8-Step Gorgeous Glow Enhanced+ Skincare Routine
Beautiful skin doesn't have to come with a hefty price tag or a complicated routine.
I truly believe this. Often I will streamline my skincare routine down to four simple steps that you can check out here.
But when you’re ready to elevate your skincare ritual to another level, this eight-step skincare routine is the exact recipe I used to update my approach, improve my skin health, and get a dependable gorgeous glow.
This is my elevated, Enhanced+ Clean Beauty skincare routine, based on Korean skincare practices.
In this post I’m breaking down the steps of an Enhanced+ skincare routine, compete with product recommendations tested first hand by me.
Table of Contents
Let’s get started!
What is “Clean Beauty” and why should I care?
Clean beauty revolves around the use of skincare products that are crafted with natural, non-toxic, and sustainable ingredients that are free from harmful chemicals like parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and more.
This is important because many of the harmful chemicals used in conventional beauty products are endocrine-disrupting xenoestrogens that disrupt the delicate hormonal balance in women. By steering clear of these toxic substances and embracing clean beauty alternatives, you safeguard your hormonal health.
And––a big bonus––clean beauty brands aim to enhance your skin's health while minimizing the impact on the environment. Opting for clean beauty supports eco-friendly practices, ensuring that your skincare choices align with a more sustainable future.
The Core Steps of Your 8-Step Gorgeous Glow Enhanced+ Skincare Routine
Now that we’re clear on why to choose “clean,” let’s get into your Enhanced skincare essentials.
The Eight
Oil Cleanser (p.m.)
Water Based Cleanser (a.m. + p.m.)
Toner
Vitamin C (a.m.)
Retinol (p.m.)
Moisturizer
Sunscreen (a.m.)
Face Oil (p.m.)
This routine takes a bit of organization, because you have different steps for the morning and evening. But once you get it down, you’ll be good to glow.
Note: This routine has a “+”. That means that there is a step added to another routine. Here, steps 1-7 are a part of the Enhanced routine that I go over in depth in my free eBook Dew You: Design Your Perfect Clean Beauty Routine. You can download that here. For this post, the added step is face oil, which I feel is super useful and valuable in the autumn and winter months. More on that below.
The Steps + Tested and Recommended Products
1 + 2 —
Cleansing: The Double Cleanse Method
The double cleanse starts with an oil-based cleanser to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and any daily grime, followed by a water-based gel or foam cleanser to remove any residual impurities. This method ensures a thorough cleanse without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
A note on Oil Cleansers: You want an Oil Cleanser that emulsifies into a milk with water, not one that needs to be wiped off. All of these recommendations emulsify.
1 ––
Oil Cleansers:
Karuna Oil Cleanser ($17-$18): An easy-to-work lightweight oil at a great price point.
Whamisa Organic Flowers Cleansing Oil ($30): A favorite for its effective, easy-to-rinse formula. And it’s from my current favorite Korean Beauty brand.
Mad Hippie Jelly Cleanser ($17): A thicker, jelly-like texture that transforms with a bit of water.
Note: This one was a bit thick for me, but I prefer lighter weight oils to balms. If you like thicker balms, this is great!
2 ––
Water-based Gel/ Foam Cleansers:
Three Ships Purify Aloe & Amino Acids Cleanser ($21): Don’t let the tiny package fool you! This mighty cleanser requires only a tiny amount.
Whamisa Organic Flowers Foaming Gel ($23): Combines efficiency with the trusted quality of Whamisa, making it a reliable choice.
Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash ($28): Great if you’re also looking for a gentle exfoliation.
3 —
Toners: Hydration Heroes
Toners prepare your skin for moisturizers and serums while providing extra cleansing and balancing benefits. I do deep into toners and why they are an excellent addition to your skincare routine here. And I break down a couple of my favorite toners in my Clean Beauty Empties Quickie video.
For now, know that they can be transformative in a skincare routine, especially when they deliver deep hydration.
BTW…One of my favorite skincare products ever is a toner (of course, listed below).
Toners:
Ursa Major 4-in-1 Essential Tonic ($32) : This toner is great! It cleanses, exfoliates, soothes, and hydrates, making it a versatile addition to your skincare routine.
Three Ships Calm Lavender Toner ($17-$20): Surprising lovely toner. It’s a soothing moisturizing mist from the best mister I have ever used. It also comes in Rose scent, and I compare the two here. This is my second favorite toner.
Whamisa Deep Rich Toner ($40-$45): *My favorite skincare product ever* An unparalleled hydrating experience, it’s a rich, dense formulation that you smooth on with your fingers. This toner is a game-changer for keeping the skin dewy and bouncy. It’s the #1 skincare product I recommend, from one of my favorite Korean skincare brands.
Vitamin C and Retinol
There are many, many active ingredients you could add to your skincare routine. Between Niacinamide, Kojic Acid, peptides, growth factors, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, and on, and on, and on––it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
But there are two that Dermatologist and skincare experts routinely recommend above all else. Those two MVPs are Retinol and Vitamin C. Let’s break both down.
4 — a.m.
Vitamin C: Prevent and Repair
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that, when used topically, like in our skincare, can help prevent signs of aging and repair skin damage.
When talking to Cosmopolitan.com, Dr. Dr. Mraz Robinson said that in terms of prevention, Vitamin C is excellent at protecting the skin from free radical damage caused by environmental aggressors, such as pollution, infrared light , and blue light.
She goes on to say: “On the reparative side, vitamin C also supports collagen synthesis and helps regulate melanin production to fade hyperpigmentation and give skin nice overall vibrancy and glow.”
Vitamin C:
Ursa Major Brighten Up Vitamin C Serum $56: Gentle Vitamin C Serum at a great price. This one has a strong sweet citrus scent. It smells nice, but it is quite potent when you first apply. It does dissipate over time.
Josh Rosebrook C Complex Vitamin C Serum $65: A gentle, antioxidant infused Vitamin C serum with a light citrus scent.
Marie Veronique Vitamins C+E+Ferulic Serum $115: A powerful combination of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and ferulic acid that is essential oil and fragrance free.
5 — p.m.
Retinol: Stimulate and Renew
Going back to Cosmopolitan.com’s article on Vitamin C and Retinol, their expert panel breaks down retinol as: “a derivative of vitamin A that's often used in skincare products to stimulate collagen production (the protein responsible for skin smoothness and firmness) and trigger cell turnover (your skin’s natural renewal process).”
Dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman tells the site, “By signaling cells to behave like younger cells, retinol can smooth fine lines and wrinkles, fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation, and improve skin’s tone and texture.”
Retinol:
Marie Veronique Gentle Retinol Night Serum $115: This is a Retinol / Vitamin C combination that’s great for enhancing your routine while keeping the steps simple and minimal.
Klur Sculpture+ A $150: A luxurious creme that combines 1% retinol with 19 botanicals to “restore and plump skin overnight”. And this one is great for streamlining your skincare as it’s a night creme, so no need for step #6 in the evenings.
6 ––
Moisturizers: Sealing in The Goodness
A good moisturizer is non-negotiable for soft, hydrated skin. It is the key to locking in hydration and keeping the skin's barrier healthy.
Moisturizer:
Three Ships Radiance Moisturizer ($38): Thicker in consistency for a lush, nourishing experience. You have to really work this one in. Once you do, it’s great for achieving that glowy look.
Tammy Fender Intensive Repair Balm ($130-$150): This is an unparalleled choice for healing and rejuvenation. More than a moisturizer, this balm truly repairs and soothes the skin. I know first hand. I have used this to repair my skin after burns and more. So, yes, an investment, but, to me, it pays dividends.
7 — a.m.
Mineral Based Sunscreen: The Reflection Protection
Mineral sunscreens reflect sun rays instead of absorbing them, like chemical sunscreens do. The problem is, the chemicals used to absorb those rays in chemical sunscreens have ingredients that mimic hormones, cause skin allergies, and, in some cases, are known to cause cancer. And one common ingredient, oxybenzone, is toxic to coral reefs and marine life.
But you want mineral-based sunscreens with non-nano mineral active ingredients. Nano, or nanoparticles, are tiny particles that are one-twentieth the width of a human hair that can be absorbed into the skin and enter the bloodstream. We don’t want nano that.
One thing––mineral sunscreens are notorious for causing a white or grey cast on the skin. I’ve used each of the following non-nano mineral sunscreens and find them to have the least amount of cast.
Mineral Sunscreens:
Kinship Self Reflect Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 32 $28
Bestselling priming and moisturizing sunscreen. Gives a nice finishing glow. And, this sunscreen has won a lot of awards.Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream with SPF 30 Tinted $60
Plant-nutrient packed dual moisturizer and sunscreen. One of my favorites.
8 — a.m. + p.m.
Face Oil: “Liquid Gold” for Your Skin
Face oils are one of my favorite ways to lock in moisture and increase skin radiance. Depending on the oil you choose, they can also deliver a buffet of botanicals, nutrients, and actives.
Maya Chia, the maker of one of my favorite oils, Super Couple, describes the benefits of face oils this way, “Face oils are considered by so many to be "liquid gold" for your skin. They're packed with antioxidants that help protect against damage from the sun, pollution, and other environmental stressors. They can also boost cell turnover to keep your complexion looking fresh and youthful.”
I use face oils in the morning and night. But often, if I am using them in the morning, it’s when I know I’m inside and won’t be wearing sun block that day. Or I apply long after I’ve applied my sun block.
And I’ll reapplying a good facial oil often during the day, all day long.
Application note: Wait about three to five minutes to apply your oil, giving all your other products time to fully absorb.
Face Oil:
Trilogy Rosehip Face Oil $22: This essential fatty acid and antioxidant packed oil seeps beautifully into the skin delivering immediate radiance.
Maya Chia The Super Couple Ultra Luxe Face Oil Serum $86: Lovely, luxurious oil that combines Astaxanthin, with nature’s #1 superfood, Chia, making it rich with Omega fatty-acids, antioxidants & minerals, everything our skin loves.
Why This is a Great Routine for Fall and Winter
I love pulling out this full routine in the fall and winter. Why? Because it really provides, and then locks in, moisture and hydration. Especially if you use a great hydrating toner like Whamisa’s Deep Rich toner and a lush, nourishing moisturizer like Three Ships Radiance, or Tammy Fender Intensive Repair Balm. You can even cut down on your products by using the luxurious retinol night creme, Sculpture+A by Klur.
Then, that oil is going to lock all that goodness in.
Conclusion
When you’re ready to elevate your skincare ritual to another level, incorporating actives that prevent and repair damage and stimulate collagen and cell turnover is an excellent next step.
This eight-step skincare routine is the exact recipe I used to update my approach, improve my skin health, and get a dependable gorgeous glow. And all the products mentioned have been personally tested by me.
Remember, building your perfect skincare routine takes time. If you really want to dive deep, check out my free guide on EXACTLY how to build your perfect clean beauty skincare routine: Dew You : Design Your Perfect Clean Beauty Skincare Routine.
Happy glowing!
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