5 Steps To Radiant Skin: Morning Skincare Routine for Daily Glow

Skincare feels like a vast ocean of choices: miracle serums, creams with complicated ingredients, and the ubiquitous multi-step regimens that promise a ‘glass-skin’. 

Whether you’re a skincare newbie or a seasoned enthusiast, it’s easy to feel like achieving glowing skin requires a time-consuming and complex regimen.

Research has proven that collagen production slows down with age. The skin undergoes lots of changes as we age, resulting in—sagging skin, dark spots, dullness, and fine lines. 

So, how can you address these changes in your skin, that too, without the need for complex multi-step routines? Many skincare experts now advocate simplifying routines to only the essentials—cleansing, using antioxidants, and sun protection—for healthier skin barriers. Read on to discover what an effective, fuss-free, 5-step skincare routine looks like.  

Awaken & Sparkle:  Morning Skincare Routine for Daily Glow

Photo by Polina Kovaleva

For beginners, starting with three non-negotiables is the best approach; namely, cleanse, use anti-oxidants, and protect yourself from the sun. But you can also include a few more steps depending on your skin concerns. Let’s dissect a daily routine for skin to help you elevate your morning pampering!

Step 1: Cleanse & Exfoliate

Let’s be real: proper cleansing is non-negotiable if you want healthy, glowing skin. Every day, our skin battles pollution, dirt, and the sun’s harsh rays. 

Effective cleansing is your first line of defense. It sweeps away those pesky impurities and helps unclog pores—so no more acne or blackheads! Think of it as setting the stage for the rest of your skincare routine; without a clean canvas, no moisturizer or serum will work its magic effectively. So, don’t skimp on this essential step. One highly revered cleansing method recommended by dermatologists is — the double cleansing technique — a practice rooted in Japanese and Korean skincare traditions.

Japanese Geishas historically used cleansing oils followed by a foamy cleanser to remove heavy makeup. Double cleansing is an easy two-step process that involves:

1. Oil-Based Cleanser: Breaks down makeup, sunscreen, and excess oil. Using oils aligns with the principle of “like dissolves like,” effectively removing oily residues without stripping the skin of its natural oil. 
2. Water-Based Cleanser: Removes residual dirt or makeup, leaving your skin refreshed and deeply cleansed.

Double cleansing is especially beneficial for preventing clogged pores, a common cause of acne breakouts while ensuring your skin remains balanced and healthy. A 2017 study even suggests that oil-based cleansers improve skin barrier function and alleviate dryness more effectively than oil-free alternatives.

Exfoliation is an equally vital part of your cleansing routine. Our skin naturally sheds dead cells every 30 days, but this process slows with age, leading to fine lines and dullness. Exfoliating once or twice a week accelerates skin cell turnover, revealing fresh & glowing skin. The popular methods to exfoliate are:

• Mechanical Methods: Gentle scrubs made from natural ingredients such as coffee or oats. 
• Chemical Methods: Products like serums or toners with alpha, beta, or polyhydroxy acids to dissolve dead skin cells.

Step 2: Hydrate With a Toner

Designed as a liquid skincare product, the toner balances the skin’s pH level, effectively removing residual dirt while also providing hydration and nourishment. Toners should always be applied after cleansing the face and before using a moisturizer or SPF, preferably when the face hasn’t dried. In essence, this step prepares subsequent products, like moisturizers and serums, for better absorption.

The benefits of using a toner:

• It can remove excess oil, and dirt that’s left after cleansing
• Our skin is slightly acidic, while soaps are generally alkaline so a toner can restore the skin’s pH to normal. 
• Well-formulated toners have antioxidants and can even address skin issues like redness, acne, and sun damage. 

Step3: Choose Antioxidants

Countless research has clarified that antioxidants are the skin’s ultimate savior.  And what’s the science? From what doctors have noted—antioxidants neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are the unstable electrons responsible for cellular damage in our body. Free radicals result from environmental stress, with UV radiation and pollution being the major culprits. When we leave this damage unchecked, the result is the familiar signs of visible skin aging: wrinkles, dark spots, sun damage, and laxity.  

Similar to a refreshing glass of lemonade, topical vitamin C shows great promise for improving skin health. Antioxidants like vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, niacinamide, and resveratrol have demonstrated anti-aging, anti-pigmentation, and photo-protective benefits. 

Hence, antioxidants are a must-have and the common antioxidant-driven products are usually serums. Apply these serums post-cleansing, over toner (if used), to combat daytime free radical damage. 

Step 4: Moisturise In Need

Women have been using moisturisers for years, always believing that they definitely need a moisturiser in their routine. But to burst the bubble, some aesthetic doctors & dermatologists today believe that moisturisers may not be necessary. 

The premise they offer is that healthy skin has a natural ability to regulate its own moisture level and using an external moisturiser can hinder the skin’s natural production of lipids. Consider Dr. Zein Obagi, a Beverly Hills-based dermatologist who stated to Refinery29; “If you apply a lot of moisture, the skin will become sensitive, dry, dull, and interfere with natural hydration.”

But then who should use a moisturizer?

• People with specific skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.  
• People in harsh environments like cold climates or low humidity. 
• If you have flakey skin or damaged skin barrier because of retinol or harsh treatments, you may use a moisturiser sometimes to combat dryness and irritation.

Experts agree that a serum with antioxidants and an SPF can do most of the heavy-duty work. But if you absolutely need an aid for your skin’s barrier, look for soothing ingredients such as ceramide, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, oats beta glucan, allantoin, chia seed oil, etc. in your moisturizing creams/products.

Step 5: Apply Sun protection

You probably know this by now — SPF as the final step in skincare routine is non-negotiable. It’s not overhyped at all; because research done on skincare has consistently proven — that SPFs can prevent premature aging of the skin and decrease the risk of skin cancer. 

Wearing SPF daily will make a big difference to your skin’s health in the long run. Experts advise that you shouldn’t neglect sun protection even when indoors or when it’s cloudy since UV rays can penetrate both windows and cloud cover.
But why should you fear UV rays at all?

It is because unhealthy sun exposure can: 

• Cause hyperpigmentation and age spots
• Risk of Skin Cancer
• Cause premature aging i.e.; visible wrinkles, fine lines & sagging in skin.

So, how to choose one?

Dermatologists suggest using SPF 30 broad-spectrum sunscreen year-round. However, if you spend most of your time indoors and the UV index is below 3, an SPF of 15-20 should do the trick.

If you’re hitting the beach or swimming, a water-resistant physical sunscreen is your best bet—it provides consistent protection for a longer time. But for everyday use, the chalky white cast of mineral sunscreens can be a dealbreaker. In that case, chemical sunscreens are an option, though they are known to irritate skin and need reapplication. 

So the best bet for all skin types is ‘hybrid formulations’: lightweight, with minimal cast, and safe for all skin types. The best part is that the latest versions come with photostable filters such as ‘Trinsorb M’ for solid, broad-spectrum protection.