Is Your Skincare Routine That Much Different Than A College Student’s?

When you were in college, did you have a set skincare routine? Did you take care of your skin at all or were you just running on caffeine and a couple hours of sleep from the night before? Though I graduated college about 2 years ago, I decided to find out for myself: is there really a difference in skincare routines based on your age? Well, if you could imagine - a college student’s life looks much different than an adult’s and their skincare routines reflect that as well.

I sat down with a college student Julianna and had her explain her skincare routine to me. I broke down the skincare routine into 5 steps: cleanser, toner, sheet mask, serum and moisturizer.

Cleanser:

Starting with a cleanser, our college student always uses a cleanser morning and night. She does have a morning and nighttime skincare routine and a gel cleanser is always included.

As a 23 year-old, I will say I use a cleanser morning and night as well but I do play around with different cleansers and methods such as double cleansing my skin and alternating between an oil and water based cleanser depending on the time of day.

Toner:

As for toner, this seems to be a step that college students often skip out on. Julianna said she only used a toner sometimes but does not include it in her everyday routine.

A toner is a must for me nowadays, especially since we are in the colder months. My routine and skin do not feel the same if I don’t use my hydrating toner, I notice my skin will feel less plump and clean if I skip out on this set now.

Sheet Mask:

A sheet mask is often a part of a college student’s skincare routine because it is a quick and easy way to take care of your skin, plus it’s fun to do with a group of friends on a selfcare night!

Some things never change - I still love to use a sheet mask with a few friends and have a selfcare night! Sheet masks are a fun, quick and easy way to treat your skin that I will never grow away from. ESW Beauty has the best sheet masks which have fun and unique packaging that target specific skin concerns.

Serum:

A serum is an exact step that a lot of college students skip out on. There are many different serum options out there and it can get confusing. Julianna only uses one sometimes and if she does it is something light and simple like a hyaluronic acid serum.

Hyaluronic acid serums are my favorite to use day-to-day because of their hydrating and plumping benefits. Sometimes your skin doesn’t need all the serum so it’s totally okay to skip out on this step if you want to, especially if you want a simpler routine.

Moisturizer:

And lastly - moisturizer. It is a must for college students and something they rarely skip on. I don’t know many people who would argue with that! Moisturizer is an essential to taking care of your skin daily. Julianna says her everyday skincare usually look something like this:

Step 1: Cleanse your face

Step 2: Moisturize

And that’s it.

Moral of the story is skincare routines look different at a variety of ages. College students often keep it simple and to a minimum amount of steps, especially with their busy schedules. Now that I’m 23, I’m starting to prioritize my skin and how I take care of it. I think it comes with time but I encourage everyone to continue to do the routine that works for them!