How To Create A Skincare Routine In 5 Easy Steps

With so much information out there and so many skincare products to choose from, it can be hard to know how to create a skincare routine that works for you. Here at Mustela, we believe in skinimalism and natural skin care. If you’re looking for a simple routine, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’ll offer five steps for a sustainable skincare routine for your face. And, since you don’t want to neglect the rest of your skin, we’ll also cover a few ideas for skin care for your whole body.

Before we jump into the skincare routine, let’s define three important terms regarding skin care: organic, natural, and clean.

Table Of Contents

Organic, Natural, And Clean Skin Care
How To Create A Facial Skincare Routine
A Skincare Routine For The Rest Of Your Body
Your Full-Body Skincare Routine

Organic, Natural, And Clean Skin Care

You may have heard the terms “organic,” “natural,” and “clean” skin care. They sound great, but what do they mean, and what’s the difference between them? And why are they important?

That’s exactly what we want to discuss. We believe that you deserve to know so you can make informed decisions about your and your family’s skin care.

Mom working with a skincare routine for her daughter

Organic Skin Care

You’re probably familiar with the word “organic” thanks to the organic food movement. In this sense, organic refers to a product that is grown (or raised in the case of animals) without chemicals or pesticides.

This doesn’t only apply to food! The ingredients in your skincare products can also be organic. Why does this matter? The organic ingredients don’t carry chemical residues — the very thing you want to keep off your skin and out of your body.

According to the USDA, a product can be labeled “organic” if it contains at least 95% organic ingredients.

Just keep in mind that a product may simply have a few organic ingredients. This type of product will be labeled “made with organic ingredients” if it has at least 70% organic ingredients. If it’s less than 70%, the specific organic ingredients can be identified on the ingredient list.

That doesn’t mean that the whole product is free of chemicals. That’s where natural skin care comes in.

Natural Skin Care

While the term “organic” is regulated by the USDA, the term “natural” is not. The idea behind natural skin care is products that are made without man-made, chemical-based ingredients and instead use natural ingredients that come straight from the earth.

But, since it’s not regulated, a product can be labeled “natural” if it simply contains a few plant-derived ingredients. That said, it’s also important to know that not all synthetic ingredients are harmful. And not all natural ingredients are perfectly safe (take mercury, for example!).

So, what’s safe and what’s not? Let’s discuss clean skin care.

Clean Skin Care

The clean skincare movement is all about your safety. Clean skin care products could contain organic ingredients, natural ingredients, and man-made ingredients, but the bottom line is that they’re all safe for your skin and free of harmful chemicals.

That is what’s most important to us here at Mustela. While we offer a Certified Organic line, we focus on natural and clean skin care for all of our products, not just the organic ones. Effective, safe skin care for the whole family is the name of the game.

With those terms under your belt, let’s jump into the specifics of a basic (clean!) skincare routine.

How To Create A Facial Skincare Routine

Woman doing her skincare routine

When it comes to daily facial skin care, we abide by skinimalism — buying less, focusing on high-quality essentials, and embracing your natural glow. More is not always better! Learn more about skinimalism here.

As you read the following steps, keep in mind that your skincare routine should be personalized to meet the needs of your skin. These are the basic steps, and you’ll choose the exact product based on your skin type.

1) Cleanser

A quality cleanser is a basic and essential step in your skincare routine. Choose one that cleans your pores and gets rid of bacteria without leaving your skin feeling dry or tight.

As we just mentioned, the exact product that you choose will depend on your preferences and skin type.

2) Exfoliator

An exfoliator is a product that helps do away with dead skin cells. This can be through mechanical exfoliation (physical exfoliation using a washcloth or facial scrub) or chemical exfoliation (think: chemical facial peels).

While we list exfoliating as an essential part of your skincare routine, that doesn’t mean you’ll do it every day. Follow the instructions on the exfoliator that you choose. Typically, they’re used between once a week and three times a week, but some exfoliators can be used daily.

3) Serum

Apply a serum after cleansing your face (and after toner, if you’re using one) but before applying moisturizer.

Serum contains a high concentration of good-for-your-skin, active ingredients and is often used to target specific needs. However, it’s not a moisturizer, so you’ll still need to apply a facial lotion.

4) Moisturizer

The second-to-last step of your daily skincare routine: apply moisturizer. This is essential to trap much-needed hydration into your skin. Don’t skip it!

Choose a moisturizer that’s loaded with natural moisturizing ingredients and leaves your skin hydrated without feeling oily.

5) Sunscreen

You know the drill: Apply facial sunscreen every morning! If you’re not convinced, click here to read five reasons to wear sunscreen daily.

Choose a mineral sunscreen (instead of a chemical sunscreen) that feels light and comfortable.

A Skincare Routine For The Rest Of Your Body

Your facial skincare routine is probably the first thing you think of when you think about skin care, but it’s important to remember that you have skin on your whole body!

Here are four natural products to keep all of your skin healthy and hydrated.

Body Lotion

Mustela Hydrating cream

For all-over, organic skin hydration for your whole family, choose Mustela Certified Organic Hydrating Cream with Olive Oil and Aloe, a lightweight and restorative cream for soft, supple skin.

This fragrance-free lotion is safe for even the most sensitive skin — from babies all the way to big kids and adults!

It’s EWG Verified and crafted with 99.6% naturally derived ingredients, including organic aloe vera, organic sunflower oil, and organic olive oil sourced from family-owned olive groves in the South of France.

Made to be good for your skin and the earth, too, the packaging is made from sustainably sourced sugar cane, and we’ve ditched secondary cartons. Talk about win-win.

Cream For Dry Patches

Mustela Hand cream

A natural body lotion is great for everyday hydration, but you may also need a hydrating cream for extra-dry patches of skin. Our Multi-purpose Balm with 3 Avocado Extracts is an all-in-one solution for dry skin on your face, neck, lips, elbows, hands, cuticles, knees, and feet.

Designed to nourish, repair, and protect your skin, this vegan formula absorbs quickly and feels smooth on your skin without leaving a sticky residue. It contains 99.7% ingredients of natural origin, including sunflower seed oil, aloe vera, and three avocado extracts.

We make use of the entire avocado — even the pit! — so there’s no waste.

Since we feel responsible for our impact, we’ve created a responsible supply chain that’s committed to reforestation, the maintenance of biodiversity, good agricultural practices, and lasting relationships with our growers.

And, like all Mustela products, our Multi-purpose Balm is free of parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol.

Body Sunscreen

Mom and daughter at the beach laying in the water

Protecting yourself from the sun is an important part of skin care. Shield your skin with one of our fragrance-free, non-nano mineral sunscreens.

Safe enough for babies and effective enough for adults, all of our mineral sunscreens have received the Seal of Recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation and are accepted by the National Eczema Foundation.

Depending on how you like to apply sunscreen, choose from our Mineral Sunscreen Spray, Mineral Sunscreen Stick, or Mineral Sunscreen Lotion.

Breastfeeding Moms

Mom breastfeeding newborn

If you’re a nursing mom, this one’s for you! Take special care of your skin with a natural nipple cream, like Nursing Comfort Balm.

Made to protect your nipples and ease discomfort, this lanolin-free balm moisturizes, replenishes, and restores your skin with 100% naturally-derived ingredients, such as olive oil, plant-based glycerin, and vitamin E.

Your Full-Body Skincare Routine

Whether you’re focusing on organic, natural, clean skin care, or other skin care, your skin deserves some TLC every day.

For a simple facial routine that’s sustainable for the long haul, stick to the five steps we mentioned in this article: cleanser, exfoliator, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen.

But don’t forget that your whole body is covered with skin! Adopt a full-body skincare routine as well by using natural products, such as Certified Organic Hydrating Cream, Multi-purpose Balm with 3 Avocado Extracts, and mineral sunscreen.

Remember that good skin care doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple routine, quality products, and a down-to-earth approach allow your natural beauty to shine through!