When Skincare Becomes Too Much: Easy Steps to Get Started

Feeling overwhelmed by skincare? You’re not alone. Between serums, actives, and ten-step routines, it can seem like you need a degree in dermatology just to wash your face.

Here’s a comforting truth: you don’t have to be a skincare expert to care for your skin effectively.

Especially during midlife, when your skin’s needs change and your time feels limited, simplicity is often the best approach. The goal isn’t to do everything - it’s to do what truly matters.

If you’re not sure where to begin, this guide is your gentle starting point. Small, consistent steps can lead to big changes over time.

Step 1: Don’t Overhaul Everything at Once

When dryness, dullness, or breakouts appear, it’s tempting to replace every product you own. But sudden change can overwhelm your skin even more.

Instead, start by listening to your skin. Does it feel tight, itchy, oily, or sensitive? Those are signs - not flaws. Let your skin’s signals guide you instead of following trends.

Step 2: Build a Simple, Reliable Routine

You only need three essentials to begin:

• A gentle cleanser to remove impurities without stripping natural oils
  

• A nourishing moisturizer to support hydration and your skin barrier
  

• Sun protection (SPF) every morning, even on cloudy days
  

That’s your foundation. Once your skin feels balanced, you can slowly add extras like a serum or exfoliant if you wish.

If you’d like a science-backed routine designed for hormonal changes, our Renewal Regimen Gift Set provides just that - minimal, gentle, and purposeful care.

Step 3: Focus on Ingredients That Support You

As your skin becomes more reactive in midlife, it benefits from calm, hydrating, and reparative ingredients instead of harsh actives or strong fragrances.

Look for:

• Peptides to promote firmness and support collagen production (study)
  

• Tremella Mushroom for deep, long-lasting hydration (research)

• Phytoestrogens to help balance hormonal shifts and maintain elasticity
  

• Tsubaki Oil to restore softness without clogging pores (data)
  

At Sum of All, our formulations include these ingredients because they are proven to help strengthen and balance skin, especially during menopause and beyond.

Step 4: Release the Pressure to “Perfect It”

There’s no one right routine. What matters most is that it feels good, works for your skin, and fits your lifestyle.

Some days, you’ll complete every step. Other days, just cleansing and moisturizing will be enough - and that’s perfectly okay. Skincare should be a soothing ritual, not another thing to check off your list.

Step 5: Be Patient With Results

Midlife skin takes time to respond to care. Think of it like tending a garden - gentle, consistent attention creates the best results.

Over time, you may notice fewer dry patches, more comfort, and a natural glow returning. That’s your skin finding balance again.

Begin Where You Are

Forget the idea that you need a dozen products or a complicated plan. You just need a starting point - and the belief that your skin deserves kindness.

When you’re ready, Sum of All is here with products designed for midlife and menopause, made to support - not overwhelm - your skin.

Because skincare isn’t a race to perfection. It’s a return to feeling at home in your own skin.

Sources

Mukherjee, S., et al. (2006). Retinoids and peptides in the treatment of skin aging: An overview of clinical efficacy and safety. Clinical Interventions in Aging. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2699641/

Zhao, C., et al. (2021). Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides and their applications in cosmetics. Polymers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34518826/

Wang, R., et al. (2019). Camellia japonica (Tsubaki) oil: Composition, health benefits, and applications. Molecules. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31640843/