Back-to-School Skincare for Busy Moms
As a busy mom, I understand the importance of a simple yet effective skincare routine. We’re swamped. We’re stressed. And sometimes we only have a few minutes to spare.
Part of my teaching method has always been — just put it on your face. Do something, even imperfectly. Here at goPure, I always talk about the “correct” way to do your skincare. But, that’s subjective. We can’t lose sight that what’s ideal isn’t always real, right?
We can still achieve great results with simple, quick routines this back-to-school season and beyond!
Skincare Routine for Busy Moms
You may not have time to read this full article & that is okay. Let’s take a quick look at how you can maximize your skincare results in just 10 minutes or less.
- Makeup Wipes (Optional)
- Cleanser
- Toner (Optional)
- Vitamin C Serum
- Niacinamide Booster (Optional)
- Eye Cream
- Moisturizer
- SPF
Now, let's take a closer look at how the back-to-school season can effect our skin and why this routine is ideal for moms-on-the-go!
Back-to-School Season Factors
When we have less time, it’s even more important to have a plan when it comes to our skincare. We can’t make an effective plan and simplify our skincare routine on busy mornings if we aren’t paying attention to what our skin needs. Be mindful, assess your skin, and give it what it needs, when it needs it. You can keep your routine FAST when you have a plan.
Esthetician Tip: Don’t skip your PM routine! This is so important. I know we are so busy and TIRED when we get into the back-to-school swing. But, skipping our PM routine is so hard on our skin and makes our AM routine take longer (and it ends up being more complicated).
More Stress
This season also adds a lot of stress to our lives. Between work, school pickups, sports, after-school activities, and life at home, everyday stressors can take a toll on your skin. Have you ever noticed that you break out more or battle other skin issues when you’re stressed? This is because stress can cause your body to produce the hormone cortisol, which impacts our skin and body in numerous ways including increasing oil production and inflammation. Oily skin is more prone to breakouts, acne, and it can even trigger flare ups of other skin problems. Chronic stress leads to constant increased levels of cortisol and can have a negative effect on your skin health because it can trigger increased internal inflammation. This may potentially lead to gut issues that can manifest on the skin.
Of course, if you’re stressed, you might skimp on your skincare routine, which can aggravate skin issues even further. That’s why a simple, go-to plan is the perfect option! I always think of it as self-care combined with true healthcare — and we all deserve even just a moment of self-care that supports our overall well-being every single day.
When you don’t get enough sleep, stress begins to increase in your body as it struggles to regain hormonal balance. Chronic stress can damage collagen and other proteins in your skin. This can increase the look of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, and more.
Lack of proper sleep visibly ages us. This is because when we are sleeping, our skin is in repair and restore mode as it goes through a specific hormonal process. If we don’t get proper sleep (think more than 6 hours consistently), our skin can’t go through the hormonal processes it needs to function.
These hormonal processes are:
• The release of Somatotropin, which works to maintain skin health as it aids in skin repair.
• The production of Melatonin that works as an antioxidant to shield the skin from free radical damage that can happen from normal cellular function and external aggressors.
• The decrease in Cortisol, which can increase collagen production and help the skin recover.
Good sleep that promotes collagen production allows the skin to make its strongest recovery of the night! Our PM skincare routine should support this process and it is so important to stay consistent — even when we’re stressed and tired.
Changing Seasons
As the seasons change, so do the needs of our skin. It’s still summer, but fall is around the corner. That can typically mean less direct sun, varying temperatures, and possibly unpredictable weather conditions. Just because we may not be getting as much direct sunlight, we still have to be vigilant about our daily routine of antioxidants and SPF. Most of the signs of damage and skin aging we see are from incidental sun exposure as we live our lives, run errands, etc.
We already mentioned that at night our skin is in repair and restore mode. During the day, our skin is in protection and prevention mode. The skincare we use should SUPPORT these natural processes to get the most out of our routine.
For the day routine, even if we keep it simple, it is still important to remember some key factors. Use products that help prevent oxidative stress from free radical and UV damage, are anti-pollution, and target any other concerns we may have if we have any additional time.
The Back-to-School Routine (Detailed)
1. Cleanse
Don’t skimp on morning cleansing! Makeup wipes are great, but they don’t replace your cleanser. Your skin is going to face a lot of environmental stressors during the day, and we want to give it a fresh start. We also want to remove any of the active ingredients we had on the skin from the night before.
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Shop Cleansers
Depending on your skin type and how much time you have, toner can be optional. It’s a fast and easy step to balance the skin and boost the look of hydration before the rest of your routine. Our goPure formula contains aloe, which is also anti-pollution that adds another level of skin protection. It is such a quick step and so it is easy to include — even on the busiest mornings.
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Shop Toner
3. Vitamins + Antioxidants
Unfortunately, sunscreen is only able to block about 55% of the free radicals produced by UV exposure. That’s where antioxidants come in. Vitamin C and antioxidants are non-negotiable for me during the day. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and it works to help protect your skin during the day from free radical damage and oxidative stress, improve the look of dark spots and hyperpigmentation, and it can also improve the look of lines and wrinkles.
Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is a wonderful version of water-soluble vitamin C for all skin types and concerns because it is still a potent antioxidant while being effective, gentle, and very stable.
Superox-C, AKA, the goPure botanical superstar Kakudu plum extract, is the richest natural source of Vitamin C. It is anti-inflammatory, an extremely potent natural antioxidant, and is very tolerable and effective when applied topically. One thing that makes it unique is that it is both oil-loving and water-loving, so this improves absorption potential and works in multiple ways to deliver results. It improves the look of skin radiance and boosts the look of luminosity!
Esthetician Note: Free radicals are reactive molecules that cause damage to our cells and cellular structures. They are created by natural processes in the body, and external triggers such as UV exposure, smoking, stress, and pollution. Antioxidants work to bond with these free radicals to prevent this oxidative stress and damage that can cause visible signs of aging. The Brighten and Even Serum is an antioxidant powerhouse for daytime.
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Esthetician Note: Free radicals are reactive molecules that cause damage to our cells and cellular structures. They are created by natural processes in the body, and external triggers such as UV exposure, smoking, stress, and pollution. Antioxidants work to bond with these free radicals to prevent this oxidative stress and damage that can cause visible signs of aging. The Brighten and Even Serum is an antioxidant powerhouse for daytime.
Shop Vitamin C Skincare
If I have time, I pop on my Niacinamide Booster. I do generally use this nightly, so if I am really short, on time I know it won’t be the end of the world if I skip it. However, I love the way this works under makeup to balance oil and shine, minimize the appearance of redness, and visibly reduce the look of large pores.
The Hydrate and Smooth Serum is another variation to add to the routine if you have time. We know it contains 3 weights of hyaluronic acid to boost the look of skin hydration and visibly minimize lines and wrinkles. Did you know it also contains vitamin E? Vitamin E is ideal to pair with the vitamin c and ferulic acid found in your Brighten and Even Serum. It can stabilize it and additionally it may increase the function of vitamin C in the skin up to 4 times!
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Shop All Serums
5. Eye Care
Listen to your skin and give it what else it might need. I definitely need eye care as a busy mom this time of year! The thin, delicate skin is one of the first areas to show the signs of aging. I like to revive the look of my tired eyes with goPure’s Advanced Repair Eye Cream. It’s designed to illuminate the look of dark, puffy under eyes and whisk away the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
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Shop Eye Care
The final steps in any skincare routine are moisturizer and SPF. These are essentials and should not be skipped. Replenish your skin with the goPure moisturizer of your choice (avoiding the retinol moisturizer for daytime) — and don’t forget your Tighten & Lift Neck Cream and SPF! Remember, the SPF in our makeup is generally not enough protection for the day.
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Learn more about why sunscreen is an important step in your skincare routine along with some of my favorite SPF recommendations!
Shop All Moisturizers
Learn more about why sunscreen is an important step in your skincare routine along with some of my favorite SPF recommendations!
Some days, you’ll lean into your full skincare routine. Other times, you’ll be lucky if you have a second to cleanse, moisturize, and apply SPF. And that’s OK! Consistency is key, so if you can find a quick and easy routine that works for you, that’s what matters.
I’d love to hear how back-to-school season is treating you and your skin. Comment below with your favorite tips and tricks for caring for your skin this busy season!
Even though I’m not a busy Mom at my age, there’s alot of good advice there. I am a busy Senior & do volunteer work, but I do have time to do skin care & it’s a must for me. She does a wonderful job explaining skin care!
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goPure Beauty replied:
Hi Margaret,
Thank you so much for your feedback! It always makes what we do worth it when we hear feedback like that. We will make sure that we will continue to provide quality products and great customer service. We appreciate you and your business! 💚