2021 is finally here, and we’re ready to be on our best skincare game yet. With January comes a fresh start! That being said, we want to do more than commit to not biting our nails or eating a little less chocolate. Nothing makes us feel quite as great as having a nourishing skincare routine that we can feel good completing, every single day. In an effort to bring you along on our ever-improving natural skincare journey, we curated what we believe to be a healthy, and highly effective skincare ritual that you’ll fall in love with. Ready to get glowing? Next up is our New Year Skincare Routine, ready for you to kick off 2021, beautifully.

First thing’s first: WASH YOUR HANDS!

We know hearing this at this point sends 2020 shivers down your spine. But we can't help it, it’s just too important not to mention! We hate to be dramatic, but your hands can get full of bacteria. This makes washing your face with them *super* counterproductive, if you catch our drift.

Before you proceed to touching your face and getting your skincare routine started, wash those hands babe. We recommend using an antibacterial hand or body wash like this one that contains nourishing ingredients that can help you avoid dry, cracked skin. You know, the downside of being a perpetual hand washer.

If you want to be extra safe, follow up with a hand sanitizer and you’re ready to finally get your hands on that face of yours.

Remove any traces of makeup, and cleanse your face

If you haven’t heard yet, we are big fans of the double cleanse here at BBE. That’s because it’s the most effective way to ensure that you’re actually cleansing your skin and not only removing makeup. Now don’t fret, because there’s nothing complicated about it.

Here’s how it goes:

• Remove any trace of makeup with a makeup remover, or some good old coconut oil.
• Follow-up with a gentle foaming cleanser to then clean your skin. Try not to rush this process and spend at least 3-4 minutes foaming up the cleanser onto your face, in order for it to really work its magic.
• Pat your skin dry (don’t be rough!), and move on to the next step of your New Year Skincare Routine.

Take a few minutes to chill out with a nourishing facemask

Once your face is squeaky clean, it’s time to give it some VIP treatment. After all, you deserve it gorgeous!

One of the most effective (yet often neglected) beauty products that can be used to easily improve your skin at home, are facemasks. And while you don’t need to dedicate hours to incorporating this step into your New Year Skincare Routine, we recommend you carve out a bit of time 1-2 times a week to keep your skin glowing, and in check.

We recommend using a hydrating mask like this one to not only shrink your pores, but to also nourish your skin with natural ingredients. Once you’ve used an effective facemask consistently, you’ll notice the results. In fact, you’ll notice how much your skin misses it when you forget to use it!

Incorporate this step for 10-15 minutes before moving on to the next part of your routine, you’ll be glad you did.

Rinse it all off, and spritz on some soothing toner

Once you’ve rinsed off your mask (or after you’ve cleansed your face, if it’s a no-mask day), make sure your skin is dry and ready for spritzing.

Using a toner in your New Year Skincare Routine is a game-changer. Especially one that is formulated with pore shrinking witch hazel, and soothing rose water. Misting this product across a freshly cleansed face will help to reduce blemishes, and prepare your skin for the next step in your beauty ritual.

It only takes a few seconds, yet does wonders for excess oil production and getting rid of dead skin cells. Witch hazel is also a natural way to relieve inflammation, and fight acne.

Even if you don’t suffer from blemishes, you’ll love the other amazing benefits of this ingredient on your skin. We’re talking protection against skin damage, and warding off infections. Got your attention? We thought so. Spritz away, girlfriend!

Apply an organic serum for gentle yet real results

Once your toner feels like it has absorbed into your skin, it’s time for the powerhouse product: organic, antioxidant packed serum.

Using a serum daily will step your skincare game, way up. You can definitely use your serum in the morning too, but we love using it at night because this is when your skin’s cells renew themselves (while you sleep!) Therefore, adding a mighty product like this one to your nightly skincare routine will work even better than if you were to apply it only in the morning. You can of course double up and apply morning and night, especially if dry skin is often a concern.

If you want additional info on the benefits of using effective skin products at night specifically, click here.

Don’t neglect this essential part of your New Year Skincare Routine...

We know that so many of us forget this *way* important step in our daily skincare rituals. That's why we are about to go out of our way to emphasize it in this New Year Skincare Routine. Please, for the love of all things clean beauty – stop skipping out on applying your eye cream babe!

The skin around your eyes is so key to looking refreshed, awake, and youthful. What’s more, by adding in this crucial step you’ll reduce puffiness and prevent aging in this specifically unforgiving area of the face. Ok, we think we’ve made ourselves clear. Moving on now.

Once you’ve applied your serum, tap a bit of eye cream around your eyes by using your ring finger. You’ll naturally use less pressure and be more gentle in your application by using this technique.

Using an energizing eye cream will brighten up your under eye area. Not to mention, will also have you looking like you actually got 8 hours of sleep instead of staying up to watch reruns of Rupaul’s Drag Race. We swear, no one will know!

Apply a moisturizer to seal in all of the benefits of your New Year Skincare Routine

Once you’ve gotten serum and eye cream out of the way, it’s time for the classic step of applying your overall face moisturizer.

Let’s be honest, most of us do not skip this step. However, the steps *pre* moisturizer are sometimes questionable for a lot of us. We want to emphasize that for your moisturizer to really work optimally, cleansing and toning is key. Think of it this way, what good is it to moisturize skin that isn’t clean, or that is full of dead cells that need to be exfoliated? So if you were planning on skipping our advice above, please reconsider! Alright, now that that PSA is out of the way…

Determine what your skin concern is. Then, pick a product that is packed with natural ingredients that tend to your specific skincare needs.

If you’re oily, we recommend a lightweight moisturizer to avoid clogging pores, specifically if you’re also incorporating a serum pre-application.

If your concern is anti-aging related, double up on the antioxidants and choose a product that will compliment your serum. Opting for a cream like BBE’s Anti-Aging Face Cream that contains hyaluronic acid will not only prevent signs of aging. It will also brighten your complexion, and get rid of dark spots. #Score.

Finally, if your concern is dry skin, you’ll definitely benefit from doubling up on serum and a hydrating cream to seal hydration in.

And if you want to go the extra mile… Use a Facial Tool to optimize all of the above!

This next step is totally optional. However, if you’re like us (as in a natural beauty overachiever) you’re going to love what this added step does for your skin.

Complete your New Year Skincare Routine by helping your moisturizer sink into your skin with the help of derma rolling. We cannot get enough of the benefits of facial tools, and we never cease to be amazed by the results they produce for us, and our BBE babes.

Whether you decide to use a Jade Roller to top off your routine, or an Ice Roller, these tools will take your skincare ritual to the next level. Both promote lymphatic drainage in the skin, help shrink pores, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. All and all, they basically make your face look snatched with easy consistent use!

Before wrapping this section up, we have to also give a shout out to our beloved Derma Roller. So many of you love this gadget for reducing acne scars, and boosting collagen production in the skin. Derma rolling is a great alternative to expensive micro-needling treatments, and is a skill anyone can pick up! So pick out your fave facial tool, and add it to your New Year Skincare Routine!

That’s all for this New Year Skincare Routine, beauties!

Ok, so you might feel like 8 steps to a skincare routine is a little bit much. If so, we hear you. But once you get the hang of this routine, the results alone will be enough to motivate you to continue!

Plus, don’t forget that the mask application is only needed 1-2 times a week, which makes this routine shorter on most days. Additionally, we want you to know that it is totally cool to alter this New Year Skincare Routine to fit into your busy lifestyle! For example, maybe you don’t need to apply serum twice a day and can skip it in in the morning. Or, perhaps you’re not a big makeup wearer so a double cleanse just isn’t necessary. Use these steps as a guide, but at the end of the day you do you boo! For anything else you might be wondering about curating your very own personalized New Year Skincare Routine, reach out to us! For real, we’d love to help and we love hearing from you. <3, BBE.