Creating an Easy and Affordable Skincare Routine For Busy College Students
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Thanks to TikTok, there’s a renewed focus on skincare and all the lotions, potions, and rollers we can use to give our skin an extra boost. I honestly never got the hype, though I knew there were many health benefits. While the beauty gurus 12-step super expensive routines still overwhelm me, I’ve slowly eased into researching the most essential steps (and some fun extras) to formulate a simple routine I can maintain even on the most chaotic college days.
Here’s the steps I use in my morning and evening routine and what I’ve learned along the way (featuring mostly products found at Target and CVS) to offer some inspiration if you’re overwhelmed by the skincare world too.
Sunscreen!
I cannot stress the importance of sunscreen enough! Growing up, we’re all used to putting it on before heading to the beach or out on a hike, but it’s actually super important even on days when you’re just going to class. While I don’t sunscreen my whole body every day, when I started college in person, I developed a habit around putting sunscreen on my face before my make-up every morning. No matter how fast I’m trying to get out the door, it’s become nonnegotiable because it helps prevent skin cancer as well as protect your skin from damage.
Tip: One thing that only recently occurred to me is that you should be putting your sunscreen as well as your other skincare products on your neck! That skin is just as important and vulnerable, but I have a bad habit of forgetting it. Also, rub any excess product into your hands for a bit of added benefit.
There’s a few ways to work sunscreen into your morning routine. Here are some of my favorites:
Tinted Moisturizer + Sunscreen: If you wear make-up most days, one easy way to get that protection is to combine your sunscreen with a tinted moisturizer. That way, you can make sure your base layer is also keeping you covered from the sun with SPF 25 or 30.
I recently got a travel sized tube of the Smashbox tinted moisturizer which also has hyaluronic acid. Products like this are a great way to truly put some meaning into your primer. There are tons of brands across a variety of price points that offer products like this!
Moisturizer + Sunscreen: If make-up or primers aren’t your vibe, you can still get a morning moisturizer in with your sunscreen which gives the sunscreen a thinner, easier to absorb nature that feels a bit more palatable for everyday use.
During my freshman year, I was super dedicated to the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion which has SPF 30 swirled into the formula. It’s super light and even though I used to despise the feeling of creams on my face, this formed a good basis for my habit. Even better, it’s $14 to grab a bottle at Target.
Good Old Boring Sunscreen: If you want to keep it simple, any tube of sunscreen will do. While special formulas made for light wear on the face are certainly nice, don’t let finding the perfect sunscreen stop you. I’m currently using a tube of Native face sunscreen (also available at Target) in an effort to make better choices around the ingredients in my skincare, but it’s definitely a thicker option that takes a good amount of effort to rub in.
Face Wash
Washing your face can sometimes feel like one arduous step too many at the end of a long day, but it’s truly so important. A facewipe or make-up wipe is a good start, but if you’re looking to be eco or budget conscious, there are good, easy options out there.
I haven’t experimented with fancy face washes and mostly like to keep it as simple as possible. That means picking up a large bottle of micellar water and calling it a day. Perfect for people with sensitive skin and about as cost effective as it gets, micellar water is also the most effortlessly effective make-up remover I’ve ever encountered. Just pour some on a cotton round and wipe down your face. You don’t have to rinse it off, but I’ve found my sensitive skin does better if I just wet a wash cloth and wipe it off afterwards.
To make this step more sustainable, consider buying reusable cotton rounds. I got a 15 pack with a mesh bag for washing them at Target, and it makes this step of my routine effortless. Once I’ve deposited all the rounds in the bag, I can easily throw it in the wash with my other towels and start again. I never have to worry about running out of wipes or cotton rounds, which is an additional cost saver.
Moisturizer
As someone that would self describe as overly sensitive to how things feel, slimy moisturizer has been something I’ve struggled to embrace, even though I know its importance. One way I’ve gotten into it is by getting products I’m excited about.
That started with a brand called Bubble. They’re on a mission to make skincare more accessible to Gen Z, and that’s clear in their adorable packaging with an easy to use pump and simple ingredients. I love their Slam Dunk hydrating moisturizer which is available on their website and at places like CVS, Ulta, and Walmart. This is a thicker moisturizer perfect for these drier winter months.
Fun Additions
StarFace Acne Patches
Getting a zit is never fun, but I find that StarFace makes them a little better. I’m very lucky to not have struggled with acne too much through my teens, but especially with mask wearing, I’m prone to getting pimples here and there. I was skeptical if a product this trendy and cute could actually work, but I find they act super quickly to reduce the size and the pain from spots that do arise. And there’s something mood boosting about catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror with a gold star on your face.
Loops
Over the holidays, I got a starter pack of face masks from Loops from my grandma. I’d been curious about the brand—which is fronted by Riverdale star Camilla Mendes—for almost a year, and they lived up to the hype. While the masks are expensive ($35 for 5 masks or $7 individually at Ulta), they’re a perfect self care treat to use weekly or every few weeks to give your skin a needed boost. Similar to Bubble, they focus on super simple ingredients and being gentle to your skin.
I particularly like these masks over others I’ve tried in the past because they’re made of a gel-type material that’s cooling and feels good on the skin but also holds the serum much more cleanly and adheres to your face without slipping and sliding around for the 10 minute loop you wear them (though I tend to leave mine on a bit longer).
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