Building a Simple Skincare Routine (That You Super Love & Stick With)
Skincare should feel like slipping into silk pajamas…simple, soothing, and something you actually want to do at the end of a long day.
Forget the 12-step overwhelm. A good routine is like a best friend: steady, reliable, and cheering you on from the bathroom mirror.
So let’s cut the clutter on your countertop. Here’s your simple, esthetician-approved routine (with a few extras if you’re ready to glow a lil harder), plus, what to actually look for (and easily avoid) in each step.
🫧 Step 1: Cleanse
Your cleanser is your reset button. Go gentle, please.
Look for:
Creamy, milky, or gel cleansers labeled “gentle,” “hydrating,” or “pH-balanced”
Soothing ingredients like aloe, coconut, oat, glycerin, or chamomile
Oil cleansers with jojoba, sunflower, or coconut-derived esters for makeup removal
Avoid:
Foaming cleansers with SLS/SLES (sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate = tight, squeaky skin)
Fragrance overload, alcohols, and “acne washes” that feel like punishment and sting your eyes
Anything that leaves your face feeling dry, tight, flaky, or shiny in a bad, starved way
💡 Cap’n Coconut note: A soft, softsoft clean washcloth is underrated magic. I use a fresh one daily to help remove makeup and get that extra clean sweep. Just keep it fresh and, again, super soft. (shout out to TJ Maxx’s crazy towel section. They have the best brands coming through regularly…)
Makeup wearers & SPF lovers: Double cleanse. First with an oil-based cleanser, then with your gentle facial wash. Your cheeks, jawline, and pillowcases will thank you.
💦 Step 2: Tone
Think of toner as the tall glass of water your skin didn’t know it needed. Toners rebalance, prep, and hydrate, setting the stage for everything else to actually work. A splash of deliciousness.
Look for:
Alcohol-free formulas
Ingredients like aloe, cucumber, hibiscus, hyaluronic acid, flower and cactus waters, cbd, or sea minerals (lush lush lush)
Bonus points for mist format (spa vibes)
Avoid:
Astringents that sting or smell like nail polish
Toners with witch hazel high on the ingredients list (it’s drying when overused)
Anything that boasts “pore-tightening” with zero hydration
💡 Cap’n Coconut’s Hydrating Toner: tropical dew in a bottle. Mist it, pat it in, feel alive again.
🌸 Step 3: Serum
This is where the focused magic happens. Serums deliver concentrated ingredients deeper into the skin, like a splash of green juice for your face. Coupled with a gentle face massage, you are setting yourself up for a boost of nourishment, circulation, and extra sexy vibes.
Look for:
Hydrating: hyaluronic acid, panthenol, beta-glucan
Brightening: vitamin C, licorice root, niacinamide (water-soluble vitamin B3)
Calming: plumeria, calendula, green tea
Gentle enzymes (like my favorites papaya & pineapple) for glow without irritation
Avoid:
Highly reactive actives - acids/retinols- if your skin is sensitive
💡 Cap’n Coconut’s Nourishing Serum: hyaluronic acid for hydration, papaya for gentle renewal, plumeria for calm, basically a vacation and mini time machine you massage in.
🥥 Step 4: Moisturize
Seal in the deal. An amazing moisturizer locks everything in and gives your skin that plump, happy, full feeling. Happy grape.
Look for:
Light, quick-absorbing if you’re oily, dreamier creams if you’re dry
Ingredients like watermelon, squalane, ceramides, jojoba, or mango seed oil
No-frills formulas you actually want to use daily
Avoid:
Dimethicone-heavy moisturizers that sit on top and don’t absorb
Anything that pills under SPF or makeup
Artificial fragrance bombs
💡 Cap’n Coconut’s Renew + Protect Moisturizer: light but powerful, like island air.
🌙 Extras (When You’re Feeling Fancy)
✨ Exfoliation: 1–2x per week max
Physical exfoliants = scrubs. Look for smooth, round particles (not jagged shells).
Chemical exfoliants = AHAs, BHAs, or fruit enzymes. Use at night, moisturize after.
Avoid overdoing it—redness, flaking, or tightness means you’re doing too much.
🧖♀️ Masks
Hydrating = when you’re parched (aloe, honey, hyaluronic acid)
Clay = when you’re oily or congested (use only on oily zones if you’re combo)
Anti-aging = when you’re treating yourself (peptides, antioxidants, retinol alternatives like bakuchiol)
💆 Facial Massage
This is my absolute favorite step and I think the most important in my routinel. Boost circulation, move lymph, sculpt, de-puff, and calm the nervous system. Use upward strokes with a serum or oil—just 3 minutes can work wonders.
☀️ Morning vs. Evening Routine
Morning:
→ Cleanse
→ Tone
→ Serum
→ Moisturize
→ SPF
Evening:
→ Double cleanse (if needed)
→ Tone
→ Serum
→ Moisturize
→ Bonus time (mask, massage, etc.)
✨ Final Cap’n Thoughts
You don’t need every product under the sun. You need a simple ritual you’ll actually keep and enjoy.
Something that feels like a treat, not a chore.
Your skincare routine is less about perfection and more about presence. Every step is a reminder: you deserve care. Every time you wash your face, you’re saying: I’m showing up for me today and setting myself up for feeling good tomorrow.
💌 Want to try Cap’n Coconut’s facial line? Our mini sets are the perfect way to start fresh.
🌴 Need help choosing products? DM me or email - I’m a real human and would love to help.
🧴 Already loving your routine? Take a peek at the next article below for more tips.
