How to Build a Skincare Routine for Beginners

Building a skincare routine can seem like a daunting task for beginners. With so many products on the market it can be overwhelming to find the right products for you. The key to creating the perfect skincare routine is knowing your skin and what it needs.

Skincare is the first and most important step in creating a flawless base for makeup, if you are someone who finds your base makeup never sits right then it may be time to invest in a skincare routine. Looking after your skin is extremely important as it helps it stay in a radiant condition and assists the shedding of old skin cells. Not to mention the feel good factor skin care can bring. It’s true, looking good will have you feeling good!

So, here we have it, the ultimate beginners guide to building a skincare routine. From products you should be using to the order of application – here’s all you need to know about skincare!

Step 1: Cleaner (Morning and Night)

Cleanser is used to clean your face and remove any dirt that may have built up throughout the day. The first step in the skincare routine is to banish any dirt or substances from your skin for a fresh base for your other skin care products.

Begin by examining your skin. Do you have dry, flaky skin that requires added moisture? Or are you someone who is often worried about looking too shiny and suffers from oily, acne prone skin? You may even be one of the lucky ones without either of these products and consider yourself to have a ‘normal’ skin type.

Before proceeding to buy skincare products its crucial you understand the needs of your skin to inform the choice of products you will purchase.

Dry Skin

Dry skin requires hydrating cleansers that bring added moisture to the skin. Cream cleansers often work best for dry skin types adding an extra layer of moisture and creating a smooth, moisturised feeling without stripping dry skin of it’s natural oil.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

La Roche Posey Hydrating Gentle Cleanse

Oily, combination or Acne Prone Skin

Foaming or gel cleansers often work best for those with normal to oily skin. Cleansing gels work hard to clear out pores and provide deep facial cleaning. Foam cleansers are equally as great for cleaning away the excess oil on your skin. When searching for your perfect cleanser look out for cleansers that specifically state they are for oily skin types.

Avene Cleanance Cleansing Gel

Step 2: Toner (Morning and Night)

Some are sceptical about the effectiveness of toner and question what it is actually used for. Good news, I’ve done the research, so you don’t need to! Turns out toner is actually an effective component in your skin care routine.

Toner refreshes the skin and shrinks the appearance of pores helping the skin to prepare to soak up all the products you’re about to apply. Yes, there is a few more to come. Using a toner will ensure every impurity is removed from your skin even the bits your cleanser may have missed.

Pixi Glow Exfoliating Tonic

REN Clean Skincare Ready Steady Glow Daily

Step 3: Exfoliator (Once a week)

Unlike the other steps of a skin care routine, you should not be exfoliating your skin everyday as this can irritate the skin and cause redness. Exfoliators helps to remove deep dirt in the skins pores.

Exfoliation can be rough on the skin and it’s recommended to only complete this skin care step once or twice a week. If your skin is already irritated, you have sensitive skin or you suffer from skin conditions such as rosacea or eczema you may have to skip this step entirely.

Step 4: Serums

You may now be asking the same questions I did, what are serums and what are they used for? Serums contains a more concentrated formula to target areas of your skin that need a little extra help. They penetrate deep into the skin to add the extra skincare ingredients your skin is looking for.

Begin by distinguishing what you’re looking for a serum to do. Do you want skin brightening? Extra hydration? Or maybe you’re looking for something skin plumping to help fight those fine lines? Different serum ingredients have different results.

What serum ingredients do…

Hyaluronic acid – Adds extra hydration to the skin. A great option for those with dry skin looking to add more hydration.  

Vitamin C – Slows the early aging of skin and brightens. Vitamin C serums are great for those wanting to keep fresh and youthful skin for as long as possible. An early prevention serum to help fight premature wrinkles and brighten the skin and reduce the appearance of acne scaring.

Vitamin E – Helps to nourish and protect the skin while reducing skin damage from UV rays.

Retinol – Increase the production of collagen and evens out skin tone. Use daily for reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Hydroxy acids (AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids)/Salicylic Acid/BHA) – Aid in the removal for dead skin sells, promote firmness in the skin. Great for stopping the ageing of skin and improving dry skin.

With so many serums on the market it can often seem like an overwhelming experience finding which one you need. You can get some incredible starter serum kits that are specially created for different purposes, these are ideal for those just starting out with skincare and need a little guidance.

Step 5: Eye Cream (Morning and Night)

You guessed it; eye cream is used to target the under-eye area. The skin around your eyes is more fragile than the rest of the face and can be prone to issues like dryness. Applying an eye cream morning and night can help tackle this issue and bring moisture to the area.

The skin around your eyes is often quicker to age. When looking for eye creams that target fine lines around the eyes look out for creams including retinoid, this helps to plump the skin around the eyes and help with combating fine lines.

Eye cream for Dark Circles

CeraVe Eye Prepare Cream

Origins GinZing Eye Cream

Eye cream for Wrinkles

Elemis Pro Collagen Eye Revive Mask

Step 6: Moisturiser (Morning and Night)

Moisturiser is one of the most important steps when it comes to skin care. It adds hydration back into your skin and keeps it feeling silky smooth. Applying moisturiser daily both morning and night prevents damage to the skin while keeping it silky smooth.

Different skin types will need different moisturisers for them to work best with your skin.

Moisturisers for Oily Skin

If you have oily skin moisturiser can sometimes be a scary product to avoid adding to much extra moisture to your skin a water-based product is recommended. This can come in the form of a gel moisturiser.

The Inkey List Bakuchiol Moisturiser

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser

Moisturisers for Dry Skin

If like me, you have dry skin then moisturiser is probably one of your favourite products in your skincare routine too. There is nothing that feels better than adding that moisture your dry skin is screaming for.

CeraVe Moisturising Cream

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream

Step 7: SPF Protection/Sunscreen (Morning)

If you’re going to do one thing to help protect your skin and prevent your skin from ageing apply SPF daily! Whether the sun is shining or not your skin can get damaged by UV rays.

SPF is amongst the most important steps of a skin care routine yet so many of us forget this step, especially when if doesn’t look particularly sunny outside. SPF helps prevent premature ageing, it maintains an even skin tone and it can even be a factor that lowers the risk of skin cancer caused by UV exposure.

My most reached for SPF product is the La Roche-Posay 50+ SPF. It’s non shiny formula eliminates the possibility of it giving a shiny white cast some sunscreens do. I always choose the highest protection when choosing an SPF.

This SPF is even suitable for those with dry or irritated skin and has a hydrating formula.

Three skincare steps you shouldn’t skip

A 7 step skincare routine morning and night may seem unachievable and a whole lot of confusion, but you can still strip it down to basics. A seven step routine isn’t always necessary. Some steps are much more important than others when it comes to keeping your skin in the best possible condition.

Your three skin care best friends will be cleanser, moisturiser and SPF. These three will keep your face clean, hydrated and protected! As long as your sticking to cleansing and moisturising your face morning and night and adding SPF protection in the morning you can add in any extra steps if and when you please!

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