I have a multi-step skincare routine now

I went from occasionally washing my face to a multi-step skincare routine that I've maintained EVERY DAY for six weeks. Why? How? WHAT?

The issue you’ve all been waiting for is sponsored by… LATHER! And they’re giving XOMU readers 15% off sitewide (hair, skin, and body) with the code MELISSA

I’ve historically been famous for my lack of skincare. My skin generally exists in a happy state—it’s not dry or oily, I don’t break out unless I eat gluten, and it’s not sensitive. While I will watch other people’s TikTok skincare routines all day long, I have never been interested myself. “Skincare” seemed complicated, expensive, and time-consuming, and if my skin looked good with just the occasional makeup wipe, what was the point?

Fast-forward to today: I’ve joyfully maintained a multi-step skincare routine every morning and evening for the last six weeks. (I even packed it in travel containers on my trips!) How did I go from THAT to THIS?

It started with Jackson Shower Hair

In July, I came home from a stay in Jackson, WY with a glorious head of hair, thanks to the shampoo at the hotel. The front desk told me it was LATHER’s Bamboo Lemongrass Gentle Daily Hair Wash, so I immediately ordered a bottle. (It was fancy shampoo, but it was only $18! I thought for sure this was gonna be a $40 bottle.) Did you follow along with the Jackson Shower Hair Experiment on Instagram? I posted about it for six weeks, tagging LATHER along the way. They reached out asking if they could send me some product, but I declined—I needed the experiment to be pure.

Months later, I was still posting about LATHER, and my hair looked and felt better than ever. (My hairdresser even started recommending it to her extension clients.) That’s when LATHER reached out again to see if we could work together—and offered to send me some of their skincare products.

“I don’t have a skincare routine,” I replied, “but your products are affordable, and maybe I could try.” I told them I’d need to use it for at least a month, though—no promises. To be honest, I didn’t think it would go anywhere, because skincare wasn’t my thing.

They sent me five products (!), including two cleansers, a moisturizer, an eye cream, and a vitamin C serum. I had no idea how to use them, so I dove into their website and Instagram. The first week, I fumbled through it. I got water everywhere, I finally bought a fluffy headband to keep my hair dry, and I started going to bed 20 minutes earlier to fit this into my routine. It was a hassle, but when I do a self-experiment, I commit.

After a week, my skin looked the same—but it felt amazing. So much smoother! So much softer! I LIKED IT. In fact, I wanted more. Two weeks in, I returned to LATHER’s site and (unbeknownst to them) bought myself a toner, a mask, and a thick nighttime moisturizer.

I consumed hours of skincare content and developed my own routine. I learned the right order to apply products (a good rule of thumb—from thinnest texture to thickest), whether to apply to damp or dry skin (vitamin C—dry; most other serums, damp), and what to use AM versus PM. I started listening to my audiobook while I performed these steps, which felt like a delicious treat before bed and made me look forward to the routine. I found myself wearing makeup less often, because my skin looked fabulous.

So here I am, six weeks later, a legitimate skincare girlie. I will never have a 1-hour skincare routine or a drawer full of skincare products, but the results are impossible to argue with, and I’ve found a way to turn it into a routine I truly enjoy.

Without further ado, here’s what I’m using, when, and how.

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Nighttime routine

My night routine takes longer than my morning routine—about 20 minutes total, including waiting for product to absorb. Sometimes I start it right before bed, other days I’ll do it before dinner, leaving plenty of time for those products to soak in.

Oil cleanse, Chia Seed and Passion Fruit cleansing oil ($26): This is an optional step that I started doing about three weeks ago, and only if I wore makeup that day. “Double cleansing” means you use an oil cleanser first to remove makeup and sunscreen, then a gentle water-based cleanser to remove any remaining debris and impurities. I heard about double-cleansing on TikTok, and I do like how clean and fresh it leaves my skin after makeup days.

Cleanse, Ultra-Mild Face Wash ($24): Did you know dermatologists recommend washing your face for 30-60 seconds? (It’s not the “few swipes, splash of water” the commercials always show.) After rinsing the oil cleanser thoroughly, I apply this water-based face wash and use light circular motions, going section-by-section over my face.

Tone, Citrus Balancing Toner ($19): I bought this with my own money. I don’t know if I need this at night, but I really like using a cotton round to swipe any remaining stuff off my face, and it smells amazing. It can also help remove dead skin cells before applying serums. (I use this on my neck too, if I applied bronzer to my neck and collarbone that day.)

Serum, Vitamin C Peptide Renewal ($58): Vitamin C reliably brightens skin and provides a smoother texture. Due to its relatively unstable nature, Vitamin C should be applied to dry skin, so I wait about 5 minutes after toning, then smooth some in. (It’s recommended to apply to face and neck, but I don’t want to waste it on my neck? My neck is fine.) After 6 weeks, I still have more than half the bottle left—a little goes a long way.

Moisturize, Australian Plum Night Creme ($46): I bought this with my own money, because I wanted a rich, thick moisturizer before bed. I allow my vitamin C serum to absorb for about 5 minutes, then moisturize. (Applying a rich moisturizer right away can hinder the serum’s absorption.) This also smells amazing!

Not used: The Toning Eye Gel with Peptides ($31) they sent me; I just don’t think I need it. I also purchased (with my own money) LATHER’s 10-Minute Brightening Mask with AHA ($36). While it didn’t irritate my skin, I did start breaking out after using it. I’m not sure if it was the mask or the gluten I ate on vacation in Arizona, but I’m leaving it out of the routine for now.

Morning routine

I LOVE how fresh and clean my skin looks in the morning now. (I used to wake up with leftover makeup all the time, and it never bothered me until I had something to compare it to.) My morning routine is short, to get me off to the gym fast.

Tone, Citrus Balancing Toner: I don’t need to wash my face AGAIN—all I did was sleep. But I love a swipe of this toner to wake up my skin (that’s not a thing, but I like it!) and give me a fresh base for my serum.

Serum, Vitamin C Peptide Renewal: I apply this again (to dry skin) in the morning—it’s generally safe to use in both routines. Again, I’ll wait five minutes for it to dry, using this time to brush my teeth and shake out my hair.

Moisturize, Ultra-Light Face Lotion ($26): I don’t want a heavy moisturizer before the gym, so this ultra-light formula is perfect. I’ll add a swipe of lip balm and I’m out the door.

Normally, this is where you’d apply sunscreen, but since I’m back from the gym before the sun even rises, I save that for after my workout. (If I get sweaty at the gym, I’ll wash my face with the Ultra-Mild Face Wash, tone, then apply sunscreen. If I don’t sweat, then I’ll just apply sunscreen and maybe some makeup before I start my day.)

The results

I did take some pictures at the start of my journey—here is the 6-week difference. (I tried to find the same lighting, and of course there is no makeup, no filter or editing, and I haven’t done any skin treatments like Botox.) I don’t think it’s dramatic, but my skin looks clearer, brighter, and definitely softer.

Most important, though, it feels amazing. The texture is remarkable. It’s soft and supple, and I truly see a glow! I’m beyond happy with the results, considering I’ve kept the routine simple. And I truly look forward to my quiet time at night with my audiobook and a bunch of products that smell delicious and feel like luxury.

Retinol and exfoliators and niacinamide, oh my

It has been hard not to be a victim of advertising on this journey; TikTok makes me think I need all kinds of products. But I’m approaching this like any of my self-experiments, and I’d encourage you to do the same:

• Keep it simple. I started with three products; a face wash, vitamin C, and moisturizer. Once I confirmed my skin tolerated these products, I expanded into double-cleansing, then a toner, then upgraded my nighttime moisturizer. Allow each new product the time and space to evaluate how it’s working before adding something new.

• Keep it consistent. If you’re going to self-experiment, you have to commit. I’ve been consistent with my routines without missing a day, even when I traveled. Give the routine a fair shot (unless a product clearly isn’t working—if you get a rash, break out, or otherwise react poorly, discontinue).

• Stick to one brand. In a moment of impulse (TikTok, again), I bought a “brightening mask” from another popular brand around two weeks into my routine. I used it one night and woke up the next morning with red, itchy skin around my chin and jawline. Lesson learned. I started with LATHER products, and they’ve all worked beautifully with my skin—so I’ve stuck with that brand as I’ve expanded my product line.

• Be picky in who you follow. Once I got interested in skincare, I realized the 22-year-old beauties on TikTok weren’t going to help me, a 49-year-old mom with mature skin, a rusty old bucket for a uterus, and limited time in the morning and evening. Follow people who are your age, with your type of skin, and who share your lifestyle and limitations (budget, time, or complexity).

• Consult a professional. If you start heading towards medical-grade skin care like retinol or tretinoin (or even harsher products like exfoliants or masks with AHA or salicylic acid), the process and side effects can be far more intense. Get advice from a dermatologist here, not an influencer with great skin.

I’ll keep sharing my progress along the way, and if at any point my nighttime routine feels burdensome, I’ll pare it back to the basics. But for now, I’m happily soaking up as much knowledge as I can, and the time I spend at night caring for my skin feels restorative, joyful, and 100% worth it.

XO MU