If you are like me, you’ve come to know the importance of taking good care of your skin through a lot of research + trial and error. For the longest time you might have tried to create the habit of taking care of your skin every single day - no exception, but somehow failed to make it stick.

Why? Why is it that although we know how damn important it is in the long run, we still don’t manage to give it enough attention and care?

Well, it’s because, like any other great habit we are trying to implement, it takes a little time and friction for our brain to register it and command us to do it automatically. If you’ve read a little on habit formation, they say it takes between 18 to 245 days until you can consider the action to become a habit. In my case, after more than 6 years I can say that it does take quite a bit of conscious effort to make your skincare routine become a habit, to the point that you do it no matter what, and it doesn’t seem like a chore anymore.

Looking back I realised that unknowingly, I have created a system for myself that helped me get here. Now I call it MVR - Minimum Viable Routine.

What is MVR?

When looking to create a new habit, we must take into consideration external and internal circumstances that might affect a successful outcome. In this case, we consider time, place and ENERGY. Yes, energy! Probably more than other circumstances, our mood and energy level might be the key factor in whether or not we decide to do something.

On my skincare journey, I was determined to be consistent and throughout the years I have figured out a way to never miss a day without doing my skincare routine - That’s the Minimum Viable Routine.

How to create a MVR?

Take into consideration your skincare needs, but get to the very bottom of a basic routine that suits you, and that you can commit to even when all you want to do is get into your cosy bed and sleep. Or perhaps you are not sleeping home, you are travelling light, or any other scenario you can think of.

What is the bare minimum you can do for your skin every single day?

The absolute minimum effort I can do is as shown above. In the morning I cleanse with COSRX Low PH Good Morning Gel Cleanser, use a hydrating moisturiser at hand, and my favourite sun protection ISNTREE Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50+. At night I add micellar water for the first cleanse, skip the SPF and that’s it.

Pretty simple, right?

Once you get to do this routine every single day, consistently, you can then think about adding other products to address other skin concerns - but we’ll get to that in a separate blog.

TIP: Make sure to buy travel-sized products or recipients that you can refill so you can have them on hand conveniently wherever you go.

What is your skincare routine?
Do you have days when you skip your routine because of various reasons/excuses?

Let me know if you also have a concept similar to MVR.