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We’ve heard the age-old idiom before: out with the old and in with the new. Well, we think that same saying can apply to your skincare routine, too. While staying home, you've probably noticed your skin has changed and because of that, your skincare products no longer seem effective. You’re not alone. But when it comes time to switch things up, how can you be sure the new products you order will be exactly what you’re looking for? Two beauty enthusiasts set out to answer that question by trying Sephora’s new Skincare Routine Builder, an online tool that curates a personalized product lineup, and ended up discovering new routines that are perfect for their unique needs.
Why Rebuilding Our Skincare Routines Was the
Best Decision We’ve Made This Year
Stephanie
@sunkissedstephblog
Stephanie Nguyen may be a fashion editor, but because she struggled with mild acne in her late teens, she also puts a heavy focus on her skincare routine. "I started learning about ingredients, researching brands, testing products, and then once I started working in the industry, it pretty much came with the territory," Stephanie shared. "Plus, as I get older, I find that I'm wearing less and less makeup on a daily basis, which means the focus is on my skin — my complexion needs to keep up!"
While staying home, Stephanie also noticed her skin becoming dry and dehydrated. This, on top of her oily skin type (especially in her T-zone), inspired her to completely shift her approach to skincare. Now, she's focusing on hydration and getting her healthy glow back. She admitted that shopping for new skincare products can be hard when trying to cut through the noise, but with the Skincare Routine Builder, Stephanie was able to check out a range of products that felt customized to her concerns, including cleansers, moisturizers, treatments, sunscreen, and a little something extra (see: face masks, eye creams, etc.).
I love that the cleanser, moisturizer,
and eye cream I've been using all prioritize clean ingredients.
@katsfashionfix
Kathleen
Kathleen Harper may work in beauty, but even she agreed that there's still a lot she wants to learn about her own skincare routine. She's always been conscious of her concerns, but never had the proper tools or knowledge to help her skin reach its full potential. "I want healthy skin that's bright and clear, and I'm more motivated than ever now that I’m in my late 20s," she said. Recently, she realized how much better her skin could look and feel if she invested in higher-quality products that went beyond just the basics.
Although she's often tempted to try every product that she comes across at work, she knows that's not possible with her complexion — at least not without running into some issues along the way. "My biggest challenge is finding an effective product that won't irritate my skin," Kathleen said. "My skin is acne-prone, but also sensitive, so sometimes it can be difficult to find a product that actually works while addressing both concerns." But the second she encountered the Skincare Routine Builder, she knew her routine was about to level up.
Although Kathleen was offered a range of products spanning across five categories, some of her new favorites include the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream, and Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer. For her, there's a lot to love about this Fresh face wash, including the fact that it's so multitasking. It's gentle, but melts away makeup so easily, and tones skin as it cleanses. "Immediately after using it, my skin felt balanced and fresh," she said. "I also love that it's soothing and calming."
One of the biggest upgrades to Kathleen's skincare routine was the addition of an eye cream. "I know eye cream is important, but until now, it hasn't really been on my radar," she said. "This Biossance eye cream is my first, and I can't believe I waited this long to incorporate it into my routine." The rich and hydrating formula lifts, smooths, and firms the look of skin, which assists in Kathleen's goal of preventing premature signs of aging.
Stephanie Nguyen may be a fashion
editor, but because she struggled with
mild acne in her late teens, she also puts
a heavy focus on her skincare routine.
"I started learning about ingredients, researching brands, testing products,
and then once I started working in the industry, it pretty much came with the territory," Stephanie shared. "Plus, as I get older, I find that I'm wearing less and less makeup on a daily basis, which means the focus is on my skin — my complexion needs to keep up!"
While staying home, Stephanie also noticed her skin becoming dry and dehydrated. This, on top of her oily skin type (especially in her T-zone), inspired
her to completely shift her approach to skincare. Now, she's focusing on hydration and getting her healthy glow back. She admitted that shopping for new skincare products can be hard when trying to cut through the noise, but with the Skincare Routine Builder, Stephanie was able to check out a range of products that felt customized to her concerns, including cleansers, moisturizers, treatments, sunscreen, and a little something extra (see: face masks, eye creams, etc.).
Stephanie's new essentials include some heavy hitters — Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser, Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleep-
ing Mask, and Tatcha The Water Cream —
that tackle all of her needs, including prioritizing clean ingredients. Luckily, the Skincare Routine Builder makes it easy to find brands with the "Clean at Sephora" seal, so you never have to worry about certain ingredients you'd prefer to avoid.
"I love that the cleanser, moisturizer, and eye cream I've been using all prioritize clean ingredients, without sacrificing quality or effectiveness," she said. "I've definitely noticed an improvement in my
oil production throughout the day from using both the cleanser and moisturizer together."
With cleansing being the most important step in Stephanie's skincare routine, finding a formula that properly prepped her skin for the rest of her routine was crucial. "The right cleanser needs to not only remove makeup and clear my pores, but also take my skin back to its neutral-most state at the end of the day," she said. "The Youth to the People cleanser helps support my skin's pH balance, so it's neither oily or dry. Plus, it leaves my skin feeling so soft."
Kathleen Harper may work in beauty, but even she agreed that there's still a lot she wants to learn about her own skincare routine. She's always been conscious of her concerns, but never had the proper tools or knowledge to help her skin reach its full potential. "I want healthy skin that's bright and clear, and I'm more motivated than ever now that I’m in my late 20s," she said. Recently, she realized how much better her skin could look and feel if she invested in higher-quality products that went beyond just the basics.
Although she's often tempted to try every product that she comes across at work,
she knows that's not possible with her complexion — at least not without running into some issues along the way. "My biggest challenge is finding an effective product that won't irritate my skin," Kathleen said. "My skin is acne-prone, but also sensitive, so sometimes it can be difficult to find a product that actually works while add-ressing both concerns." But the second she encountered the Skincare Routine Builder, she knew her routine was about to level up.
This Biossance eye cream is my first, and I can't believe I waited this long to incorporate it into my routine.
Stephanie's new essentials include some heavy hitters — Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser, Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask, and Tatcha The Water Cream — that tackle all of her needs, including prioritizing clean ingredients. Luckily, the Skincare Routine Builder makes it easy to find brands with the "Clean at Sephora" seal, so you never have to worry about certain ingredients you'd prefer to avoid. "I love that the cleanser, moisturizer, and eye cream I've been using all prioritize clean ingredients, without sacrificing quality or effectiveness," she said. "I've definitely noticed an improvement in my oil production throughout the day from
using both the cleanser and moisturizer together."
With cleansing being the most important step in Stephanie's skincare routine, finding a formula that properly prepped her skin for the rest of her routine was crucial. "The right cleanser needs to not only remove makeup and clear my pores, but also take my skin back to its neutral-most state at the end of the day," she said. "The Youth to the People cleanser helps support my skin's pH balance, so it's neither oily or dry. Plus, it leaves my skin feeling so soft."
Although retinol has always played a role in Stephanie’s skincare routine, using it in the form of an eye mask she could sleep in was new to her. "Retinol is an ingredient I regularly use for my face, but this is my first time using a retinol product formulated specifically for the eye area," Stephanie said. "I love knowing that I can go to sleep while the ingredients get to work." The encapsulated retinol used in this eye mask specifically allows for the product to sit on the skin longer and also makes it more gentle than traditional retinol treatments. While the Glow Recipe mask helped her eye area look brighter, Stephanie found that the oil-free Tatcha The Water Cream helped her pores appear visibly tighter and her complexion appear naturally radiant. Tatcha's lightweight formula uses Japanese nutrients and powerful botanicals to deliver nongreasy hydration and poreless-looking skin. Stephanie's final thoughts on the water cream: "Applying it feels like a refreshing burst of water to my pores."
I want healthy skin that’s bright and clear, and I’m more motivated than ever now that I’m in my late 20s.
This Biossance eye cream is my first, and
I can't believe I waited this long to incorporate it into my routine.
For someone who regularly deals with combination skin, finding a moisturizer that tackled all of those concerns in one was important. The Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer combines peptides, growth factors, amino acids, and pygmy water lily to promote youthful-looking skin that's extremely moisturized and soothed — but never greasy. "I love how light the Drunk Elephant moisturizer is," she said. "A little goes a long way, and it doesn't have a greasy finish."
Moving forward, Kathleen knows she has her skincare covered, especially if she can explore even more options from the Skincare Routine Builder in the future. "Finding a skincare routine that truly works is such a breath of fresh air!" she said. "This handed me the tools I needed on a silver platter, and as a result, I'm both blown away and relieved."
Applying [the Tatcha Water Cream] feels
Although retinol has always played a role in Stephanie’s skincare routine, using it in the form of an eye mask she could sleep in was new to her. "Retinol is an ingredient I regularly use for my face, but this is my first time using a retinol product form-ulated specifically for the eye area," Stephanie said. "I love knowing that I
can go to sleep while the ingredients get to work." The encapsulated retinol used
in this eye mask specifically allows for
the product to sit on the skin longer and also makes it more gentle than traditional retinol treatments. While the Glow Recipe mask helped her eye area look brighter, Stephanie found that the oil-free Tatcha The Water Cream helped her pores appear visibly tighter and her complexion appear naturally radiant. Tatcha's lightweight formula uses Japanese nutrients and powerful botanicals to deliver nongreasy hydration and poreless-looking skin. Stephanie's final thoughts on the water cream: "Applying it feels like a refreshing burst of water to my pores."
Although Kathleen was offered a range of products spanning across five categories, some of her new favorites include the
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream,
and Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer. For her, there's a lot to love about this Fresh face wash, including the fact that it's so multitasking. It's gentle,
but melts away makeup so easily, and tones skin as it cleanses. "Immediately after using it, my skin felt balanced and fresh," she said. "I also love that it's soothing and calming."
One of the biggest upgrades to Kathleen's skincare routine was the addition of an
eye cream. "I know eye cream is important, but until now, it hasn't really been on my radar," she said. "This Biossance eye cream is my first, and I can't believe I waited this long to incorporate it into my routine." The rich and hydrating formula lifts, smooths, and firms the look of skin, which assists in Kathleen's goal of preventing premature signs of aging.
For someone who regularly deals with combination skin, finding a moisturizer that tackled all of those concerns in one was important. The Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer combines peptides, growth factors, amino acids,
and pygmy water lily to promote youthful-looking skin that's extremely moisturized and soothed — but never greasy. "I love how light the Drunk Elephant moisturizer is," she said. "A little goes a long way, and it doesn't have a greasy finish."
I love that the cleanser, moisturizer, and eye cream I've been using all prioritize clean ingredients.
Moving forward, Kathleen knows she has her skincare covered, especially if she can explore even more options from the Skincare Routine Builder in the future. "Finding a skincare routine that truly works is such a breath of fresh air!" she said. "This handed me the tools I needed on a silver platter, and as a result, I'm both blown away and relieved."
Applying [the Tatcha Water Cream] feels like a refreshing burst of water to my pores.