How to Start a Skincare Routine: The Ultimate Guide
So you want to start a skincare routine, but it is intimidating. You might wonder:
How many products do I need? Which ones work best with my skin type? In what
order should these items come in? And what even are those things doing
anyway? A skincare routine can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to feel like a
full-time job. If you’re wondering how many products should go on your face and
when they are supposed to go on, we’ve got the answers for you—and also some
other general skincare tips!
A good place to begin would be thinking about your specific concerns as well as the options available that address them. Perhaps there’s something going wrong with your complexion. When it comes to your skin, you should focus on three things: cleanse, treat and moisturize. In this blog post, I’ll break down the essentials of skincare for beginners for morning and night routines.
A good place to begin would be thinking about your specific concerns as well as the options available that address them. Perhaps there’s something going wrong with your complexion. When it comes to your skin, you should focus on three things: cleanse, treat and moisturize. In this blog post, I’ll break down the essentials of skincare for beginners for morning and night routines.
Your Day-time Routine
- Cleanse: Cleansing is the first step of any good skincare routine. The type of cleanser you use matters more than you think it does — gentle face washes are the way to go, too many people cleanse their skin with harsh cleansers that can break down the skin barrier and cause irritation. We recommend choosing gentle cleansers if you plan on using more active ingredients later in your routine for cleansing purposes or exfoliation needs.
- Tone (optional): Think of toner as another step toward achieving a perfect complexion. While some people might consider this an optional skincare product, it can be beneficial to those who have acne-prone and sensitive skin types. Some ingredients that you may want to look for in your toner are salicylic acid or hyaluronic acids which help fight blemishes while soothing dryness on the face.
- Vitamin C Serum: When it comes to serums, experts recommend using a vitamin C serum during the day – regardless of your age. It helps reverse the damage that we get from sun exposure and pollution. It’s best to look for one with a stable form of Vitamin C so that molecules can absorb into skin cells more easily when applying on top of moisturizer or sunscreen every morning.
- Eye Cream: Eye creams fall into the “treat” category, meaning they are meant to be occasional to your routine. Use lightly with ring fingers so you don’t accidentally cause damage in that sensitive area around the eyes!
- Moisturiser: Moisturising is a crucial step that needs to be completed after you’ve treated your skin. Moisturiser keeps our skin hydrated and strengthens the barrier of our skin. If it’s during the day, pick up a lighter moisturizer that will soak in quickly without causing pilling under makeup; if you have dryer skin try out thicker formulas like creams that contain ingredients such as ceramides or hyaluronic acid – these are building blocks for moisture retention within the layers of our epidermis!
- Sunscreen: The most important step in your skincare routine is applying sunscreen. This will protect you from the sun’s UV rays and prevent damage to both skin coloration and health. Using a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every day as part of your morning regiment helps keep wrinkles at bay, makes hyperpigmentation treatments more effective, protects against cancer risk for people with darker skin tones, AND prevents further signs of aging on all complexions by preventing free radical formation throughout the day.
Your Night-time Routine
Your nighttime skincare routine will be very different than your daytime one. You’ll
still follow the basic steps — cleanse, treat, and moisturize — but you should add
a few more to make sure every part of your skin gets what it needs while you
sleep.
- Cleanse: We still recommend going for a gentle cleanser at night. For an even more thorough clean, try double cleansing with water-based face wash after using oil to take off your makeup.
- Tone: Same application as your morning routine when required.
- Serums and Treatments: We’re a big fan of using alpha hydroxy acid to help brighten skin, by sloughing off dead cells and improving radiance. If you want to add retinol into your skincare routine we suggest doing it at night-time as this is the best time for its efficacy. Retinol is important to use in your 20s, but it becomes even more essential as you get older. In addition to preventing and repairing fine lines and wrinkles, retinol can treat acne scars caused by age spots or dark pigmentation build-up on the skin’s surface.
- Eye Cream: Same application as your morning routine when required.
- Acne Spot Treatment: If you have a pimple that you’d like to see go away sooner rather than later, this is a great time to apply an acne spot treatment. But instead of focusing on the breakout when it pops up, we advise consistent skincare as a preventative measure. If your skin is clogged with oil and just treating one area results in breakouts right next door then don’t forget about clearing out pores from all over your face!
- Moisturise: The key to beautiful, glowing skin is moisturising. At night, it creates a barrier that seals in active ingredients and hydration so when you wake up your skin looks plump and glowy!
- Face Oil: Oil-based face products are a great way to lock in moisture while you sleep. Many people think that if they have oily skin, their skin will become more greasy with the oil; however studies show this is not true . Some oils actually really help hydrate and soften the skin. If using active ingredients like retinol or alpha hydroxy acids, an extra boost of moisture can be added through these oils.