I’m in my 40s. You’d think by now that I’d already be 10 years deep into a tried and tested skincare regime. Newsflash: I’m not.

I freely admit that I’m terrible when it comes to skincare. I’m the type of woman that feels like I’ve smashed my face care goals after remembering to take my make-up off at the end of a night out. I’ve never successfully finished a pot of eye cream. Serums sit languishing in my bathroom cabinet unused, like vials of liquid judgement. I want to be better, but it just all feels like a bit of an effort.

So, when I read about the CeraVe #21DaysOfSPF challenge, I was intrigued. CeraVe is a brand my friends have been raving about for a while now, due to the fact that it’s a) recommended by dermatologists, and b) a great price point for those who, like me, want to simplify their routine without sacrificing efficacy.

The challenge highlights the fact that we should all be wearing SPF on a daily basis – something we all kind-of know, but probably don’t enforce with any regularity – and that after 21 days of using SPF as part of your daily routine, it will then become ingrained as a habit for life.

Beauty blogger friends of mine have been raving about wearing daily SPF for ages – was it time for me to get on board? I have skin that tans very easily, but I’m painfully aware that I have sun damage all over my body (including my face) from years of sitting on the ‘stupidly irresponsible’ end of the sunscreen spectrum. Equally, I wanted to find the right kind of SPF to use on my face, as I hate the streaky effect that sunscreen leaves on your skin after application.

So, as part of my personal 21 days of building a good habit, I invested in the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF50 to get me started. This formula actually combines moisturiser with an SPF, a clever idea to help skincare slobs like me effectively get all the good stuff in just one step. Plus, the product is non-comedogenic – which translates as non pore-clogging – so I found it perfect for wearing underneath make-up.

Ngl, using an SPF every day – yes, even when it was gloomy (apparently, UV rays can actually be stronger in cloudier conditions, who knew?) – came with a real feeling of satisfaction. Like I was future-proofing my skin without really having to think about it. After all, I would naturally moisturise my face in the mornings, so picking a product with SPF added in removes all the usual the faff, ie, waiting for the product to sink in, washing hands, etc, etc.

After three weeks, I can honestly say that I will continue to use a daily SPF, if only to maintain this feeling of skincare smugness now that I’ve finally managed to curate a routine I’ll definitely stick to.

Good habit two: done.

“I spent 21 days trying to build good habits into my wellness routine – here’s what I learned…”