Our skin is the largest organ in our body, protecting our body and regulating our temperature. For many, it’s also a cause of insecurities, as our skin can portray different ailments such as acne, eczema, dryness, hyperpigmentation or signs of ageing.
As we set our goals for the new year, taking (better) care of your skin sounds like a great resolution. Healthy, happy skin starts with knowledge about skincare, therefore I created this guide to help you feel more comfortable and confident in your skin!
In this post, I will guide you through figuring out your skin type and your skin’s needs, followed by a simple 4-step skincare routine with product recommendations for the different skin types or concerns.
Quick disclaimer: I am no skincare expert, nor am I a dermatologist. The information and tips shared in this post are solely based on my research and personal journey with skincare issues throughout the years.
Finding out your skin type
Before we get into the different routines and products you can use to improve your skin, it’s important to know your skin type. Skincare is no one-product-suits-all type of situation. In order to find products that suit the needs of your skin, we have to know what skin type we have and what our skin’s needs are.
Generally, there are four skin types: normal, oily, dry, combination, and sensitive.
A simple way to find out which skin type you have, is by noticing how your skin feels during the day after washing it, without using any products afterwards. Does your skin feel normal? Does it produce oil quickly after cleansing? Does your skin feel tight? Or does it feel tight in certain areas, but there is oil production in other areas? These factors indicate what skin type you have.
Based on your skin type, your skin may have certain needs or concerns that you want to improve with skincare.
Common skin concerns include:
- acne (most common with oily skin)
- blackheads (most common with oily skin)
- enlarged pores
- scars (e.g. acne scars)
- hyperpigmentation
- dry spots/flaking skin
- signs of ageing such as wrinkles
- redness (most common with sensitive skin)
- etc.
Now you know your skin type and your skin’s needs, let’s go through the different steps of a simple but effective skin care routine. When it comes to skincare, my personal experience is “less is more”. It’s not about how many steps your routine contains, but it’s about finding the right products for your skin’s needs, and using these consistently.
- Cleansing
The first step to a good skincare routine is thoroughly cleansing your skin.
There are different types of cleansers: oil cleansers, gel cleansers, foam cleansers, etc.
Oil cleansers are great for people who wear make-up or heavy sunscreen, since they remove product buildup from the skin. However, when using an oil cleanser, you should follow up with a second cleanser; the so-called double cleansing system.
In this case, the first step of cleansing the skin is to remove make-up or sunscreen, and then afterwards going in with a cleanser that deeply cleanses and purifies the skin.
Choosing the right cleanser will depend heavily on your skin type. People with oily skin may want to choose a deeply purifying cleanser that removes all the dirt from your pores, whereas those with dry skin should opt for a gentle cleanser that won’t dry out their skin.
Some of my recommendations:
2. Serums
The second step to our skincare routine is choosing the right serum.
Serums are concentrated products formulated with active ingredients that target a specific skin need.
This is the step where you choose a product that’s specifically targeted at treating a concern you have for your skin, such as listed above.
Prices of serums can get quite high depending on the brand and the ingredients used. I personally recommend the serums by the Ordinary, since they are very affordable yet highly effective. They use high quality active ingredients, however it may be difficult to figure out which product is right for you, since the ingredients can sound complicated.
Let me explain some of the most popular active ingredients:
- Niacinamide
Niacinamide absolutely does it all. This ingredient can honestly be beneficial for any skin type, since it reduces inflammation, minimizes pore appearance, and keeps the skin hydrated. It can improve the skin’s texture, regulate oil production, and even improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. In my experience, it helps greatly with blackheads, enlarged pores and preventing or treating acne. Yet it’s also suitable for sensitive skin types.
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an active ingredient known to help heal scars, hyperpigmentation, prevent sun damage and prevent skin ageing. This ingredient has a brightening effect on the skin.
A good vitamin c serum is something to invest in; the quality of vitamin c in products varies largely, therefore these serums can get more expensive.
- Retinol
Another powerful ingredient that targets multiple skin concerns is retinol. Retinol is known for its anti-ageing properties, as well as for improving acne.
Essentially, retinol is a concentrated form of vitamin A, which, if applied on the skin, increases cell production. This means that your skin will renew itself faster, while increasing the production of collagen. Your skin will appear younger and fresher. Certain retinols also target acne.
Similarly to vitamin C, with retinol it’s also important to choose a high-quality serum. This ingredient can be irritating to the skin, especially when using it for the first time, therefore I recommend going for a high quality serum.
- Hyaluronic acid
Last but not least, you absolutely need to know about hyaluronic acid, especially if you have dry skin. Hyaluronic acid is an ingredient that can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, which means it will draw and lock in the moisture in your skin. It comes in many forms and is included in many products, however I recommend using it as a water-based serum, in its concentrated form. Even though I have combination skin, I love using a HA serum during the winter months when my skin tends to be more dry. Hyaluronic acid is also anti-ageing and has a tightening effect on the skin, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Bonus: it’s very affordable!
3. Moisturize
After applying your serum of choice, it’s time to moisturize the skin. Every skin type needs to be moisturized; yes, even oily skin.
Choosing the right moisturizer can be tricky though; if you have dry skin, it has to be thick enough to lock in all the moisture. If you have acne-prone skin or blackheads, you want to use a moisturizer that doesn’t cause pimples. Below my recommendations for different skin types:
4. Sunscreen
The last step to every good skincare routine is using an SPF. The number one cause of premature ageing of the skin, is damage by the sun. This simple fact has been proven over and over by different scientists; it can no longer be denied that everyone needs to wear SPF as the last step to their morning skincare routine.
Alternatively, if you are someone (like me) who prefers to do their skincare once a day at night, you can use sunscreen as the only skincare step in the morning.
Everyone’s skin is different; some people like to do their skincare twice a day, others once a day. To improve your skin, I recommend doing your skincare routine at least once a day.
That being said, sunscreen is the type of product that no one really likes. It can leave a whitecast, or feel heavy or sticky on the skin. Luckily, the technology of sunscreen has improved drastically throughout the years, and there are now amazing options on the market which are light-weight and don’t leave a whitecast.
My favorite sunscreens are from Korean brands:
