No two women are exactly alike, and pretty much the same can be said for their beauty routines. Some women live by their beauty schedules, unable to start their day until they've completed every step. Others are way less stressed about it — just making sure to adhere to a few key steps as often as possible. Most, however, probably fall somewhere in the middle.
I asked the editors at SheKnows to tell me about their beauty routines, and the differences were astounding. These lovely ladies are proof that whatever works for you... just plain works.
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Beauty routines
"Executing my beauty routine is one of my favorite parts of my day. I start with a nice moisturizing cleanser in the shower, and when I hop out, I tone my face with a little bit of apple cider vinegar mixed with water (apple cider vinegar can fix anything — I swear). I use dissolving teeth-whitening strips twice a day, so I usually pop the first set on and let them dissolve while my toner dries. Then it's time for the fun stuff. First up: a hydrating serum. I live in Arizona, so hydration and sun protection are extra important for me (we basically have no cloudy days). Next, I dab an anti-aging eye cream around my eyes and I slather on a moisturizer with SPF already in it. Lately, my favorite moisturizer is Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15. It works with – not against your beauty routine due to the lightweight formula. And because it's not thick and greasy, you can easily layer makeup on top of it. My makeup routine varies a lot. I actually keep it pretty simple during the week and save the heavier makeup looks for weekends. So I usually just apply a BB cream, a little bronzer, some blush and mascara and head out the door. When I get home, the first thing I do (aside from changing out of my work clothes) is take off all my makeup. I realize this is an unpopular opinion, but I do not like makeup-removing wipes. So I scrub it all off with a hydrating cleanser and wash cloth. Then I coat my face with a thick layer of anti-aging night cream. Right before bed, I'll pop on my second set of whitening strips and let them dissolve while I sleep." — Kenzie Mastroe, SheKnows branded content editor
"I’m not exaggerating when I say that executing my skin care regimen is one of the highlights of my day, second to drinking my morning coffee. While the brands I use change frequently, the actual products and order in which I apply them never does, and I find Zen in the familiarity. In the morning, my routine starts in the shower, where I wash my face with a gentle cleanser. After I towel off, I immediately reach for a toner to rebalance my skin, then follow that up with a slick of serum for deep hydration. Next, I gently tap on an eye cream and cap things off with an SPF moisturizer — sun protection is non-negotiable for daytime. At night, things look pretty much the same, except I swap out the SPF moisturizer for a richer nighttime formula." — Cristina Velocci, SheKnows director of editorial operations
"Maybe I should try harder, but my routine is pretty simple. I wash my face at night, I put on a night cream/moisturizer and then I go to bed. I then wake up, put on my makeup (just mascara and maybe eyeliner) and go." — Kristine Cannon, SheKnows entertainment editor
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"In the last couple of years (I’m 47) my skin has changed. I used to be oily and acne-prone, and now my skin is so dry and so damn sensitive. So my nighttime regimen consists of 1) wiping off my makeup and 2) oiling up. And I do mean oil — I use almond oil on my face. In the mornings, I just oil up some more and then wipe off the excess. Seriously, I’m so dry." — Alice Bradley, SheKnows parenting editor
"While I do like to take care of my skin (and always do basic bare-minimum stuff like EOD cleansing/makeup removal and putting on SPF before going out), I can also be a little lazy at times and don't always remember to put on under-eye cream before bed, moisturize my neck, etc. To make up for my everyday lapses, once a week I'll do either a moisturizing/superfood mask or a pore-cleansing strip (there's nothing more satisfying than removing a bunch of whiteheads in one go). So far, it seems to work pretty well, although now that I'm about to be 30, I'll probably have to start getting more serious about my everyday regimen." — Hannah Hickok, SheKnows lifestyle editor
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"My beauty routine is to sweat as often as possible. Hiking, dancing, rock climbing, paddle boarding, whatever I can get my hands on. It centers me in my body and helps me appreciate it for the awesome organism it is. I'm also pretty religious about brushing and flossing." — Colleen Stinchcombe, SheKnows community editor
"I rarely wear makeup, but if I do, I'll wipe it off — usually with a baby wipe — before going to bed. There's no strategy to that other than the fact that baby wipes are exponentially cheaper than facial wipes. I put on some sort of SPF in the morning — either a basic moisturizer or a CC cream. I exfoliate my face once a week in the shower, but other than that (and the wipes) I just splash some water on my face and call it a day." — Elizabeth Yuko, SheKnows health and beauty editor
"First disclaimer — I have been obsessed with skin care since my late teens and obsess over probably more than is healthy. Second disclaimer — I have insanely dry skin, so the products I use and tout are ones that have helped me see an actual difference. I usually wash my face with a gentle exfoliator — occasionally using a buffing/exfoliating sponge to remove dry skin (I'm telling you, it's so bad). Three days a week, I wash my face using a pro-collagen cleansing balm followed by facial oil. I can't live without facial oil now. It's changed my life and that's not an exaggeration. After I massage the oil into my face (counterclockwise circles around my eyes), I top it off with pro-collagen cream." — Lauren Kelly, SheKnows entertainment editor
What does your beauty routine look like? Let us know in the comment section below.
This post was sponsored by Olay.