TheRootedMomEdit

A Sunday in August 2026

My bathroom drawer is full of clutter. There are several serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, sprays, and multiple hair ties floating around together in one place. Every time I open it I am overwhelmed. Today was no different.

It’s a Sunday morning. I was doing my skincare routine as normal when I realized I couldn’t find what I was looking for. When I opened the bathroom drawer, it was hiding amongst several products that were lying side by side and on top of one another.

This is when I realized…I have too much stuff. Stuff that I have collected over the years and bottles I have yet to empty.

To-do list for tomorrow: organize my bathroom drawer!

A Monday in August 2026

I went through my bathroom drawer to de-clutter the mess. I’ve learned, with everything, that less is more.

There is no exception in the skincare world. I am on a ~2 week journey of relying on a simplified skincare routine & I wanted to note how my skin was doing.

My skin has been so calm, less reactive, & looks so smooth these days. Once I shifted my focus to skin longevity & using products that actually change my skin, I’ve been so impressed with how quickly my skin responded for the better.

It has only been about 2 weeks like I mentioned, but I am now a true believer that less is more and specific ingredients do make a difference. An overwhelmed skin barrier inhibits products to work efficiently & this is where I have lived off and on for so many years.

I am fully committed to my skinmalism routine and can’t wait to continue journaling about my findings/results.

A Tuesday in August 2026

On top of focusing on a simplified skincare routine, targeting my actual skin concerns has also made a difference.

My focus has shifted to skin longevity like I wrote about yesterday, but the products I am using also target my specific concerns. I feel like it just happened naturally once I focused on products that actually do their job.

One goal being: gracefully aging. My Prequel Retinal Serum does the hard work in this arena and is also beneficial for long-term skin health. It’s the most gentle retinaldehyde serum I have used thus far!

One of my other concerns is to help fade freckles/hyperpigmentation I have acquired from being out in the sun. For this concern I most definitely choose vitamin C. The most researched vitamin C for actively brightening the skin, helping with collagen production, and effectively neutralizing free radicals is the pure form, l-ascorbic acid. This is considered the gold standard, active form of vitamin C.

My bathroom drawer has a lot less clutter now & my counter only showcases the several skincare products I am currently using at this time. Nothing more, nothing less. Also a bonus: my am & pm products look so cute side by side, I’ll attach a pic below. This is something that makes me happy & I love that it was totally unintentional!

A Wednesday in August 2026

I wanted to document my exact skincare routine I am following these days. It has made such a difference in a short amount of time. So much so, even the week leading up to ‘the time of the month’, I didn’t experience many breakouts like I normally would!

AM Routine:

• Wash face with Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser
• Apply either Remedy Vitamin C or Timeless Vitamin C 10%
• Apply Prequel Multi-Quench Gel Cream
• Apply daily SPF (a couple hours later)

This is the shortest my routine has ever been! I love/hate it. I love it because it is quick, efficient, and effective. I “hate” it because I love doing all the skincare things– I love the ritual of skincare and I do miss doing more to my skin just for the fun of it.

Moving on to my PM Routine:

• Double cleanse with Bioderma Micellar Water & follow-up with the Prequel Gleanser in the shower
• (On retinoid night): Apply Prequel Retinal Serum 0.1% (On my non-retinoid night): Apply Remedy Copper Peptide Serum
• Apply Prequel AM/PM Modern Moisturizer

Short & sweet too, but the products will actually change my skin for the better.

My skin is already smoother, less congested, & I swear it has a nice little glow to it these days.

A Thursday in August 2026

Before I go to buy a new skincare product in the future, the questions I will ask myself are these:

• Does the ingredient list support my skin barrier & my goal for skin longevity?
• Can this product seamlessly fit into my current routine, or is it going to add stress trying to add it in?
• Do I believe in the ingredients/brand, or is it just another product copying the current trends?

I think for so long, I wanted to try everything because 1.) the product was floating around everywhere I looked 2.) I was easily influenced without even knowing if the person sharing the product was actually knowledgeable, & 3.) it’s the major downfall of being a skincare junkie; I just like to try and see what works and what doesn’t.

BUT, each day I’ve written a little journal entry here about how my skin has responded to the more targeted, stripped down routine, & I’ve been very happy with the results. I think at some point, especially as I continue getting older & my skin is legitimately changing (hormones, age, etc.), the most mature thing I can do is take care of it and do it well. It isn’t about trying all the trendy products anymore, it’s about truly taking care of my skin.

Our skin is the largest organ in the human body, covering the entire outside. Our skin also tells us a lot about what is going on internally. I have always appreciated health & wellness & love anything that can support my body from the inside out. If I am prioritizing those things, I want to also prioritize supporting my skin on the outside!

More to come as I continue this routine 🙂