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When thinking about skincare, I am reminded of that elementary joke, “Your epidermis is showing!” It’s true, your skin is literally your largest organ, and just as you have to take care of organs like your heart, you have to take care of your skin. So what does that mean? Washing your face? Wearing moisturizer? A 10-step Korean skincare routine?

For most of us, our skincare routine changes as we age. As a kid in the 90s, the first skincare product I owned was Noxzema (and that was due to watching Rebecca Gayheart perfectly splash water on her face). In my teens I lived in Florida and owned a bottle of NO-AD glitter tanning gel (don’t judge). If I could go back in time, I’d yell, “SPF, SPF, SPF” to my teen self every time I went to tan at the beach or had an outdoor practice. I also dabbled in products like the now discontinued Clarisonic Mia.

But after getting married and becoming pregnant, I really started taking a closer look at my skin’s needs. (It helps that I found vlogger Susan Yara of MixedMakeup, whose page focuses on skincare — and she was pregnant!) I now take more time to take care of my skin, both before bed and in the morning. I’ve invested in products that are a good fit for my skin type and my age. I’ve rocked undereye gel patches driving to drop off and snuck in a sheet mask while my son naps. And I wear SPF every day.

Here are some of the takeaways I’ve gleaned from adopting a mom-friendly skincare routine. No matter how much time you have:

  1. Cleanse. Double cleanse or not, it’s up to you.
  2. Exfoliate. (You don’t have to do it every night.)
  3. Tone.
  4. Treat. (If you can.)
  5. Moisturize — including SPF during the day!

The good news is that there are skincare products for each of those five steps that can fit into every schedule and every budget. Everyone’s skin is different, but here are a few time-saving products I’ve worked into my routine:

Micellar water — some mornings I don’t have time to fully wash my face, and micellar water is a saving grace. 

Just like the beauty of micellar water, this three-in-one product is great if you don’t have time to exfoliate, tone, and treat — it does it for you. 

I carry this rose water mist around in my bag, and it’s especially great if you work or live in an environment where the air is dry.

Moisturizer — I admit, I’m a Jessica Alba fan girl when it comes to the Honest Company and her skincare. I tried this moisturizer and am obsessed. 

I use this eye cream and eye shadow, and both have SPF in them and they are light and don’t feel oily around your eyes.

This SPF moisturizer is great, and I actually got my husband to start using it because it is SPF 30. I love this essence with SPF in it too.

It may take a bit of trial and error, but you’ll surely find the products that work for your skin type. Do you have a skincare product you can’t live without? 

Courtney Medlin
Courtney was raised a Navy brat, growing up in Washington, South Carolina, and Virginia before her family put their roots down in Florida. She studied at Loyola University New Orleans earning her degree in communications PR with a minor in English, and she earned her master's in marketing from SNHU. She moved to the Boston area in 2008, where she met and married her partner-in-crime, John. Mother of Jackson, 5, and stepmom to two 16-year-olds (boy and girl) and dog mom to Riley. Courtney is raising her family with a love of the outdoors, scary movies, and lots of laughs. Courtney works corporate communications/marketing/pr and lives on the South Shore. She has a passion for cooking and traveling. She volunteers her time as a Gold Award advisor for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts and serves on the planning gala committee for South Shore Health. She loves days that start with a latte and end with champagne.