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Cleanse, Moisturize, Brighten: Simple 3-Step Skincare Beauty Routines
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Charlene Hurst profile picture
Charlene Hurst
Some people like to use a mix of brands in their skincare routine (me) because, through trial and error, they have found some that work for them. Others like to keep it simple by sticking with one brand, which they can hopefully find all in one place... With that in mind, I created a list that includes, by brand name, a cleanser, moisturizer, and eye cream.  This is for anyone who wants a simple, 3-product facial care routine.  For paraben-free products, look at La Roche-Posay and Herbivore. You know I am big on Olay products, so I couldn't leave them out.  I also included videos and research information on some popular skincare product ingredients.
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Drunk Elephant Simple Skincare Routine
 
HERBIVORE Simple Skincare Routine
 
La Roche-Posay Simple Skincare Routine
 
The Ordinary Simple Skincare Routine
 
Olay Simple Skincare Routine
 
Information on Popular Skincare Product Ingredients (Parabens, Hyaluronic Acid...)

Drunk Elephant Simple Skincare Routine

Drunk Elephant skincare products don't include: essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrances and dyes, or sodium lauryl sulfate.  These are ingredients they call the "Suspicious 6™ that are not good for sensitive skin.  Their products focus on maintaining the correct pH level of the skin to prevent inflammation, redness, and breakouts.

 
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This product is a gentle foaming face cleanser that doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredient.  Its not just a cleanser, it's a makeup remover as well.  It’s good for all skin types, plus it contains cantaloupe fruit extract that is great for hydrating your skin.
Drunk Elephant Cleanser: Beste™ No. 9 Jelly Cleanser with Cantaloupe Fruit Extract
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This is a face oil versus a cream, but still very much a moisturizer. It contains omegas 6 and 9 to address dullness, uneven skin tone/texture and dryness that comes with aging skin.  It can also be used on your neck and chest which are often overlooked,  but also need attention when it comes to taking care of your skin.
Drunk Elephant Moisturizer: Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil
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Good for restoring firmness around the eyes. It targets any fine lines that may be forming around your eye area and reduces puffiness.  Its a vegan product that is good for all skin types:  Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily.  One way to create a cool, calming eye effect, is to store it in the refrigerator in between uses.
Drunk Elephant Eye Cream: Retinol Eye Serum with ...
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HERBIVORE Simple Skincare Routine

A standout feature of HERBIVORE products is their commitment to recycling.  They consciously use glass, aluminum, and paper materials to produce their products to minimize the use of plastics.  The cleanser also serves as a makeup remover, so that's one less product you have to deal with in your facial routine.  These products are designed to restore that plumpness to your face and if you need help adding moisture back into to your skin.

 
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This cleanser is free of parabens (synthetic preservatives), and contains tremella mushroom that acts similar to hyaluronic acid: it pulls water into your skin which helps to give it a plump, dewy look. It works into a gentle lather that is able to c...
HERBIVORE Cleanser: Pink Cloud Creamy Jelly with Rosewater + Tremella
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This moisturizer is a companion to the Pink Cloud cleanser. It also contains tremella mushroom and strawberry extract like its companion cleanser, which gives your facial skin a more plump look. An added ingredient is vegan glycerin which helps to pu...
HERBIVORE Moisturizer: Cloud Jelly Plumping Hydration Serum with Tremella + Strawberry Extract
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This eye cream gives an instant firming and smoothing effect to the under-eye area.  When you open it, the cream feels silky to the touch.  It’s also paraben-free, which is important if you have sensitive skin.  One of its ingredients is bakuchiol, which is an alternative to Retinol for improving skin elasticity.
HERBIVORE Eye Cream: Moon Dew with 1% Bakuchiol + Peptides
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La Roche-Posay Simple Skincare Routine

If you have sensitive skin, you might want to consider the La Roche-Posay brand.  One of its good features is that the products are dermatologist-tested and recommended. Also, most of their products are fragrance and paraben-free.  You can find some economically priced products in this brand, but most are on the higher price end.  Because of their lack of fragrances and parabens, these products are a good fit for people with sensitive skin. 

 
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The cleanser is fragrance and paraben free, and its gentle enough on skin to use it daily.  It contains glycerin and prebiotic thermal water that will hydrate and smooth your skin.  It's also non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog your pores and contribute to blackheads or acne.
La Roche-Posay Cleanser: Toleriane Moisturizing Milky Cleanser
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You can use this moisturizer daily because it’s light and not greasy. It contains Vitamin C to plump skin, plus hyaluronic acid to help firm and hydrate your skin. If you want to learn more about the beneficial effects of hyaluronic acid, you can rea... Hyaluronic Acid  
La Roche-Posay Moisturizer: Anti-Wrinkle Firmer with Pure Vitamin C
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This eye cream compliments the moisturizer because it also contains pure vitamin C to plump the delicate skin around the eyes. Another ingredient is hyaluronic acid to deal with crows feet and eye puffiness.
La Roche-Posay Eye Cream: with Pure Vitamin C
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The Ordinary Simple Skincare Routine

Although you can purchase The Ordinary brand at Ulta Beauty, Target offers a wider selection of the products online.  In true Target style, the price point is economical.  If you typically use a makeup remover before cleansing, then this cleanser has you covered because it acts as a pre-cleanser and cleanser all-in-one.  Their products also address signs of aging that come from certain lifestyle factors.

 
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This cleanser is fragrance and soap free and non-comedogenic (created to not clog the pores), which is important for preventing acne, blackheads, and skin inflammation.  It also contains Squalane.   Squalane mimics one of the naturally occurring oils in your skin called Squalene. That means this cleanser can lock in moisture, deeply hydrate, and strengthen your skin's barrier.
The Ordinary Cleanser: Hydrating Makeup Remover and Cleanser
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This serum contains direct copper peptides that target aging factors stemming from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is connected to certain lifestyle factors like poor diet, pollution, and smoking that can accelerate the aging process.  It is lightweight on the skin, not greasy, and is also a vegan product, free of fragrances.
The Ordinary Moisturizer: Aging Support Serum with Copper Peptides
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The Ordinary explains the high price point of this product comes from the many active ingredients that address several eye issues at once. Most eye creams address one or two issues like crows feet or dark circles. This cream addresses these as well a...
The Ordinary Eye Cream: Multi-Peptide Serum for Aging Support
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Olay Simple Skincare Routine

Its no secret that Olay (Oil of Olay) is one of my favorite line of products.  It's not only  a classic, it has always represented simple beauty products that work.  The items listed come from their anti-aging line, so they are recommended for anyone in their late 30's or older who want to get ahead of those common signs of facial aging.

 
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This Olay cleanser contains glycerin, and vitamins B5 and E to hydrate and smooth your skin.  It is a creamy mixture of small crystals that help exfoliate dead skin cells. Exfoliating helps to speed up skin regeneration which helps to give your skin that brighter, less dull look.
Olay Cleanser: Regenerist Cream Face Wash with Vitamin C
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This Olay moisturizer is formulated especially to fight aging signs.  It contains TRIPLE Collagen Peptide that smooths and firms your skin. It actually lifts and adds more firmness to your facial skin which is why it is called a micro-sculpting cream. More about this cream:  Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Video
Olay Moisturizer: Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
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This Olay formula is a “professional grade” eye treatment that promises a dramatic reduction in deep-set wrinkles and lines after 28 days of use. As you get older you tend to lose volume in your face.  This cream contains Hexa-Repair Peptide Complex which helps to improve the effects of that loss.
Olay Eye Cream: Regenerist Anti-Aging Wrinkle, Firming & Hydrating Cream
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Information on Popular Skincare Product Ingredients (Parabens, Hyaluronic Acid...)

You will see Hyaluronic Acid advertised a lot in facial and body products. So it's helpful to know what it is when thinking about making it part of your skin care regimen. I have listed several charts and infographics that show the benefits of this i... I also did research on Parabens since they are popular in skin products.  And lastly, I compared serums to moisturizers because there is a big difference in their purpose and how to use them. 

 
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Serums target certain areas of your skin and/or specific issues:  wrinkles, acne, uneven skin tone. Serums provide deeper penetration and work at the cellular level of your skin.  Moisturizers provide overall hydration, moisture, and protection for your skin on the surface level. They form an outer barrier for the skin that locks in its moisture and protects it from negative external factors like pollution, extreme weather con... Is it a good idea to use both? Yes, especially if you are at the age where your skin could benefit from both.  A serum should always be applied first followed by your moisturizer to seal in the serum and add additional moisture protection.
Serums and Moisturizers: What's The Difference?
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Charlene Hurst profile picture
Basically, Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a gooey substance naturally produced by the body.  It is found primarily in your skin, joints, and connective tissues to help maintain moisture, lubrication, and elasticity of these areas.  This list includes a chart explaining the uses for hyaluronic acid and shows a few foods that are high in this substance, giving you a natural way to obtain it through your diet.  Another chart shows the benefits of hyaluronic acid and retinol, so you can compare and contrast them.  Always check with a dermatologist when you have questions about which skin care ingredients are best for you. The video and information come from a medical source: Cleveland Clinic:   Video on hyaluronic acid vs. retinol 
Hyaluronic Acid: Is it Beneficial? Hyaluronic Acid vs. Retinol
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Charlene Hurst profile picture
Basically parabens are used to make products last longer. They are chemical ingredients added to products to protect against bacteria, fungi, etc. that could shorten the shelf life of a product. They're also used in some foods to keep them from spoil... Article: webmd.com/beauty/what-to-know-about-parabens     Article: share.upmc.com/2023/04/are-parabens-bad     Article: Parabens as the double-edged sword: Understanding the benefits and potential health risks: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724067032
Parabens in Cosmetics: The Good and the Ugly.
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