Acne, dry skin, wrinkles: we know it, we hate it, and we try our best to avoid it. I wouldn’t consider myself a skincare expert, but as someone who once had a million red bumps and spots on my face, I did do a lot of research. I watched dermatologists on Youtube, I followed skincare blogs, and I joined skincare Facebook groups. These are simple tips for all skin types that I’ve learned over the years; they’re generally low-cost and low-effort, but could eventually make a big difference.

Keep your skincare routine simple

I know, I know. Your favorite celebrity, Instagram influencer, or Youtuber has a skincare routine with like 15 steps and products, which all together costs around the same as your phone. That doesn’t mean you should too. Sure, it’s luxurious, but at the end of the day, you don’t need $200 worth of products to slather on your skin. Each product comes with its own set of ingredients, some of which you can’t pronounce, and adding more and more to your face might not give the result you want. You should mostly just stick to a gentle cleanser that isn’t going to strip your face of its natural oils and a moisturizer.

If you’re unsure of what to get, Allure’s editors generated what they saw as the best facial cleansers of 2019, as well as one for moisturizers. As for my oily skin, I use the CeraVe foaming facial cleanser and Neutrogena Hydro-Boost Water Gel. If you do want more than that, you should first research the ingredients of the products.

Moisturize

Even if you have oily skin, you should moisturize. After you cleanse your face, your skin might be left drier than California during the drought, and it could generate more oil to make up for it.

Use sunscreen

Wear SPF every day, even if it’s cloudy and raining. The sun’s UV rays are the biggest culprit of wrinkles and fine lines, so just. Use. SPF. I know that sunscreen can be really oily like it could pollute the ocean, but there are plenty of facial sunscreen products that aren’t and are in fact more matte.

Moisturizers with SPF are cool, but the SPF can be diluted, so use actual sunscreen to be on the safe side (also, the sun can cause skin cancer, so yeah…use sunscreen). Allure’s editors gathered a list of their favorite facial sunscreens if you’re wondering which one to get. Have sensitive skin? There’s a list for that too.

Patch test

If you do want to add to your routine or you have especially sensitive skin, you should patch test a new product. This means applying it to a small area of your skin, like your arm, and seeing if the product irritates it. That way, you don’t have to just roll the dice and pray for the best.

Cleanse your face for at least 60 seconds

This is a tip that was trending at the beginning of the year because aesthetician Nayamka Roberts-Smith tweeted it out into the world. A minute may seem like a long time, but you already brush your teeth for 2 minutes, so what’s a minute more? Massaging your cleanser into your face for 60 seconds ensures that the ingredients thoroughly go into your skin and, well, clean it.

Change your pillowcase

If you squish your face into your pillow in your sleep like me, you should probably regularly change the pillowcase. You don’t know what kind of bacteria gathers on it, so it’s best to be safe than sorry. You can just put a soft and clean towel over your pillow if you don’t have multiple pillowcases. Or better yet, sleep in a position where your face doesn’t touch it.

Drink water

You, your mom, and your dog already know this. Just drink your damn water.

Buy trial-size versions of a new product

If you do end up buying a luxurious skincare product, buy the sample size if they have it. That way, you’re not wasting more money on something that potentially won’t work. Skincare products can take weeks to produce results, so just trying it on in the store might not benefit you.

Pop pimples the right way

We hate those little white suckers more than anything else, but be careful before you try to squeeze out anything in them. The best thing is to just leave it alone. But if you really want that zit gone because it’s been mocking you for a week, do it this way:

1. Clean the area around the pimple.
2. Sterilize a needle by placing it over a flame and rub it with rubbing alcohol.
3. Make sure that the pimple is big, white, and ready to pop.
4. Just barely pierce the pimple.
5. Squeeze out a little bit, then slap a hydrocolloid bandage over it. Hydrocolloid dressings are placed over small wounds and drain pus, and there are some that are specifically for your face. One product that people love is the Cosrx Acne Master Patch, and if you’re looking for something cuter, use the star-shaped Hydro-Stars (by the way, the Hydro-Stars have a cute case too!).

Think dirty

No, it’s not what you’re thinking. Remember when I said you should research your products? Think Dirty is a free app available on Android and iOS that lets you scan bar codes and search products to learn about ingredients, which helps you determine what’s safe. They give ratings for ingredients to let you know what could end up harming you in the long run.

Accept the acne

Sometimes, acne is just going to happen, and you can’t control it. It might be because of your hormones, it might be because of your genetics — who knows. If you’re at your wit’s end, you can always see a dermatologist, but just know that at the end of the day, it’s completely fine and normal to have acne; it’s not the end of the world if you do.

Most people won’t notice it. But if anyone does, and they judge you or see you differently because of it, what they can frankly do is just suck it.

But still — you should use sunscreen.