12 Steps to Improve Your Skincare Journey

We see articles all over the internet with “quick ways” to solve your skin troubles, or the best foods to eat to stop your acne. But a lot of these articles are written by people just trying to market their product, or without any experience of skin issues.

The important thing to remember when it comes to skincare is that everyone is different. Some people have occasional breakouts, some people are managing acne scarring, and others have to take medication to combat acne internally.

But whatever your journey, these are 12 steps you can take to improve your skincare journey and look out for yourself, your skin, and your mental health.

All these steps are flexible, and can be implemented to suit your particular routine, skin type, and needs!

Create a lasting skincare routine

This is such an important step to improve your skincare journey! Creating a lasting skincare routine means that you know how to cleanse your face in the mornings and evenings, and you’re using creams, serums, and acids that work well with your skin.

It can take a little bit to get it right, but finding a skincare routine that works for your skin is important to improving your skin and making sure you are looking after it as well as possible. A great skincare routine can also be amazing for your hygiene and “self-care”.

Seek medical advice

If there’s something about your skin that is really affecting your mental health, it’s always worth seeking medical advice. This could mean speaking to your GP, or even booking an appointment with a dermatologist.

Seeking medical advice means that you can find a way to combat your skin with medical backing, meaning you have a much better idea of how to help your skincare journey along on its way.

Don’t forget the moisturiser!

It is a common misconception that those with oily skin don’t need moisturiser- but if you wear make-up, placing a barrier between the make-up and your skin is super important. So if you want to try and improve your skincare journey, invest in a moisturiser that works for you.

Explore the skin positivity movement

I only found skin positive accounts recently, and they have been incredible as I navigate my skincare journey. As well as finding steps to improve my skincare journey, I also want to find ways to improve how I see myself- with or without acne.

Over on Instagram there are loads of accounts where people show their skin troubles, and for someone with acne it has been amazing to see hundreds of other people understand the same struggles as me and show that you can be confident with acne.

Work out your priorities

A practical step to improve your skincare journey is to work out what it is you’re trying to “improve”. Are you trying to come up with an anti-aging routine? Are you trying to reduce inflammation? Do you have bad breakouts that you’d like to prevent?

Coming up with your priorities means you can start to find products that work for you, and come up with a skincare routine that is effective.

Ignore negative comments

Eurgh, we could all do without negative comments in our life! And sometimes negative comments aren’t even directed towards us. If you’re particularly sensitive about your skin, any comment can hit you hard, even if it’s something harmless or flippant.

Try hard to ignore negative comments, and just focus on yourself and your journey!

Find product recommendations you can trust

This is one for all those people who read an article and automatically think they need to buy every product recommended. And yes, I have been one of those people! But before you invest in a product, consider its benefits, whether it will suit you, and read reviews you can trust.

A big hint a product will help your skincare journey is if it is recommended by a dermatologist or someone with actual medical/professional backing.

Don’t listen to unsolicited advice

For some reason, people love to give unsolicited advice about everything- and your skin is no exception. If you experience skin issues, you’ll be used to being told to drink more water, or clean your face. Like you don’t already do these things already!

But a great step to improve your skincare journey, is to just focus on what you’re doing- and only take on advice when you think it will genuinely help you.

Use SPF

SPF is the number 1 recommended product for acne and anti-aging, and so I’ve recently introduced it into my skincare routine. I’m focused on sorting out my acne at the moment, but if SPF can help with anti-aging too then that’s a lovely bonus!

Look out for your mental health

Mental health and skin issues are so inextricably linked. So in order to improve your skincare journey, first look to how you can improve your mental health and self-esteem.

Surround yourself with people who support your journey- and who aren’t going to make you feel worse while you make this journey. Look out for positive posts and accounts, and try hard to dispel the notion that everyone but you has perfect skin (because that’s just not true!).

Don’t forget that it’s all well and good “solving” your skin problems- but the bigger problem comes from how you view yourself. Look after your self-esteem as well as your skincare, and remember that with or without the skin troubles you experience.

Trial and error

There’s a lot of trial and error involved in skincare, and if you’re looking to improve your skincare journey you need to try a few things out before you settle on the perfect routine and understand what your skin needs.

But remember, a lot of your appearance comes down to genes and luck. There are just some things you can’t change about your body and skin type, so don’t try to 🙂

Look after yourself

Looking after yourself is so important, and I think healthy habits lead to better routines in everything in life, including skincare. While there is debate about just how effective diet is for improving your skin, making sure you’re healthy and looking after yourself is a great precedent to follow.

Part of looking after yourself is allowing yourself to do what you want. Don’t force yourself to eat/not eat specific things just because of your skin.

Do you have any steps to improve your skincare journey? Do you have any tips to managing your skin? What’s your favourite way to improve your skincare journey?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments 🙂

Happy reading x