The best way to build a skincare routine

New to skincare? Already have a routine in place but are ready to make the move to natural products? Wanting to change things up in time for a change of season?

Whatever your reason for heading back to the skincare drawing board, choosing new products and building a routine can be a bit intimidating- how can one know where to start?

To take the guesswork out of building your new routine, we’ve collated this Skincare 101 to answer your most frequently asked questions.

What’s your skin type?

The first step in building the best possible routine for your skin is to determine what your skin needs. The perfect skincare routine is one that focuses on the long term health of your skin- a routine that works to balance the function of your skin and regulates it so that it errs towards neither oily nor dry. For a more in depth look at the primary skin types, check out our series on tailored skincare.

What skincare products do you need?

The needs of any one person’s skin will differ from the next, but there are some basic products that everyone can benefit from using daily:

Cleanser
Serum or oil
Moisturiser
SPF
The specific cleansers, serums, oils and moisturisers you choose will depend on your skin type, so don’t forget to refer back to point 1 if you’re unsure of what your skin needs!

Depending on your skin type and lifestyle, you may also benefit from using the following products daily:

Makeup remover/oil cleanser (for evening use if you wear makeup daily)
Toner (if your skin is particularly oily, either all over or in specific areas)
Eye cream (non-negotiable for those with mature skin, but a great idea to start early as a preventative ageing treatment)
Spot/blemish treatment (great to have on hand if you are prone to breakouts)

For use roughly twice weekly, most skin types can also benefit from the following products:

Exfoliant
Masque

Again, the specific exfoliants and masques you choose will depend on your skin type, so use these products to really tailor your routine to your own skin needs.

In what order should you apply your skincare products?

Before we break down the precise order in which you should apply your products morning and night, there’s a simple rule of thumb we want to arm you with.When in doubt, apply your products from the thinnest, most fluid (watery) consistency through to the thickest. Cleansing and removing your makeup should always come first, as your skin needs to be clean in order to absorb the products that follow, then from there you can follow this rule to skincare success! It is also important to wait a minute before you move to the next step, to ensure your skin has time to absorb all the benefits!To make life easier, here is the order in which you should work through your new daily skincare routine.