6 Easy Skin Care Routine Upgrades You Can Make Right Now

From sunscreen to lip balm, elevating our beauty game never felt so good.

Upgrading your skin care routine doesn’t always mean doing a complete A-to-Z overhaul. Small, barely noticeable changes to your routine—like adding an extra minute of cleansing—can have a major impact on the overall health of your skin.

We’re all about getting the most from all of our skin care products and our time, which is why we’ve gone ahead and dug into easy skin care routine upgrades. Who doesn’t want to find new, almost effortless ways to address acne and reduce the risk of sunburn?

We asked dermatologists to share their favorite easy skin care routine upgrades that anyone can make to elevate their existing beauty regimen.

Bring Product Down to Your Neck & Chest

The skin on our face gets the bulk of attention when it comes to cleansing, hydrating, and treating. It makes sense since it’s highly visible, but our necks and chests deserve that same attention.

“It’s counterintuitive, but the skin of the neck and chest is more sensitive than the face,” says Dr. Papri Sarkar, a board-certified dermatologist in Massachusetts. An easy fix is to double the amount of product you use for your face, extending application all the way down your neck and to your chest. It’s a simple switch that takes no more than 60 seconds of your day.

Swap Out Your Lip Balm for One with SPF

You already reach for a lip balm on the regular, so why not make that product work harder for you? A lip balm with SPF will protect the sensitive skin on your lips from environmental and UV damage. This means your pout will look healthier and more youthful for longer, and it also will be shielded against uncomfortable sunburns and skin cancer.

Switch to a Cleaner Laundry Detergent

The clothing we wear—and now the face masks we regularly use—rub against skin all day long. It is best to use a gentle detergent with fewer ingredients, says Dr. Elizabeth Mullans, a board-certified dermatologist at Uptown Dermatologist in Houston, Texas. “To decrease the risk for skin irritation from residue left in clothes by other detergents, swap out a regular detergent for a [cleaner product],” she advises.

Dry Your Face with a Cosmetic Microfiber Cloth

A regular towel is fine in a pinch but adding a microfiber cloth to your regiment is a super easy upgrade with major payoff. “These soft, fluffy cloths help to get rid of the last traces of makeup without stripping your skin,” says Dr. Sarkar. “They’re touted as working without any cleanser, but I prefer them to be used after rinsing cleanser, like Then I Met You’s Soothing Tea Cleansing Gel, off your face. The cloths gently exfoliate when you rub and are more effective than other cloths or fingers at getting makeup off because inch-per-inch they contain more fibers compared to a regular washcloth.” Kind of like how microfiber cloths do a better job at grabbing dust off surfaces!

Add an Extra 60 Seconds to Your Cleansing Cycle

Many of us go through the motions of washing our face, but often it’s not enough. In the same way you ought to spend at least two minutes brushing your teeth to ensure every tooth’s been covered, it’s important to spend adequate time washing your face. Simply adding an extra 60 seconds to whatever you’re doing can go a long way! A good double cleanse should do the trick.

Use Every Drop of Excess Sunscreen

When applying sunscreen in the morning (and re-applying later in the afternoon), don’t let that extra product go to waste. Dr. Sarkar says to dispense a liberal amount (more than you’re used to using) and apply the excess to your ears, hands, and neck. Our favorite sunscreens that’ll do the truck are Neogen Day-Light Protection Airy Sunscreen and Cell Fusion C Laser Sunscreen 100 SPF 50+/PA+++.

“There’s a reason that we have more skin cancer on the left side of the face in this country while countries that drive on the other side road have the opposite finding. I find skin cancers on the chest and ears often—don’t let that be you.” Keep a tube in your purse and/or your car’s glove compartment for easy access.