I wouldn’t call my skin problematic. I’d much rather refer to her as bougie, and particularly high-maintenance. Not acne-prone, but as hormonal as a 14 year old girl. Oily-ish in warmer months. Dry as hell in the cooler ones, which has made perfecting a skincare routine that is both manageable and adaptable quite a journey. So, when I came across a TikTok of Salma Hayek sharing her secret to youthful skin is not cleansing her face in the morning, I was intrigued. And a little desperate might I add. It brought me back to the advice I’d received from a dermatologist years prior – “Your night routine is the foundation of your overall skin health, so if you are going to skip either of your routines, let it be the morning one”.
What is the Salma Hayek Routine?
The 57 year old Hollywood star shared that growing up, her grandmother told her to never wash her face in the morning. Since the skin naturally regenerates and repairs itself overnight, you could be stripping away the good oils by doing a daily morning cleanse. To supplement, the actress opts for “a lot of rosewater”.
How has it helped me?
Very early into adopting this method, I noticed my skin stayed evenly hydrated longer throughout the day. Because my skin tends to take on the characteristics of whatever environment I’m in, maintaining a consistent hydration level has been one of my most frustrating challenges. Using this routine in conjunction with my evening skin-cycling has kept me leveled not only during the humid summer and dry fall, but in the unpredictability of changing seasons as well. In addition to the steady hydration, my complaints about redness or clogged pores have been few and far between.
Check out my step-by-step morning routine below.
