I don’t know if there’s anything more overwhelming than shopping the vast beauty industry. At least for me. When I was younger, it seemed like every other girl had a natural knowledge of skincare, haircare, and makeup that I lacked. I floundered for awhile, then was swallowed into the super-conservative world for several years. Faces were washed, hair was grown out and pulled back. Easy peasy.

I spent my 30’s coming out of conservatism and trying to figure out how to be beautiful. I stumbled upon a lovely moisturizer which became my standby until it was discontinued. So far, I have not been able to find something that I like as well. Now I face the prospect of maturing skin, and I am back to shopping for that elusive line that is healthy, economical, simple, but with the science to soften those crow’s feet.

What I am doing in the interim is super-simple, and it makes me happy enough:

Coconut oil – makeup remover, if I need it. I use the oil-cleansing method. Some say coconut is not the best oil for this method, but I already had a ton on hand and it’s working beautifully for me so far. I can always switch it out for another oil for variety! Coconut oil can be used as a base for a homemade exfoliator such as sugar, coffee, or baking soda (which I’ve been trying to do once a week; it really makes a difference). CO also makes a good massage oil (because it doesn’t stain fabric) and personal lubricant. A true multi-tasker. It works well to keep it in a covered sugar bowl on the vanity. I only buy the unscented type.

DHC Mild Soap – for cleansing the t-zone only, after removing makeup. I may not need to do this step in the winter. Mild Soap is a glycerin facial bar with olive oil and honey, and it has a light scent that is divine. It is expensive for a soap, but if kept dry will last for years. The bar in my picture is two years old. They normally are clear but mine has taken on an opaque gold color from sitting in a coconut-shell soapdish. You can often find trial sizes for cheap on eBay, and even these will last several weeks.

Lano Multi-Cream – this luscious cream is a minimalist’s friend, as it can be used as a hand cream, body cream, day cream, night cream, and eye cream. The star ingredient is lanolin, which is amazing if you’ve never tried it, but it makes the cream very rich. The key is to apply it in a very sheer layer. I recently took this on a trip and it was so nice to have one item for all my needs.

So even if I never find my dream brand, I’ve got some good things going here. What do you use for a simple routine?