The bathroom shelf can become surprisingly intimidating. One day, you are simply washing your face and applying whatever lotion is nearby. The next, you are staring at cleansers, toners, essences, serums, ampoules, exfoliating acids, retinoids, sleeping masks, face oils, and sunscreens that all seem to promise smoother, brighter, healthier-looking skin. For a beginner, skincare can feel less like self-care and more like decoding a language you never signed up to learn. The good news is that a good skincare routine does not need to be complicated. In fact, the best beginner routine is usually the simplest one. Before you worry about trendy ingredients or multi-step rituals, your skin needs a…