong that needs to be addressed.
Think of the costs
This isn’t to make you feel guilty about spending money on skincare; this is about the money you are wasting when you’re letting the product sit unused, closer to its sell-by date every day. You’ve already made the purchase so the only way you will literally waste your money is by throwing the product away unused. That’s exactly what happens when you go by hype but don’t follow through on the motivation.
Think of it as a reward
Mindset is everything. When you’re faced with a vegetable you dislike, you can throw a tantrum or consider it a challenge of resilience. When you have to deal with difficult customers, you also have to face your fears or insecurities to get the job done. Running away is simply not an option. The same goes for skincare. If you think of finishing a bottle of product as a chance for you to reward yourself with a new one, you will be more inclined to use it every night. If you think of the experience of pampering your skin every night as a reward after a long day, that will also make you feel more excited to do your skincare routine.
Skincare need not be complicated. Though it should be part of your routine, it doesn’t have to feel like a forgettable habit. Look forward to it like you would every other exciting part of your day, and your skin will thank you for it.