(This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure policy here.)

Working 9-to-5 means following tight deadlines, sacrificing leisure, and regularly exposing yourself to stressful situations. The worst part is that you barely have time to take care of your skin. Without a proper skincare routine, your face will end up looking dull and textured. If you find yourself looking up “how to take care of my skin during office?” you’re in the right place.
The first step to taking care of your skin in the office is identifying your skin type. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen if you regularly step outside. You must treat your skin gently, using a moisturizer appropriate for your skin type. Most importantly, you must establish a basic skincare routine.
Whether you work from home or step out in the field, you need to take care of your skin and give it a chance to breathe. In this in-depth guide, I will cover how you can take care of your skin during the office.
How To Take Care of My Skin During office? 6 Skin Refreshment Tips
If you’re the office-going type, one of the main reasons for skin damage is regular exposure to harsh environmental conditions such as pollution, sunlight, stress, and anxiety.
Here are some ways you can offset the harsh effects of work environments on your skin:
Top 6 Skin Refreshment Tips
1. Stay Hydrated
Men should intake 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) of water throughout the day and women should intake 2.7 liters (11.5 cups) a day.~U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
After going through this report, I hope you understand how crucial it is to stay hydrated. That’s why my suggestion is to keep a water bottle by your side, especially while working at the office.

Throughout my busy office routine, I like to keep a water bottle on my desk and I don’t forget to refill it to ensure I stay hydrated as well.
Another Research Reports that, “staying hydrated delivers nutrients to cells, regulates body temperature, and optimizes organ function.”
2. Spray-on mist
By the end of your shift, your skin probably looks wearied and dull. My favorite technique to restore hydration and soothe tired-looking skin is using a spray-on mist.
Grab one with botanical extracts and a minty aroma to rejuvenate your skin.
Tip: My favorite is to use Mario Badescu Spray mist that works better for Rejuvenating & Clarifying all Skin Types.
3. Apply Lip Balm
Cracked and dehydrated lips are every woman’s nightmare! There are many reasons why you end up with chapped lips at work.
Constant exposure to an artificially cold and dry air-conditioned environment can cause your lips to dry out.
Keep petroleum jelly or a lip balm, at hand to prevent your lips from cracking. You can use vaseline blueseal pure petroleum jelly or Burt’s Natural Lip Balm.
4. SPF
I cannot stress this enough: you need sunscreen to protect yourself from the damaging UV rays of the sun. Keep a bottle of sunscreen with you at all times, especially if you sit near windows.
“Dermatologists suggest using EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen due to its mineral-based zinc oxide formula. It works well against UVA and UVB rays.”
Tip: Reapply sunscreen at two-hour intervals and be extra cautious when stepping out into the sun. ~ Johns Hopkins Medicine
5. Use Hand Cream
At the office, your hands are the most hard-working part of the body. You’re typing, carrying your handbag, and washing your hands frequently (to protect yourself from the deadly virus).
This can cause your hands to dry out and appear dehydrated. Keep a hand cream with you to soothe your hands and soften your cuticles.
N.B. My favorite is to use O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream. It repairs, relieves and heals extremely dry, cracked hands.
6. Snack Smart
You read that right: skin health is linked to your diet. While working, you might want to treat yourself to a sugary snack, but that’s probably why your skin health is worsening. Excessive sugar consumption can exacerbate existing skin conditions.
Note: Consuming sugar increases insulin levels in the skin. This results in inflammation, and thus, acne breakouts. ~Dr. Donna Hart, MD, FAAD
How to Take Care Of Your Skin After a Rough Day at the Office?
Life is pretty tough for 9-to-5-ers which makes self-care a priority. After a long, stressful day at work, you deserve to take some time to indulge in skincare and pamper yourself.
Here’s a basic skincare routine for office-going people:
Double Cleanse for Clear, Radiant Skin
Dirt accumulates on top of your skin, especially if you live in a polluted environment. Double cleansing removes the grime and sebum off your skin.
You probably wear makeup to work. If that’s the case, cleansing is imperative to keeping your skin clear and radiant.
Additionally, if you work for 8 hours during summertime, dirt and sweat will affect your skin. In that case, your skin demands cleansing.
Tip: Wash your face with both an oil-based and a water-based cleanser. The oil-based cleanser will eliminate oil-based impurities (including SPF, sebum, and pollutants) while the water-based cleanser draws out sweat and dirt. ~Anne Chiu (Board-Certified Dermatologist, Manhattan)
Exfoliate Your Skin
If you spend most of your day outside due to professional commitments, exfoliation is the key to achieving flawless skin.
Frequent exposure to environmental conditions can cause dead skin cells and grime to congest your pores.
Use cleansing scrubs followed by humectant oils or serums to keep your skin hydrated, clean, and healthy.
The American Academy of Dermatology states that exfoliation brightens the skin and enhances absorption.
Use the right moisturizer
Selecting the right moisturizer for your skin type is the key to healthier-looking, hydrated skin. You must moisturize at night and in the morning before heading to your office. This prevents your skin from drying out during the day.
Moisturizing at night supports the cell turnover process and fights free radicals. Look for moisturizers formulated with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or go for retinol-based hydrating creams.
For the daytime, look for moisturizers that contain SPF to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
How Do I Build a Skincare Routine on A Busy Office Schedule? 5 Proven Tips That I’ve Personally Tried
Raise your hand if you’re a 9-to-5-er and have a jam-packed schedule with barely enough time to invest in skincare. We’ve got some excellent easy-to-follow tips for office-going women:
5 Proven Tips That I’ve Personally Tried
1. Be an Early Bird
If you want to look your best when heading to work, wake up early. Waking up early means you have plenty of time to dress up and don’t have to stress out about getting late.
Massaging your skin with a jade roller in the mornings will give you a fresh appearance and reduce puffiness.
2. Pre-breakfast workout
Waking up super early gives you the time to work out before breakfast which helps you stay alert throughout the day, boosts mood, and supports weight loss.
It doesn’t have to be an intense cardio workout. A short, ten-minute workout will work just fine.
According to a study, morning exercise improves attention and decision-making. ~ British Journal of Sports Medicine
3. Don’t Skip Morning Showers
Speaking from experience, morning showers keep you fresh throughout the day. Showering cools down your body and helps your skin relax. Plus, you need that extra cleansing to wash off the remnants from the night before.
4. Trying special Sunscreen
If you are a field worker or you need to do field work for office needs, it’s common that regular exposure to the sun can adversely affect your skin health.
In that sense, my suggestion is to use special sunscreen to avoid sunburns, skin cancer, and premature aging.
Pick a sunscreen like CeraVe Sunscreen Face SPF 30 or higher, and if your job involves exposure to direct sunlight, you need a sunscreen such as Organic Harvest Sunscreen SPF 60 or greater.
5. Apply Light Makeup
Are you wondering why your skin is breaking out? The answer lies in your makeup routine.
Applying heavy makeup to the skin daily can congest your pores and cause breakouts. To prevent that, use light products such as BB creams and lip glosses.
L’Oreal Paris BB Cream or NYX professional makeup lip gloss is one of my best choices.
Tip: Cleanse your face when you get home to get rid of the remnants of makeup to keep your pores clean.
My Final Opinion
As an office-going woman, I also struggled to establish and stick to a proper skincare routine until I discovered how damaging it was.
Once you incorporate skincare into your daily routine, no going back! I love indulging in skincare since it helps me relax and unwind after a long, rough day at work.
I hope this eye-opening article motivated you to stock up on skincare products and pamper yourself. But don’t forget to purchase products according to your skin type!
Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a health care professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.
Leave a Reply