A beginner’s guide to skincare

Walking down the beauty aisle in the supermarket or pharmacy can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you need. There are literally thousands of products to choose from, and a lot of marketing trying to convince you that you need a special eyelash moisturiser or a different toner on Mondays.

True beauty experts know that the best thing to do is have a simple routine that you follow each day. Great basic products—cleanser, toner, moisturiser and sunscreen—are the building blocks of great skin. And then once you’ve got that sorted, you can decide if you need those highly specialised products (there’s no such thing as a Monday toner, by the way).

Get started by washing your face

Step one in any good skincare routine is washing your face, i.e. cleansing. You need to wash it in the morning to remove the sweat and oil from sleep and give you a fresh canvas to apply products for the day. And then at night, you need to wash to remove makeup, grease, dirt and pollutants that have built up during the day.

It might be tempting to skip the effort and use facial wipes. Don’t. Wipes often contain alcohol, which dry out the skin. Also, they create waste which is 100% avoidable and bad for the environment.

For all skin types, we recommend double cleansing. Start with an oil-based cleansing product, like our sorbet cleanser. It has a delectable texture and does an amazing job of dissolving sebum, makeup and perspiration. Then do a second cleanse with our natural foaming cleanser, which is delicate enough to keep your skin balanced, but also get it beautifully clean. While many foaming cleansers are bad news for sensitive skin, ours is ideal because it’s fragrance-free, alcohol-free and free from synthetic preservatives.

Once you’ve got a clean base, it’s time for the second step: toning.

Adjust skin pH with a toner

Using toner after cleansing helps to rebalance your skin’s pH. The skin is naturally slightly acidic at pH5.5, which supports a healthy skin barrier that’s essential for a beautiful complexion. Cleansing tends to move your skin into a more alkaline state, but toner gets it back to the magical 5.5. For simplicity, try a mist toner. Simply spray lightly onto your clean, dry face before applying moisturiser.  

Keep your skin healthy by moisturising

If you have oily skin, you might be tempted to skip this step. However, even the oiliest skin can benefit from nutrients and a light moisturiser. Regardless of skin type, look for a product that’s fragrance-free, as both natural and artificial fragrances can irritate the eyes and skin.

Some skin types will need special care. Acne-prone or oily skins should avoid oil-based moisturisers. Older skin or dry skin can choose a rich formulation that helps to keep skin hydrated and healthy.

At this stage, you also may want to consider a separate night and day moisturiser. There’s a good reason for this. During the day, your skin needs a base for makeup and protection from harmful UV. At night, your skin gets busy with renewing and rejuvenating cellular structure. So your day moisturiser will be about antioxidants and protection, and your night moisturiser is about recovery and repair.

The final step: Protection

During the day, your skin faces its biggest threat: The sun. UV rays not only cause cancer, but they dry skin out, which encourages fine lines, wrinkles and discolouration. The most important part of your morning routine is applying SPF30+ sunscreen.

If you think that sunscreen feels greasy on your face, then invest in a good quality, mineral sunscreen. Many sunscreens provide a chemical barrier, but the mineral barrier uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to shield you from the sun’s rays. These products are often less oily feeling than traditional products.

Add extras

Once you’ve got that basic routine, you can add a range of extras, depending on what your skin needs.

Serums: Generally applied after washing and before moisturising, these are highly specialised products that treat specific problems. Zinc for breakout-prone skin, hyaluronic acid for ageing skin, vitamin C for brightening. If you have a specific issue, this is the way to address it.

Facials: You can pay for a salon facial or you can give yourself a weekly facial at home with store-bought products or ingredients from your kitchen cupboards.

Exfoliation: Your skin is constantly renewing itself and exfoliation gives it a helping hand by gently scrubbing the layer of dead skin cells from your face, revealing that fresh, glowing skin underneath. Choose a product with fine, natural particles that won’t damage the skin. People with sensitive skin can do this once a week; those with more hardy skin can do it twice.