A Fresh 3-Step Skincare Routine to Start the New Year (for PM)

The simplest way to start the new year on a clean slate? Committing to a fresh start for your skincare routine. Not only will the below refreshed regimen benefit your skin (we’re talking a brighter, firmer complexion), but you’ll also be treated to a few extra minutes to set your intentions for the day and reconnect with yourself while applying your new favorite formulas. And that’s something we could all use a little more of.

Kick off 2023 on a glowing note with a three-step skincare routine that’s as effective as it is streamlined.

Step 1: Superfood Cleanser
The first step of any skincare routine is one of the most essential. Before you reach for your favorite serum and moisturizer (more on that later), it’s time to pull out a gentle cleanser, like Youth To The People’s pH-balanced gentle yet effective cleanser, which helps to prevent buildup in pores and remove makeup without drying or stripping moisture.

“For a preventative routine, I’d say start with Superfood Cleanser,” says Jacob Tomás del Rosario, Youth To The People’s Director of Field Sales + Education, of the pro-grade vegan cleanser. “It’s a great way to start your routine successfully. Creating an environment in your skin where it’s going to take as many benefits as possible from every product that you use thereafter is just the best way to set up your routine for success.” Simply massage 1-2 pumps of the gel cleanser onto damp face and neck, adding more water as you massage the formula for one minute. Then rinse and pat dry, and you’re ready for the next step.

Step 2: Retinal + Niacinamide Youth Serum
Skincare pro tip: Always apply the products in your routine from thinnest to thickest consistency. This means that post-cleanse, next up in your three-step routine will be a serum, namely one with targeted benefits like reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and brightening skin with continued use. For this, pick up YTTP’s Retinal + Niacinamide Youth Serum.

“Being that the 0.15% retinaldehyde in the formula is the most potent retinoid next to an Rx, you’re getting results,” says del Rosario—but because retinaldehyde takes fewer steps for the the skin to convert to become usable, it comes with a decreased risk of irritation. The thoughtful formula includes ceramides and an adaptogenic complex for a formula that soothes while it goes to work. Apply a pea-sized amount on your clean, dry face and neck at night, starting out at once a week, then gradually increasing frequency to every night, as tolerated by your skin.

Step 3: Polypeptide-121 Future Cream
Last step in your fresh three-step New Year routine? A strengthening, firming moisturizer to bolster your skin for what’s to come this year: Polypeptide-121 Future Cream. This visibly firming and fine-line-reducing cream is intensely moisturizing, is boosted with peptides, plant proteins, and ceramides, and provides 24-hour moisture.

“It’s going to help everything when your moisture barrier is intact,” says del Rosario—a benefit you’ll see with the Future Cream. Simply smooth onto your face and neck as the final step in your routine.

One more step: The next day, as the capstone to your morning skincare routine, be sure to apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher to protect your skin—important every day, but especially when incorporating retinal into your routine.

More questions? Schedule a free 15-minute skin session with an expert to get your questions answered.

Written by Grace Gavilanes for Youth To The People