Let’s Face It: Your Skin Matters
While it may not feel like a top priority now, investing in a good skincare routine tailored to your skin type pays off in the long run. Years from now, you’ll be thanking yourself for taking care of your skin. Healthy, glowing skin boosts your confidence and leaves a lasting impression.
Why a Consistent Skincare Routine is Key
Think of your skincare routine as a shield against the daily onslaught of environmental aggressors and lifestyle factors that can lead to premature ageing. Using the right products for your unique skin type helps nourish, protect, and keep your skin looking healthy and radiant, no matter your age.
Essential Steps for Healthy Skin
Dermatologists recommend a simple, consistent routine, morning and night, to keep your skin in top shape. Here are the key steps:
- Cleanse: Wash away dirt, makeup, and impurities with a gentle cleanser.
- Tone: Remove any lingering cleanser residue, balance your skin’s pH, hydrate, and prep it for moisturiser.
- Moisturise: Hydrate and plump your skin with a moisturiser suited to your skin type.
- Optimise: Target specific skin concerns with serums or treatments. This step helps nourish your skin, seal in moisture, and address issues like fine lines, wrinkles, or hyperpigmentation.
- Protect: Shield your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays with a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Know Your Skin Type
Everyone’s skin is unique. While there are six common skin types – normal, dry, oily, combination, sensitive, and acne-prone – you might have a combination of characteristics. Factors like environment, diet, hormones, stress, and climate can also influence your skin type.
How to Determine Your Skin Type:
- Start with a clean face: Wash your face with a mild cleanser and gently pat it dry.
- Wait: Give your skin an hour to return to its natural state without applying any products.
- Blot: Gently press a tissue or blotting paper to different areas of your face.
- Analyse:
- Oily Skin: The sheet absorbs a lot of oil from all areas of your face.
- Dry Skin: The sheet absorbs little to no oil.
- Combination Skin: The sheet shows oil mainly from your T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin).
- Normal Skin: The sheet shows minimal oil from all areas.
Tailored Skincare for Every Skin Type
Once you know your skin type, you can choose the right products to cleanse, tone, moisturise, optimise, and protect your skin.
What are the Steps in a Skincare Routine?
A skincare routine is a simple daily set of steps you follow with your favourite skincare products. Typically, people have two different routines, one for the morning and one for the evening. They only differ slightly and almost always consist of a few essential products that are used to:
- Cleanse – Wash and clean your skin removing sweat, dirt, make-up, and impurities.
- Tone – Remove any cleanser residue, balance the skin’s pH level, hydrate, and prepare the skin for the next important step – a moisturiser.
- Moisturise – add moisture to hydrate your skin.
- Optimise – Feed and nourish your skin, seal in moisture, and address any issues your skin may have.
- Protect –Prevent environmental elements damaging your skin.
These are steps dermatologists recommend, to allow the skin on your face to be the healthiest it can be, and to keep it looking its best.
The Best Skincare Routine for Your Skin Type: A Personalised Guide
Finding the perfect skincare routine starts with understanding your skin type. Let’s break down the six common skin types and the best ways to care for each:
1. Normal/Balanced Skin
This lucky skin type is neither too oily nor too dry, with just visible pores and a soft, smooth texture. While most products are tolerated, gentle, natural ingredients are still best.
Key concerns: Maintaining balance and hydration.
Essential routine:
- Cleanse: Use a gentle cleanser morning and night.
- Tone: Apply a hydrating toner to balance pH.
- Moisturise: Opt for a lightweight serum and moisturiser.
- Protect: Always finish your morning routine with a broad-spectrum SPF.
Product Recommendations For Normal/Balanced Skin
2. Dry Skin
Dry skin often feels tight, flaky, and may even appear dull. Cold weather, low humidity, and hot showers can exacerbate dryness.
Key concerns: Intense hydration and repair of the skin barrier.
Essential routine:
- Cleanse: Use a creamy, hydrating cleanser.
- Tone: Apply an alcohol-free toner to soothe and hydrate.
- Moisturise: Choose a rich moisturiser with ingredients like shea butter or hyaluronic acid.
- Optimise: Incorporate a hydrating serum or face oil.
- Protect: Always finish your morning routine with a broad-spectrum SPF.
Product Recommendations For Dry Skin
3. Oily Skin
Oily skin produces excess sebum, leading to shine and potential breakouts. Stress, heat, hormones, and diet can all contribute to oiliness.
Key concerns: Balancing oil production and preventing clogged pores.
Essential routine:
- Cleanse: Use a gentle cleanser twice daily.
- Tone: Apply a mattifying toner to control oil.
- Moisturise: Yes, oily skin needs moisture too! Choose a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser.
- Exfoliate: Exfoliate 2-3 times a week to unclog pores.
- Protect: Always finish your morning routine with an oil-free, broad-spectrum SPF.
Product Recommendations For Oily Skin
4. Combination Skin
This common skin type presents a mix of oily and dry areas, often with an oily T-zone and dry cheeks.
Key concerns: Balancing different skin needs in different zones.
Essential routine:
- Cleanse: Use a gentle cleanser that balances oil without over-drying.
- Tone: Apply a gentle hydrating toner.
- Moisturise: Use a lightweight moisturiser all over, and consider a richer cream for dry areas.
- Protect: Always finish your morning routine with a broad-spectrum SPF.
Product Recommendations For Combination Skin
5. Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin is prone to irritation, redness, and reactions to products and allergens.
Key concerns: Avoiding irritants and soothing the skin.
Essential routine:
- Cleanse: Use a gentle, natural, hypoallergenic cleanser.
- Tone: Avoid toners altogether, or choose a very gentle, alcohol-free option.
- Moisturise: Opt for a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic moisturiser.
- Protect: Always finish your morning routine with a mineral-based, broad-spectrum SPF.
Product Recommendations For Sensitive Skin
6. Acne-Prone Skin
Acne-prone skin is characterised by frequent breakouts and blemishes. It can be oily, dry, or combination.
Key concerns: Preventing clogged pores, reducing inflammation, and treating breakouts.
Essential routine:
- Cleanse: Use a gentle natural cleanser.
- Tone: Use a gentle, alcohol-free toner with ingredients like aloe vera or green tea extract.
- Treat: Apply a spot treatment to active breakouts.
- Moisturise: Use a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser.
- Protect: Always finish your morning routine with an oil-free, non-comedogenic sunscreen.
Product Recommendations For Acne-Prone Skin
Consistency is Key
No matter your skin type, consistency is crucial for achieving healthy, glowing skin. It can take weeks or even months to see the full benefits of a new routine. Remember to adjust your routine as needed based on seasonal changes, hormonal fluctuations, and your skin’s evolving needs
