** This post may contain affiliate links or links to my own products. If you choose to purchase via these links, I will earn a small amount of commission which will be at no extra cost to yourself. Purchasing via these links supports me and my work and I’m grateful for any commission I get.
Having a skincare routine is so important to ensure your skin is in the best condition it can be. It can also count as a form of self care!
There is a lot of skincare products out there and there are endless skincare routines posted all over social media. It can be overwhelming to know what to include in your own skincare routine or even how to create your own skincare routine. In this post, I’m going to lay out the basics of skincare to hopefully simplify the process and help you create the perfect skincare routine tailored just for you.
How do I even start to build my skincare routine
Before buying any products, the most important thing you need to know is what skin type you have. This is because, if you build a skincare routine that is wrong for your skin type, you risk your skin looking worse and can lead to dryness or acne which is often not aspired for.
To help you identify the skin type you have, I’ll lay them out here and you can see which skin type resonates with you.
Dry skin
Your skin can be flaky, with makeup often not sitting smoothly on top. You often need to use illuminating products and never need setting powder. Your skin can get red and sore and is often worse in winter.
Oily skin
Your skin is shiny and can feel greasy at times. You often have to use setting powder and may need to apply more throughout the day. Makeup may slide off your face easily and is much worse in summer.
Combination skin
Your skin has dry/normal patches and patches of oily skin (usually in the t-zone which is across your forehead and down your nose).
Sensitive skin
Your skin gets red/sore when certain products are applied, usually fragranced.
Creating the skincare routine
I’d say the bare minimum for any skincare routine is a cleanser, a moisturiser and spf.
For a cleanser, you want something that will target your skincare concerns and your skin type. If you have dry skin, you may opt for an oil-based cleanser and for oily skin, you may choose a water-based cleanser. For frequent makeup wearers, a makeup removing cleanser may be useful to have.
Moisturisers may also be tailored to your specific skin type. A huge tip for those with oily skin is to not skip moisturiser! It may seem like a smart move but your skin will sense the lack of oils and therefore will produce more to counteract this so your skin will end up oilier and therefore your skincare routine that is trying to target your concerns will be no use!
SPF is an essential no matter what weather! SPF slows the ageing process and also reduces the risk of skincare which should be reason enough! There are so many on the market that again, cater to different skin types. For example, the brand supergoop** provide a sunscreen that helps mattify your skin and one that helps you glow! What I love about this sunscreen is that it sits so well under makeup! My skin is pretty oily and I feel that the matte version has a similar consistency to Benefit’s porefessional primer!
What else can I include in my skincare routine?
If you want to build a more advanced skincare routine there are several other products you can include!
Toners are a useful product to add to your skincare routine – especially for exfoliation! Sometimes, a physical exfoliator can be harsh on the skin so some people opt to add a chemical exfoliator to their skincare routine. This helps with giving your skin a glow! A good example of this is Pixi glow tonic**! However, if you have more sensitive skin, you may want to add a soothing toner to your routine, an affordable choice is the new Ordinary milky toner**. Remember, the key to perfecting your skincare routine is to ensure it suits your skin.
To tailor your skincare routine more specifically, you can add a serum. There is an abundance of serums you can add when creating your skincare routine and they deliver so many benefits. There are vitamin C serums, various acids and added hydration serums!
In the past I have used the salicylic acid serum** and the niacinamide and zinc serum** from the Ordinary. These were effective against my acne. Now my skin has cleared up, I use the Revolution miracle serum** at night just for extra hydration. Despite my oily skin, adding this serum to my skincare routine has not worsened it, giving a good indication that the skincare routine I created is good for my skin!
In the mornings, I’ll sometimes use the eucerin hyaluron mist if my skin appears dull. This is water-based, making it good for oily skin! However, it will still hydrate other skin types.
Do I need to do my skincare routine every day?
In short, yes, but not every product! Cleanser, moisturiser and spf should be used everyday as mentioned previously but read the instructions on the products like serums and toners as they may not be needed every day!
There are also products you can include when creating your skincare routine that are designed to not be used everyday so let’s discuss them.
If you’re in your 20s, you may have heard about using retinol by now. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that helps reduce the appearance of ageing by increasing cell turnover and increasing collagen production. No matter how sensitive your skin, if you want to include retinol into your skincare routine, start at a low percentage and use no more than 3 times a week. Retinol can make your skin increasingly sensitive due to the cell turnover and this also means SPF is even more important!
2 good beginner retinols would be the Inkey list retinol** or the byoma sensitive retinol oil**. I’ve been using retinol for around a year now and I currently use the Ordinary retinal serum**. This a more potent version of vitamin A so works quicker and stronger. My skin isn’t very sensitive but I still can’t use this more frequently than every other day or else my skin gets very irritated.
Finally, when creating your skincare routine, consider adding a face mask to use once a week. Face masks are a fun form of self care but also provide many skin benefits. Like everything mentioned in this post, you need to choose a face mask that suits your skin needs. As an oily skin girl, I prefer to use clay masks, but dry skin girls may choose nourishing sheet masks. I also like many of the Lush face masks, my favourite is the mask of magnaminty! Face masks are to be used weekly (1-2x) and ensure you follow the instructions as they are advised for a reason!
I hope this post has been helpful and you feel prepared to create a skincare routine tailored to your skincare. I can’t wait to see your skin glowing and healthy!
[…] You can read my post on how to create your perfect skincare routine here. […]