After Years of Testing Skincare Routines, This Is the Easiest and Most Effective

Skincare has gotten seriously complicated. There are too many steps and too many unpronounceable ingredients, and do we really need a 12-step routine? Trust me. I've tried it all, and I test a lot of products, but I always go back to a low-maintenance skincare routine, the essential products that I need to keep my complexion looking its best (aka glowing), without the stress and shelf space.
While you might need to add in a few more products based on your skin's needs, like blemish treatments or serums for hyperpigmentation, the staples will never steer you wrong.
To find out what steps are an absolute must, I spoke to Bibi Ghalaie, MRCGP, director of British Aesthetics and Glowday practitioner. So if you're looking to go back to basics and cut out the noise, keep scrolling for a low-maintenance skincare routine.
What are the steps in a low-maintenance skincare routine?
If we don't need things like essences and whatever new product categories are invented, then what do we need? Ghalaie has all the details for a morning routine:
"Step one is cleanser, and this is necessary to clean away debris, oil, and makeup. I recommend cleansing with an AHA/BHA cleanser. Step two is exfoliator and toner to slough away dulling, clogging skin cells, dissolve oils, and promote hydration. Step three is an antioxidant serum such as vitamin C, which is great for brightening the skin and functions as an antioxidant, providing protection against free radicals.
Step four is moisturizer, and step five is SPF. This is an absolutely essential last step. Skin must be protected from UVA/UVB, even in winter months. If you use a product that also protects against HEV (the light emitted by our computer screens and mobile phones that contributes to aging of the skin) and infrared waves, you are giving yourself maximum protection."
Depending on your preferences and skin concerns, you can also add in blemish treatments, and Ghalaie recommends eye cream before moisturizer to "protect the delicate eyelid skin and skin around the eyes."
1. Cleanser
For a simple but effective routine, let your cleanser do most of the work with some gentle exfoliation, such as the alpha-hydroxy acids in this popular cleanser. It's guaranteed to give you a clean base to start your routine.
Low-maintenance doesn't mean it can't be decadent. For a double cleanse at night, use a rich balm to remove makeup and impurities before a second cleanse to clean the skin. This is surely one of the most divinely scented beauty products around, and it's effective at cleansing.
2. Exfoliant
Avoid over-exfoliating by going for PHAs that focus on only exfoliating the surface of the skin and not as deeply. This ensures that you get the glow and that it's gentle enough to use both morning and night.
To penetrate more deeply, this tonic is the one-stop-shop for radiant and bright skin. It unclogs pores and works hard to effectively exfoliate on the daily.
3. Antioxidant Serum
This is basically like having your very own bodyguard to keep you protected with a stable form of vitamin C (20% ethylated L-ascorbic acid). Consider it your glass of orange juice to give your skin a boost for the day ahead.
Get in on the skin-glowing, brightening, and antioxidant protection of vitamins C and E and nourishing oils that come in an easy-to-use capsule. Ideal for using on the go and ensuring the ingredients within stay at their very best.
4. Moisturizer
Trying to keep things simple? Get you an "apply at any time" moisturizer that you love, one that you can apply both day and night that really works with your skin concerns. If you're looking for a do-it-all product, this is a dream come true with its inclusion of ceramides and a host of oils such as moringa to nourish, brighten, and protect the skin.
This skin-smoothing moisturizer is where it's at for locking in moisture thanks to squalane, the ingredient of the moment.
5. SPF
If you've been battling with white casts and SPF messing around with your foundation, then look no further. With a clear formula that works with every single skin tone, you get protection that's easy on your complexion.
Ask most people which SPF they swear by and this will be their answer. The lightweight formula doesn't weigh skin down nor does it budge, making it a staple for your everyday skincare routine.
Evening Add-Ons
Now that your morning routine is covered, for night-time, you can swap out your SPF and antioxidant serum for a vitamin A or a night-time serum of your choice.
Ghalaie says, "If vitamin A/retinols are going to be used, they should be reserved for night-time use. At night, it is important to cleanse the skin again to clear it of any dirt, bacteria, and build-up from the daytime.
"At night, the products being used should be a retinol and rich moisturizer to prevent "retinisation,” or what I refer to as retinol-related dryness, redness, and irritation. If someone is pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding, then retinol should not be used, and instead, an effective alternative to vitamin A is bakuchiol, which is an excellent natural competitor to retinol."
A powerhouse serum with two retinoids and encapsulated retinol that's time-released. For even skin tone, resurfacing, and a smoother complexion, this will always have your back.
This plant-based alternative to retinol is just what the skin doctor ordered for brightening skin, protecting against blue light and pollution, and smoothing. In other words, it's a skincare staple.
Very rarely does an eye serum deliver on its promises, but if you want to give your eyes some extra attention, then this will keep your eyes looking awake and re-energised.
Here's another eye cream that helps to diminish the look of fine lines around the delicate eye area.
This post originally appeared onBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing
UK.
Up next, I'm 36 and Obsessed With Glowy Skin—Here Are the Clean Products I Swear By
-
Hailee Steinfeld's Soft, Ethereal Glam Is My Entire Bridal Mood Board, so I Asked for Her Go-To Product Recs
From a peachy-girl blush to an "instant glow" serum.
-
I Spent My Downtime This Weekend Shopping Chic New Fall Arrivals—33 Standouts From J.Crew, Abercrombie, and Old Navy
Immediately adding to cart.
-
Hailee Steinfeld's Soft, Ethereal Glam Is My Entire Bridal Mood Board, so I Asked for Her Go-To Product Recs
From a peachy-girl blush to an "instant glow" serum.
-
These Are the Best Makeup Products of Summer 2025—Full Stop
Some are new. Others are tried-and-true. All are stunning.
-
Jennifer Aniston Has a Self-Proclaimed Weakness for IG Beauty Recs—2 Face Creams She Tried and Loved
BRB, I'm placing a skincare order.
-
TikTok Says This $48 Toner Is the Secret to Glassy Skin, But TBH, These On-Sale Picks Are Just as Great
Starting at just $10.
-
Accessible, Aspirational Beauty Is the Future—a Model and Amputee Shares the Brands Doing It Right
Plus, the daily staples she swears by.
-
Dua and Callum's Romantic Sicilian Getaway Includes Yacht Selfies, Valentino, and This Skin-Plumping SPF
Call it a Euro-summer starter pack.
-
From Sofwave to Salmon Sperm: Every Pre-Wedding Skin Treatment to Know in 2025
The experts have spoken.
-
From Rhode to Chanel—10 Blush Sticks You Need for a Breezy Rom-Com Flush
Obsessed is an understatement.