I’m going to share four tips to help you finally fit your beauty routine into your real life.
We all know there are tools, routines and products that really work to help maintain healthy, glowing skin. But many of us live busy, complicated lives where it’s hard to stick to a routine.
We keep telling ourselves, “I’ll start when life calms down.” But here’s the truth: life never really calms down.
So if you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to start your beauty routine, this is for you. The secret isn’t willpower or a specific schedule. It’s about creating space — physically, mentally, and emotionally — for the habits that help you feel your best.
Here are four ways to do exactly that.
Tip 1 – Subtract to Add
The first tip: you have to take something away in order to add something new.
This applies not only to your beauty routine, but to anything — reading more, starting a hobby, or making time for a project. If you’ve been struggling and wondering, “Why can’t I seem to do the things I want?” — the first thing you need to do is take inventory of your day.
What’s taking up your time?
What are your energy drainers?
What can you cut out?
For me, the biggest culprit was social media—especially Instagram. The algorithm has become so addictive and I have found myself reaching for my phone without even realizing it. It’s designed to keep you scrolling.
We’ve become digital hoarders: constantly collecting information we never use. That drains creativity, attention, and focus.
And don’t even get me started on TikTok — in my opinion, that’s one app you just don’t need in your life at all!
Studies show that when we cut out one digital vice, we tend to replace it with another. But you can take it one step at a time.
When I started cutting social media, I felt peace come back. But I’ll be honest: it’s not easy. When you first remove a vice—whether it’s an app, binge-watching, or constant news checking—you’ll feel restless. That’s normal. After about 24-48 hours, your dopamine system starts to reset. It’s like recalibrating your internal balance.
For me, one of the most effective tools was a device called The Brick (not sponsored or affiliated). It turns your smartphone into a “dumb phone.” You choose which apps stay active — like your weather app, email, or music — and everything else gets blocked.
I actually have my husband hide the Brick device from me, and when I really need access, he’ll unbrick my phone. It even comes with five emergency “unbricks” — but if you’re prone to using those, I recommend purposely unbricking and rebricking four times so you’re down to one emergency unbrick. You have to fill out a form with the company that makes the product to request more emergency unbricks.
Once your brain realizes you can’t access the apps, something amazing happens — you feel free. A weight lifts.
This is the biggest thing: when you cut distractions, you reclaim time.
And with that time, you can finally make room for facial massage, going for a walk, or just breathing.
Tip 2 – Get Out of Freeze Mode
Once you’ve freed up time, the next step is to help yourself to get out of freeze mode.
You’ve probably heard of fight, flight, or freeze. Freeze mode is when your body feels overwhelmed — there’s fear, anxiety, or just too much going on — and your defense mechanism is to stop taking action altogether.
But when. you're frozen, your world gets small.
You stop adding things that bring you joy.
We get stuck doing the same habits we've always done — and often, they're not healthy ones.
Maybe it’s because you have constant obligations — family, work, bills, errands — and it starts to feel suffocating.
To break that pattern, ask: How can I release some of this weight?
As women, we tend to carry so much. Even when we’ve done an amazing job, we tell ourselves it’s not enough. Making sure everyone else is okay before we care for ourselves.
I’ve noticed that I freeze when I feel pressure to do everything perfectly and get everything on my to do list done.
Instead, try this:
Even if you didn’t have a productive day, tell yourself, “What I did today is enough.” Then, shut off work mode. Let go of the guilt. Let go of the belief that you have to earn the right to feel free.
Think about how free you feel at the start of something new — like the first day of a new school year or the first week of January when you set new goals. That feeling of possibility is powerful.
Also, when life starts to feel heavy again, take inventory:
Where can you cut extra effort that isn’t necessary? Maybe you don’t need to make that extra grocery run — maybe dinner can be something simple.
Creating mental and emotional space helps thaw the freeze.
Tip 3 – Create a Routine
Once you’ve cleared some space, start thinking about what kind of self-care routine you want.
If it’s been a while since you looked at your skincare products, take inventory: Maybe you’d like to add a hydrating serum, or find a new gentler cleanser. Maybe you’re curious about trying red light therapy.
Think about what your ideal AM and PM skincare could look like. And remember — morning and evening routines don’t have to be literal. You can do your “evening” skincare at 4 PM if your day ends early. Be flexible.
Most importantly, micro routines matter. Small steps done even semi-consistently will do more for your skin than a perfect, time-consuming regimen you never stick to.
And instead of saying, “Next month I’ll implement my skincare routine,” try saying, “Next month I’ll practice my skincare routine.”
That one word — practice — changes everything. It invites curiosity and playfulness instead of pressure. When you practice, you give yourself permission to figure it out. You find what works for your skin, your schedule, and your life.
Also, start small. Don’t overhaul everything at once or overload your skin with actives. Introduce new products slowly—every three to four weeks. Be gentle, both with your skin and yourself.
Remember this mindset:
You can have it all, just not all at once.
Tip 4 – Visualization
The last tip is visualization. Whenever there’s something I keep putting off I use this science-based technique.
Take a few minutes to journal:
What would make this easy?
What would make it enjoyable?
Maybe it’s sipping mint tea, wearing cozy socks, and removing your eye makeup first (because that’s the part you always dread). Maybe it means taking care of your family first so you can truly relax afterward.
When you break your tasks down into small micro-tasks and sensory details, your brain starts rehearsing the behavior. You’ll feel more natural and safe doing it because you’ve already imagined it. It primes your system so you can “climb the wall” that is keeping you from a simple task.
Stay Flexible
Routines don’t have to last forever. In fact, I find that my natural reaction to routine is that many stop working for me after a while. I’m prone to overdoing it and I realize that the routines or scaffolding I intentionally build serve a purpose to help me assimilate new information but not for forever. Every few months, reassess what’s working and what isn’t.
You don’t need to overhaul your life to start glowing. You just need to create space, find small moments, and approach it all with curiosity instead of perfection.