My Clean Skincare Routine Updated

I’ve written about my minimalist skincare routine before but I’m always adding new products to my lineup so I thought I’d give a little update! All of these products are “clean” and don’t contain a lot of ingredients that skincare enthusiasts find problematic.

My Clean Skincare Routine

Morning Skincare Routine

Cleanser

I’ve already cleaned my skin the night before so when I wake up I just need to gently clean my skin. I like to use a cleanser that’s gel based because it’s not going to strip my skin of moisture. My favorites are:

Drunk Elephant Beste™ No. 9 Jelly Cleanser

This cleanser is gentle yet effective and will remove makeup and dirt and is great for any skin type. It’s free of SLS, fragrance, silicones, and essential oils and is formulated at a PH level of 5.5 so it won’t strip your skin. It’s also cruelty-free, vegan, and gluten-free.

It’s described as a jelly cleanser but it feels like a gel to me. I only had a travel size of this Jelly Cleanser but it lasted me a long time. I’m definitely planning on buying the full size soon! I also love to use this cleanser with my Clarisonic to get a little more deep clean.

P.S. Drunk Elephant NEVER has sales – as far as I’m aware. I’ve been following them for at least a year and I didn’t even see Christmas/Black Friday sales. So if you are looking for a deal, you can find Drunk Elephant at Sephora where they offer sales and discounts occasionally.

Biossance Squalane + Tea Tree Cleansing Gel

This is a newer product from Biossance and I originally didn’t think it would work for me because I don’t have acne prone/oily skin at the moment. I was worried that it would dry out my skin. But I had a travel size and had just run out of my other cleanser so I thought I’d give it a try. It turns out – I actually love it! I don’t feel like it dries out my skin at all. I do have combination skin and get a little oily with blackheads on my nose so I feel like it helps control that.

This cleanser is formulated without harsh cleansers, sulfates, parabens, and synthetic fragrances and is cruelty-free, and vegan! Again, I can use this cleanser with my clarisonic to get a deep clean.

Biossance has a lot of sales so if you are looking for a deal, just be patient! You can also find Biossance at Sephora!

Toner

Thayer’s Rose Petal Facial Toner

I LOVE using a toner so I use it night and day. It’s probably a step you could skip if you really don’t want to add another product but I just love my toner so I can’t skip it! This toner helps to get rid of any extra dirt left over from cleansing and helps balance your skin. My skin really does feel less tight and more moisturized after I use this.

Eye Cream

Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel

I don’t always apply an eye cream in the morning but if it’s been a rough night or I had to wake up really early I feel like my eye area needs an extra boost! This eye cream is light so I feel like it goes well under makeup and isn’t too heavy for day use.

Moisturizer

Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream

When I’m not planning on going outside I use a moisturizer that doesn’t have SPF. This is a thicker moisturizer that keeps your skin hydrated, which is especially important in the winter! I actually use this all year round and don’t feel like it makes my skin greasy. It does have a weird smell (because it doesn’t contain fragrance) but I’ve found that I’ve gotten used to it and I actually like it now!

I’ve also started using the lilah b. Aglow Priming Oil during the day instead of the Omega Repair Cream. The Priming oil is a serum, moisturizer, and primer in one! So I’ll use this when I want to wear makeup during the day. It has a lovely smell (lavender) and feels very luxurious. It does use essential oils though so if your skin is sensitive you might not want to use this. Lilah b. is also a clean beauty brand and I love using their makeup products as well. You can see my full review of lilah b. here!

On hand top to bottom: Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewel Facial, Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream

Biossance Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen

When I do plan on going outside I look for a mineral (aka physical) sunscreen moisturizer. In my opinion, a good mineral sunscreen moisturizer is hard to find. They are often thick, white, and don’t blend in easily. However, this mineral sunscreen from Biossance is none of the above and actually feels really great! It’s my favorite mineral sunscreen that I’ve tried so far. I was using the Drunk Elephant mineral sunscreen and it was really good too. However, it is thicker and more drying than the Biossance sunscreen. So I’ve switched over to Biossance!

Shop My Morning Skincare Products

Nighttime Skincare Routine

My nighttime skincare routine is more complex than my morning routine. I really like to prep my skin to recover overnight. Plus, it also feels like a nighttime ritual and I look forward to my “me time” every night!

Cleanse

Biossance Squalane + Antioxident Cleansing Oil

I like to reaaallly deep clean in the evenings so I will double cleanse every couple days or when I’m wearing heavy makeup. You apply this oil on dry skin and then rinse off with warm water. It really helps break down dirt, oil, and makeup.

I’ve also started using the lilah b. Aglow Cleansing Butter to take off my heavy makeup. It starts out as a thick “butter” and then melts into an oil on your skin. It smells amazing and feels luxurious!

Then I use one of the gel cleansers I mentioned above to complete the double cleanse. I like to make sure I really got off allll the makeup and any cleansing oil that was left behind.

Exfoliate

Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewel Facial

I only do this once or twice a week. This facial uses physical mineral spheres and glycolic, lactic, malic, and tartaric acids to exfoliate the skin. It leaves my skin feeling sooo soft. I love it! It does tingle/itch for a little bit so if you are sensitive you might only be able to keep it on for a few minutes before washing it off. But I found over time my skin was able to handle it better.

Serum

Biossance Phyto-Retinol Serum

Nighttime is the best time to apply a concentrated serum to address specific skincare needs. Since I’m in my 30’s, anti-aging products are at the top of my list. Sadly, I can’t use retinol right now because I’m pregnant (and I haven’t been able to use retinol for the last couple of years because I was either pregnant with my first or breastfeeding). Luckily, there is an alternative retinol ingredient called Bakuchiol that’s plant based so it doesn’t contain any retinol! Bakuchiol is the main ingredient in this serum. I’ve noticed a lot of other brands coming out with Bakuchiol based serums lately so it’s definitely a popular ingredient!

Moisturizer

A serum doesn’t necessarily give your skin all the moisture it needs so following up with a moisturizer is essential. I either use the Biossance Omega Repair Cream or Drunk Elephant Protini™ Polypeptide Cream.

Eye Cream

I love an eye cream at night because my under eye area always ends up feeling dry. I love the Colleen Rothschild Complete Eye Cream because it’s thick and I really feel like it locks in moisture. However, it’s not a 100% clean skincare brand. Biossance just came out with their Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream which is a thicker eye cream than their gel so I’ll use that at night as well. P.S. You can use both the Biossance gel eye cream and the Marine Algae Eye Cream at the same time for an extra boots! Just let the gel sink in first then apply the cream.

Oil

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil

I really go hard on the moisturization at night! Partly because I feel like my skin really dries out at night. An oil is great because it acts as a barrier and helps seal in all the skincare products and moisture. My absolute favorite is the Biossance Rose oil because I love rose scents and it also contains Vitamin C which is great for skin brightness. But if you are looking for a really simple oil that provides great hydration then try the Biossance Squalane Oil! P.S. you only need a few drops of the oil so it lasts a long time!

Shop My Nighttime Skincare Products

Final Thoughts and More Skincare Resources

And that’s it! It may seem like a lot of products but it doesn’t feel like it to me. My whole routine only takes a couple minutes. And I have to say, my skin has never been better. It could be my age (I’m 34). Maybe I’m past all the adolescent skincare problems – finally! But I’ve also been breastfeeding or pregnant the last 4 years and even with all the hormone changes my skin has been pretty consistent. I’ve even gone for a few facials and the facialist said my skin looks amazing.

You may have noticed that my skincare routine largely consists of Biossance! I think their products are reasonably priced and effective which is why I mainly stick with their products. Oh – and I love the packaging!

You can find a FULL REVIEW of the Biossance line and skincare products in this post.

I love to use natural or clean skincare products when I can, but I also believe that synthetic ingredients can be safe and effective. You’ll also find me using products from Paula’s Choice, Dermalogica, Clarins, Derma E, Summer Fridays, and Supergoop.

P.S. After my skincare routine I’m ready for my Minimalist Beauty Routine!