Create A Morning Routine From Scratch
With so much skincare advice floating around online, it can feel impossible to know where to start. Between TikTok routines and every content creator flooding you with tons of product recommendations, building a morning routine can get overwhelming pretty fast. If you’ve ever felt that way—you’re not alone.
In this post, I’m breaking down how to build a realistic AM routine from scratch. I’ll walk you through each category, explain how to tailor it to your skin type, and then (at the end) show you how to simplify it into three versions: basic, leveled-up, and all-in. I really need to emphasize that every product listed isn’t a “necessity,” I just want to give you all the potential AM steps before providing the sample routines.
Step 1: Cleanse
Truth be told, your morning cleanse can look a few different ways. Depending on your skin type, what you used the night before, how much time you have… Here are the types of “cleanse” I usually recommend in the mornings (personally, I rotate between all three throughout the week).
Splash of water: It’s exactly as it sounds. It’s going to wake you up and gently prep your skin for your next product. This is an absolute staple for me (especially on busy mornings).
Gentle cleanser: On mornings where I have a little more time and I am not going in with an active cleanser (spoiler alert for option 3), I will go in with the same cleanser I use in the PM. As you know, Skinfix Ceramide + Ectoin Gentle Gel Cleanser is my current holy grail, but here is a roundup of my favorite cleansers for every skin type.
Active cleanser: I’ve said it so many times at this point, but I feel like people are constantly overdoing it with exfoliation. One of the most gentle and effective ways to exfoliate is to incorporate an active cleanser a few days a week. The Dr. Dennis Gross one is my go! It gives a little exfoliation and helps clear congestion without overdoing it. Make sure to leave it on for a minimum of 60 seconds to work it’s magic.
Pro tip: Over-cleansing is one of the most common causes of irritation. Your cleanser should leave your skin feeling refreshed—not squeaky.
Step 2: Microcurrent
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I love my microcurrent device in the mornings. It’s quick and gives an immediate lift. I use it right after cleansing, before any serums or creams.
I have a blog on my step by step routine, but it’s truly the device that I absolutely swear by!
Step 3: Eye Cream
This is one of those steps that just gives me a little extra oomph. If the skin around your eye needs a little extra TLC (whether that’s hydration or brightness), there are so many good eye creams out there right now! As an added bonus, I love it before my treatment serum, since I am especially sensitive around the eye!
In the mornings, I reach for a brightening or de-puffing formula—something lightweight that layers easily under sunscreen or makeup. I have been using the one from Skinfix recently and I am not even kidding, I noticed I needed less concealer around my under eye recently, and I really credit the eye cream to it!
My favorite eye creams right now!
Step 4: Treatment Serum
This is where you bring in the actives. I’ll be honest, I say “treatment serums,” but most mornings, that means Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is just a non-negotiable for me. It brightens, neutralizes free radicals from UV and pollution, and supports collagen. I should also emphasize that some people write off vitamin c because they have a poor reaction. Almost always, you’re just not using the right vitamin c for you.
There are so many good ones, but I’ll link my favorite for every skin type
Step 5: Moisturizer
Seal it all in. Your moisturizer supports the barrier and helps lock in hydration from your serum. I would say that if you’re an oily skin type and your spf is super hydrating, you can afford to skip this step. But for us dry girlies, it’s an absolute staple.
The type of moisturizer is going to be different based on the season, your skin type, etc. but I would encourage you to look for a formula with ceramides and peptides. For dry or compromised skin, I will forever love Skinfix Triple Lipid Peptide Cream—it’s rich but never heavy. For oily or combo skin a lightweight gel-cream works best. I’m currently loving Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer for that barely-there feel.
Step 6: SPF
This is the one step I’ll never ever skip. Sunscreen is the most effective product in your entire routine! To no exaggeration, if you are doing the first 5 steps perfectly but forgetting spf, your routine is basically pointless. SPF always!
But not all SPFs are created equal. I’m especially partial to tinted mineral sunscreens—and here’s why: Tinted formulas contain iron oxides, which add an extra layer of protection against visible light (the kind of light that can worsen melasma and post-inflammatory pigmentation).
Here are some of my current favorites, depending on your skin type or finish preference:
EltaMD | UV Skin Recovery Red Color Correcting Green Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 50
My current favorite — it calms redness so well and gives subtle color correction.
ISDIN | Eryfotona Ageless Ultralight Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+
Not only provides protection, but also repairs skin!
Tower 28 | SunnyDays Tinted SPF 30 Sunscreen Foundation
My pick when I want a bit more coverage and skin tint in one step (normal to dry skin).
Broad shade range and a natural, skin-like finish — love this one for minimal makeup days.
Alright, now that we have listed all of them, let’s cover the different routine options! Simple → Leveled-Up → All-In Routines
SIMPLE:
AM: Splash of water → Vitamin C → SPF
LEVELED-UP:
AM: Gentle or active cleanse → Eye cream → Vitamin C → Moisturizer → SPF
ALL-IN:
AM: Cleanse → Microcurrent → Eye cream → Vitamin C → Moisturizer → SPF
Remember, your skin type might change over time. Don’t be afraid to reevaluate your regimen and make sure it still supports you! For the full video on building an AM skincare routine, make sure to take a peek at my recent Tik Tok!
Happy Holidays,
