I have one skincare product. Just one.
More specifically, it’s CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, a product I chose after exactly zero dermatology consultations but dozens of TikToks convinced me it was a solid choice. It sits on my bathroom sink like an overworked employee doing the job of seven people. Some nights, I use it. Other times, I make brief eye contact with it before heading to bed. We have an understanding.
I don’t cleanse, tone, exfoliate, or layer serums like I’m prepping for the Met Gala. I moisturize — sometimes before bed, sometimes in the morning, occasionally both if I’m feeling wild. That’s it. That’s the routine.
Still, I’ve watched enough skincare videos to know what’s out there. I’ve seen creators layer products like they’re icing a cake. Meanwhile, I’m over here washing my face with tap water and hoping for the best. I sit there, bare-faced with dry-ish skin and blackheads we’ve all agreed not to discuss, pretty impressed. I’ve learned everything I know not by doing it, but by watching other people do it.
And weirdly, I’ve learned a lot.
Not enough to try it myself, obviously. But enough to appreciate the process. I know that serums exist. I know people put acid on their faces on purpose. I could probably recognize a The Ordinary bottle in the wild like a nature documentary host.
The truth is, I love skincare — just not on my own face.
I love watching people share what works for them. I love the tutorials and the GRWM routines. I love that there’s a whole world of products, techniques and opinions out there. I just also love not doing most of it.
CeraVe and I have a simple relationship. It shows up, I occasionally remember to use it, and we get through the day. There’s something comforting in that simple routine. It’s also equally comforting in knowing I could go full serum mode if I wanted to with the help of some more videos. (I probably won’t. But I could.)
I may never be dewy, but I am moisturized. And in this economy, that feels like a win.
