The Best 3 Step Skincare Routine under 60 USD
If you have no skincare routine at all, you just need these 3 core products:
Round Lab Dokdo Cleanser (10 USD)
S.Nature Aqua Squalane Moisturizing Cream (21 USD)
Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 + PA ++++ (20 USD) (Japanese version)
All 3 are available on Amazon.
A.M. Wash your face with the cleanser. Apply the moisturizing cream on a dry face. Then apply 3 fingers worth of sunscreen all over your face, neck and ears.
P.M. Just do the cleanser and moisturizer.
If you wear makeup, you’ll still need an oil cleanser before the Round Lab cleanser.
The S.Nature cream is a fantastic formulation. Deeply moisturizing without heaviness or oiliness. Even without toner, skin is well hydrated.
The other products work well together. The Round Lab cleanser is gentle and washes off easily. The Bioré SPF has been reformulated to be slightly more emollient while still being lightweight and easily absorbed.
Both cleanser and cream are fragrance free. The sunscreen is lightly fragranced but it dissipates quickly.
I think this is as close to a universal routine that I can think of. This should work for most skin types and climates. It’s simple, streamlined and affordable for the quality. The packaging is pretty yet gender neutral. Easy to pack for travel.
My regular routine is quite elaborate but I gave this 3 step routine a proper 1 week test and was very impressed. I was anticipating more texture to emerge since i wasn’t using actives or hydrating toners. but overall condition remained consistent. i had a mini breakout mid week but it quickly faded. This would be my go to routine when I’m in a rush.
If you’re starting from absolute zero products, I think you’ll be delighted with the improvement this routine will bring. In terms of performance, this routine trumps the other 4 Step Routines that I’ve already written about here and here. It’s because I prefer the Dokdo cleanser and the S.Nature cream over those other recommendations.
When you start your skincare journey, it’s ideal to take before and after photos. It’s useful to document your skin condition to objectively see if the products are helping or not. If you’re happy with your skin after these 3 steps, then you can ignore the rest. Go save the world.