Are you feeling like skincare is overwhelming & you don't know what to do or where to start? You aren't alone.

Good news, for an effective basic skincare routine you only need 3 things!

 

A good cleanser for your skin type can do wonders for your skin. You don't need seperate makeup removing cleansers, or a balm and a gel/cream cleanser, just one cleanser can do the job.

Cleanse your skin once in the morning & twice at night (even if you don't wear makeup, you still need to do it twice to remove any sunscreen, build up and pollution from the day).

If you have dry skin you may want to go for a cream base cleanser and if you have oily, normal or combination skin you may want to choose a gel cleanser.

 

You can't just cleanse your skin and leave it, as much as you may want to! A moisturiser helps to protect your skin barrier and prevent water loss from the surface of the skin, it is essential in a skincare routine.

If you have oily skin you may feel inclined to skip this step, but please don't, if you cleanse and don't give your skin any nutrients afterwards, your skin will produce more oil to compensate for the lack of protection for the skin barrier, so essentially you make the issue worse.

What moisturiser you choose is going to come down to personal preference, as well as your skin type.

If you don't like the feeling of moisturisers on your skin, opt for a gel/lotion formula, they tend to be more lightweight and don't leave a heavy feel on the skin. Typically these types of moisturisers are more suited to the oily/combo skin types, but if you don't like the feel and you have dry skin, using something is always going to be better than nothing.

 

Yes sunscreen is essential! We live in the cancer capital of the world and no your makeup isn't going to provide the protection you need! 

A good sunscreen is one you are going to use and be consistent with. Find one with the texture you like, always look for at least an SPF 30+, but preferably a SPF 50+.

You can choose a chemical sunscreen (typically these are lighter in feel) or a mineral sunscreen, these use the ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient (mineral tend to feel thicker, but if you find you breakout from sunscreen they can actually be a gentler option).

 

And there you have it, the three products that are essential in a skincare routine. Don't worry about everything else until you can manage these three steps.

If you build a good basic skincare routine, you can then add in more steps in the future. It doesn't have to be complicated, stay consistent and your skin will thank you for it.