Ethical Beauty Morning Skincare Routine
A few months ago, when I was thinking about my year, I realized that I needed to reset and recommit. I let things go in the skincare department and it was starting to show. So, I recommitted to an ethical beauty morning skincare routine. And it has made a big difference (thank goodness!)
And, for more on clean, ethical beauty, click here.
Anyway, here is part one my favorite natural, clean, ethical beauty skincare routine, plus the two products that transformed my skin: day (below )and night.
Ethical Beauty
A while ago, I wrote a post on Minimalist Beauty. At the time, I kept my beauty products to just a few important basics (most of them still are favorites).
But… life, global pandemic, my mid 40s, toddlers, etc.
It all took a toll and I started noticing fine lines turning into deep wrinkles. I never looked rested (mostly because I wasn’t, but I didn’t need the world to know!). My skin looked dull all the time. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but my skin just looked bad. I hadn’t been as insecure about my skin since high school.
So, I beefed up my beauty!
I stand by everything I wrote in that post, but I have definitely added a few more steps. Certainly not 27, but a few more.
I still like products with very few ingredients, I still love products that don’t list water as one of the top ingredients (I have plenty of that at home!), and continue to read labels and mindfully apply my products (gua sha is nothing short of a ritual).
After years of trial and error, I’ve put together a list of my favorite all-natural, clean, and ethical beauty products. These are the ones I am using now, and are giving me results.
But First, If you’re not exactly sure what clean, ethical beauty is, take a look here. And, for even more suggestions, take a look at my Big List of Ethical Beauty.
My Ethical Beauty Morning Skincare Routine:
Even though I’ve added a bit since I wrote my minimalist post, I still try to keep my morning routine pretty simple. Unless I have really sweaty the night (PMS sweats and hot August nights!) or workout first thing, I almost never use a cleanser in the morning. Just a few splashes of cold water or a lukewarm rinse in the shower.
Hydrosol
For years, I was very much anti-toner. It just felt like an unnecessary step. Why would I add a spritz of water to a face that I just splashed water on? I couldn’t think of a reason. It seemed like unnecessary.
Then I discovered hydrosols (the flower water byproduct of essential oils). And now, I am a convert. They really do calm my skin, and help prep it for the next few steps. I also have noticed that it feels a little less hydrated when I skip this step.
My current favorite: Tata Harper’s Hydrating Floral Essence.
I love that it soothes and preps my skin for the next steps but also has hyaluronic acid and BHAs so my skin gets plumped and my pores get minimized as a bonus.
It is a little on the expensive side, so I also recommend (and use regularly) Cocokind Rosewater Facial Toner. It is 100% organic rosa damascena flower water obtained by steaming rose petals. It feels refreshing and calming, is reasonably priced ($17), and smells dreamy.
Other recommendations:
While I am not using these right now, I also love the:
+ Evan Healey Rose Hydrosoul combined with the Rosehip Treatment Serum. The combo immediately soothes my skin and leaves it a little dewier than it was pre-treatment.
+ Thayer’s Witch Hazel Alcohol Free Toner (an inexpensive option at about $11 at Target). Witch hazel is a hydrosol as well. I didn’t realize this until I started getting into hydrosols.
+ Any of these from Credo Beauty. I obviously haven’t tried all of them, but I trust everything that Credo does.
Serum
This one product has made an enormous difference my skin, almost overnight.
If I could only have three products, True Botanicals Chebula Active Immunity Serum would be one (after Cocokind’s Oil Facial Cleanser – double duty as a cleanser and a moisturizer – and sunscreen). I don’t love the smell, but I do love the results!
This stuff is potent and fights aging almost instantly. My skin was brighter after one night. And after a few weeks, the lines on my forehead (my biggest problem area) are fading a bit – probably have a long way to go on this. I could go on and on (and I did, with a review, here).
It is also on the pricey side (but here’s 15% off). A little goes a long way so it lasts longer than many of the less expensive products. I think it will likely be less expensive in the long run.
Moisturizer
Next up is my day cream. I alternate between Cocokind’s Texture Smoothing Cream (it really is smoothing, smells fresh, and feels soothing) and Alpyn’s PlantGenius Moisture Melt. I use Cocokind the mornings after I do my night mask and Alpyn’s on the alternating mornings. Alpyn’s Moisture Melt has bakuchiol which is a much gentler retinol alternative and my night mask also does, so I skip it after I use my night mask.
Oil
If I am feeling extra dry or if I am staying home all day, I will use a daytime oil, like Cocokind’s Watermelon Hemp Oil.
Cocokind’s oil absorbs faster than many of the other oils I’ve tried and is considered a “dry oil” so doesn’t leave a greasy film behind.
This oil is awesome because of its versatility. I also use it:
+ On my hair
+ In my kiddo’s bath
+ On my elbows and heels and throughout the day on my hands.
But, if I have to wear a lot of makeup, I usually skip this step because I haven’t found an oil that doesn’t cause my makeup to smudge at least a little. If you have one, let me know!
I LOVE Cocokind’s Golden Elixir as well, but it is often out of stock. Update: This may have been discontinued.
Sunscreen
Probably the most important step.
I love Cocokind’s Daily SPF (I love Cocokind – this post probably could have been called Cocokind, A love letter!). Their SPF is a non-nano zinc oxide based sunscreen that goes on clean, does NOT leave a white layer and is creamier than many mineral sunscreens I’ve used in the past. Even my toddler loves it! We order it in batches of three – one for the bathroom, one for the car and in my work bag (it protects against blue light too).
That is it. And maybe it feels like a lot, but my skin thanks me for it every day. And, these days, I am not wearing makeup all that often, so it is super important that my skin looks good.
Interested in more clean, ethical beauty? Here is my nighttime skincare routine, here is a Big List of Ethical Beauty products, and here are a few of my favorite affordable ethical beauty products (most available at Target and other drugstores!)
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