How to Create a Natural Skincare Routine for Day and Night

As someone who used to use Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub on a daily basis, you can imagine my surprise when I found out my naturally oily T-zone didn’t actually benefit from oil-free products (they can cause your skin to overcompensate and produce more oil). Nor did my dry cheeks love those plastic microbeads further stripping them of natural oils, twice a day every day. Enter this game-changing, slightly gritty oil cleanser. It’s made with natural chia and moringa oils to nourish and hydrate skin, plus four fruit enzymes that lend a bit of a gritty texture, which helps slough off makeup, dirt, grime and even dead skin cells in the gentlest way possible. In the morning, I wet my face with a bit of water before massaging two pumps of this cleanser all over, then I rinse and pat dry. No double cleanse necessary for clean, radiant skin without any harsh chemicals.

Next up is a new product from Isla, a beauty brand that focuses on transparency. This toner/essence combo is part of its core product line, which sources natural ingredients from all over the world based on where they’re most abundant. This particular toner is made with 100 percent natural ingredients from Australia (like vitamins A, C and E plus an antioxidant-packed wild berry complex), as clearly stated right on the box. As someone who also previously used astringents daily to clear blemishes, I was surprised by the gentleness of this toner and the extreme lack of stinging. It helps remove any excess oils from my cleanser and also preps my skin to better absorb the rest of my skincare products.

Buy It ($70)

Goop has high standards when it comes to nontoxic beauty, so I’m never hesitant to buy anything on the site, especially when it’s the brand’s own product line. This new serum has an extremely potent 20 percent vitamin C to target hyperpigmentation and brighten skin, plus hyaluronic acid to add hydration. Unlike most vitamin C serums, it comes with a powder and a liquid activator, which you combine just before use to ensure potency. I also love that the consistency is super liquidy, so it sinks right in and I don’t get any of that stickiness that usually results from HA-based serums.

Moisturizer is my favorite skincare product, but I’m always trying new formulas. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with this hydrating and repairing day cream from Grown Alchemist for its natural ingredients, fresh scent and matte finish. Many natural products don’t actually smell amazing, because there isn’t any addition of arbitrary fragrance, but I love that this product uses essential oils and plant extracts to deliver an uplifting aroma in the morning. Another thing to note is the aluminum tube, which can be fully recycled for less waste.

As mentioned, I’ve fortunately never struggled immensely with acne, but that doesn’t mean I’ve never had blemishes—I’ve had many and I still continue to get them in my 30s. That’s why I love a clarifying face oil for daytime that hydrates my skin while also helping to clear my pores and fend off breakouts. This product is beloved by many for its natural ingredients like algae extract and hemp, pumpkin and grape-seed oils. On days when I need a lighter moisturizer or feel a bit congested, I’ll use this oil instead of my moisturizer.

This whole beauty line is made of wildcrafted extracts, antioxidants and brighteners from high-altitude plants in Wyoming, which gives it a natural light pink hue. It has a thicker consistency than most eye creams, which feels super nourishing and hydrating, and it actually smooths and plumps the delicate under-eye skin, immediately filling in lines and creases.

Last, but certainly not least, is sunscreen. I prefer mineral SPF to chemical formulas for its natural UV-blocking abilities. Mineral (also called physical) sunscreen works like a shield, physically blocking the sun from burning your skin, while chemical sunscreen absorbs sunlight and scatters it. This product is made with 100 percent zinc but doesn’t leave the slightest white cast, thanks to its slight pinky tint. I use this in place of makeup in the summer on my good skin days, and under makeup year-round.

Nighttime Skincare Routine: 5 Steps

What can I say, I love this oil cleanser. As mentioned, I use it on damp skin in the morning to create more of a creamy lather. But at night, I use it on dry skin to help remove my makeup, then I add water to rinse it all away.

Another one of my favorites from Mara is the Algae Retinol Face Oil. Unlike most retinol products, this one is suspended in natural oils (like meadowfoam and cannabis sativa seed) so it’s not as drying on my skin. I don’t get any of that telltale redness or peeling like I have seen with other retinol products, which allows me to use it nearly every single night without irritation. It’s hard to skip a day when I’ve seen an amazing increase in glowiness and a reduction in fine lines and blemishes from using it. Even though it’s made with natural sources of retinol (vitamin A), it’s still pretty potent, so I do suggest starting with one or two days per week before working your way up.

Oh, Weleda, how I love thee. This Swiss brand has been around since the 1920s and has been a leader in organic, natural skincare ever since. This super rich face cream is probably its most popular product for its extremely hydrating formula that’s so thick, it almost feels like glue. Don’t let that scare you, though—once it warms up on your skin, it melts right in and turns to an oily finish. Ingredients like essential fatty acids, vitamin E, organic pansy and organic calendula flower extract have even helped repair my skin after an over-exfoliation incident. When I saw just how healing it was, I started adding it to my nightly skincare routine to help with general moisturizing.

This Australian skincare brand is one of my go-tos for truly natural products, and I’ve been a fan of its eye cream for years. It has a super thick texture, but the medley of oils and butters sinks easily into delicate skin. Plus, the addition of plant-based collagen helps smooth away fine lines and crow’s-feet, two of my main concerns these days.

Buy It ($38)

Last up is one of my favorite products of all time: Uma Oils Ultimate Brightening Face Oil. I was introduced to this brand about a year ago, and I’ve already gone through three bottles of the stuff. It smells amazing thanks to sandalwood and rose essential oils, which also deeply hydrate skin for a lit-from-within glow. Before pressing four to five drops into my skin, I rub my palms together and breathe in the scent for aromatherapeutic benefits. Then I pat it into my skin as the last step of my routine until it’s absorbed. Because oil is thicker than water, it will act as a protective barrier to seal in all the moisture and nutrients from the rest of your routine. (If you put oil on before moisturizer, your creams won’t actually be able to penetrate your skin.) I seriously can tell if I don’t use this for a day or two—my skin is duller, drier and seriously unhappy.

Sometimes I need something a little outside of my everyday products. For example, when my skin is feeling congested, I apply this surprisingly hydrating mask. Unlike most clay formulas, this one doesn’t suck every ounce of oil from my skin. Rather, ultrafine glacial clay gently clears away dirt, pollutants and impurities while restoring essential moisture. Plus, I love its slightly floral scent and lightweight texture that make it a dream to apply and sit with for 20 minutes while it dries.

When I need to dry out a blemish fast, I turn to Indie Lee’s Blemish Lotion. Thanks to a mixture of clay, salicylic acid and zinc oxide, this stuff doesn’t mess around and usually sucks up any gunk overnight, helping to heal pimples at lightning speed. You need only a very small amount, so I shake the bottle, dip a Q-tip inside and dab it onto blemishes that need extra love. By morning, they’re visibly smaller and less angry—it’s pretty amazing.

Buy It ($26)