Are You A Skincare Beginner? Here’s How To Build A Basic Routine

A well-designed skincare routine can transform the look and feel of your skin. And it really doesn’t have to be as complicated as you think.

Dealing with countless shelves of products, complex ingredients lists and advice from practically everyone you know makes navigating the world of skincare can feel like a daunting task. Especially if you’ve never previously given it much thought.

So, first things first, well done for being here and realizing that a consistent skincare routine is a great way to not only look after your precious complexion, but to also feel good about yourself. Secondly, know this: skincare does not have to be hard. Or overwhelming. Because although you could literally smother your skin with lotions, potions, oils and tinctures morning and night, you really don’t have to. In fact, it’s often better to stick with a handful of key, effective products that harness tried and trusted ingredients… and get the job done – without all the fuss and nonsense you’re led to believe you need.

Whether you’re unsure where to start or have suddenly found yourself drowning in an overly curated 15-step routine, here’s how to build a basic, effective skincare routine.

Why Skincare Matters

Your skin is your largest organ and, while it doesn’t pump blood around your body or enable you to breathe, it’s not just there to annoy you with all of its wrinkles and pimples. In fact, it’s extremely important for the health of your entire body. You see, skin regulates body temperature and hydration. It also allows you to perceive touch and detect pain. Not to mention it’s key role in protecting you from environmental stressors, infections, pollutants and harmful bacteria.

Just like the rest of your body, your skin needs help in order to remain healthy and functional – especially as it ages and its strength and stability becomes compromised. And that’s where skincare comes to the rescue. More specifically a well-designed skincare routine that helps to boost your skin’s protective barrier while maintaining optimum hydration and heck, even slowing down the visible signs of premature aging.

How To Figure Out Your Skin Type

Everyone has different skin – as well as varying goals and budgets – so before you start buying every skincare product you’ve ever heard of, it’s essential to know what you’re working with.

Your skin type fits into one of four categories: normal (ha, if only!), dry, oily and combination. Anything else (sensitive, acne-prone, mature skin etc.) is a skin condition, not a type. Of course, the condition of your skin is important too, but your skin type is the first place to start because this will determine the products that’ll suit you best. 

If you’re not sure of your skin type, wash your face and neck with a mild cleanser, then gently pat it dry with a clean towel. Don't apply moisturizer or, in fact, anything at all, just leave it alone for an hour or so. Then, go to a mirror and study your skin, using clean hands to touch and feel your skin as you scrutinize it.

OK, now what's your skin doing? If it feels tight and/or itchy and looks flaky in places, that means you have dry skin. If it's shiny and feels greasy – especially around the t-zone – then you have oily skin. Maybe it's a bit of both? If so, you have combination skin. And finally, if it's just peachy in each and every way then you're one of the lucky few with normal skin.

Once you know your skin type, it's way easier to build a routine that's in line with what your skin needs.

The 4 Essential Skincare Steps

No matter your skin type, everyone’s skin requires four core products for it to be as healthy and radiant as possible. Then, once you’ve got these nailed, you can expand your repertoire as you see fit. Just remember, less is generally more. Sure it’s smart to add toner, eye treatment and you can even alternate between two serums, but don’t overload your skin. It can have disastrous results. 

1. Cleanse

Cleansing is one of the most important parts of your routine as it removes potentially pore-clogging impurities like excess sebum, dead skin cells, sweat, sunscreen, pollution, makeup and, well, you get the picture. Cleansing also gives your skin a fresh start, creating a clean canvas for the rest of your routine to function better. If you miss out on this important step all that grime will build up, causing blocked pores and potential breakouts and irritation. It’ll also create a barrier of debris that other products like serum and moisturizer will find almost impossible to penetrate. Not cool.

Our favorite cleansers are those that are void of skin-stripping alcohols and sulfates like SLS. These can be too harsh for all skin types, making dry skin drier and oily skin oilier. Instead, choose pH-balanced cleansers that remove the nasties without stripping away all the good stuff. We have four fabulous cleansers to choose from, all of which are kind to the skin but get the job done.

Final word on cleansing: always cleanse your skin with lukewarm, not too hot nor too cold, water and use gentle circular motions as you massage your cleanser all over your face and neck.

2. Treat 

Whether you choose to tone, apply liquid exfoliant or smooth on a serum next is totally up to you. In fact, you might even want to do a couple of the above if you’re really serious about tackling certain conditions or areas of your skin. Just remember not to overdo it with countless products between cleansing and moisturizing. Listen to your skin and find your sweet spot – we recommend two products at most.

The best way to truly target specific concerns is with a facial serum. Serums are light, fast-absorbing treatments that are usually clear and either gel- or liquid-based. Applied after cleansing and toning but before moisturizing, serums are made up of much smaller molecules than regular lotions or creams. This means they’re able to penetrate your skin faster and deeper than other, thicker products, helping to hydrate, protect, reduce breakouts, minimize the signs of aging and all sorts.

Check out our vast range of incredible serums right here and definitely give our new Caffeine Facial Serum a look. It’s a great one for all skin types, containing a fantastic blend of ingredients to rev up tired skin.

3. Moisturize

Moisturizing your skin is non-negotiable, whatever your skin type. If you have oily skin you might be fooled into thinking you don’t need it, but how wrong you would be. You see, without moisturizer, oily skin produces even more oil to compensate creating a whole vicious circle of oiliness. 

Look out for fragrance-free formulations, especially if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin and make sure your moisturizer includes some classic humectant powerhouses like hyaluronic acid, glycerin or aloe – these draw water to the surface of the skin – as well as emollients or occlusives. Emollients like jojoba oil and shea butter are awesome for smoothing the surface of your skin and helping to seal in moisture, while occlusives like cocoa butter and lanolin create a thin barrier over the skin, again to seal in water. Occlusives are great if you have dry skin but if you’re prone to breakouts, you’d be wise to give them a miss and stick with emollients. Occlusives are notorious for blocking up your pores. 

Beyond this, keep your eyes peeled for brightening vitamin C, ceramides for strengthening your barrier function and retinol or bakuchiol for targeting aging. Oh, and btw, our range of awesome moisturizers cover all these… and more. 

4. Protect

Last, but not least, is sunscreen – the single, most important product you can use to seriously halt premature aging. Repeated exposure to UV radiation totally screws up your skin by degrading collagen and elastin and accelerating the onslaught of fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and dark spots. In fact, UV is responsible for somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of all external skin aging. Ouch.

Experts agree that for full daily protection you should stick with products that have an SPF of 30 or above and, equally, always choose a formula that uses the phrase ‘broad-spectrum’ on the label. This means it protects from both UVA and UVB. Important stuff, right there.

If you can’t be bothered to moisturize and apply sunscreen in the morning, no problem, our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C does the job of both. If you have dry skin, you might need a moisturizer underneath, but give it a go, it’s darn good! And remember, sunscreen should always be the last product you apply in your morning routine.

Finally, Don’t Forget These Important Skincare Dos & Don'ts

* Do exfoliate once or twice a week. This will keep your skin ticking over nicely, removing dead skin cells and brightening at a surface level.

* Do listen to your skin. It might not like retinol, for example or maybe it can’t cope with it every night. Tweak your routine as needed, you’ll get there in the end.

* Don’t over-complicate your routine. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, less is more.

* Do be patient. Products that work on a deep, cellular level (eg. serums) take time, so give them a month at least, preferably more.

* Don’t try a bunch of new products all at once. Gradually introduce them one at a time.

* Do patch test products first. Not sure how? No problem, we can help with that right here.