It’s okay to be unsure of your wedding outfit in the next  couple of years, or of the car to buy in 2050, or even your unborn twin son and daughter’s 20th birthday present, but you must never be uncertain with skincare. It is a golden rule contained in the skincare code of Hammurabi, (just ask anyone from 1755, they will confirm it). Taking the time to care for yourself should never be treated in the way you’d treat junks – an indulgence, or your attitude towards purchasing a Hermes bag with company’s money – hesitation; rather you should be decisive with skincare, treat it as a necessity. An obligatory necessity that should be observed 365/366 days a year, 2 times a day. I understand how difficult staying consistent is especially on days you want nothing more than falling into bed, but the evergreen saying of: “Consistency is key” should nag you incessantly to keep going.

The skincare industry has boomed in the last few years and there is more awareness on taking care of the largest organ in your body – skin. Although, there are a variety of ingredients for all the different skin types, but this could easily get confusing and overwhelming particularly for a newbie. Picking the right products can be a real hassle when there is no expert guidance. In this article, you’ll find expert advice on everything you need to know about everything when beginning your skin care journey.

Make it simple but significant
Don’t purchase all the products you see because you think it is best for you or the products your favourite influencers use. Start with the 3 basic routine steps; Cleanse, Moisturize, Protect(sunscreen). It’s really tempting to buy many products and just trial and error it, but your skin can easily get overwhelmed by the number of products you are introducing and skin concerns which originally weren’t there may begin to pop up. Plus, you can save more money and avoid wasting products by just keeping it simple till you understand your skin well enough to introduce a new product – an exfoliant. 

Observe to discover your skin type
The easiest way to discover your skin type is by observing it through the day. Are your T-zones often oily and shiny? (Your T-zones are your forehead, your nose, and your chin) Is your skin dry and flaky even after applying lotion? Do you get a combination of both?

The skin is classified into 4
- Oily Skin: Excessive amount of shine due to overproduction of oil.
- Dry Skin: Skin with dry and flaky areas that may feel tight.
- Sensitive Skin: Prone to redness and itching.
- Combination Skin: A combination of both oily and flaky skin type.

Create a basic routine
After determining your skin type, it gets a bit easy, you can now narrow your search to what you need and what you need to avoid. Thankfully, most brands include the skin type they are formulated for, making your search easy. Here are the first 5 steps you need as a beginner.

Choose a suitable cleanser
A cleanser is a product formulated to remove dirt, oil, pollutants, bacteria, and other impurities your skin encounters during the day or at night while you sleep. Cleansing helps you start or end your days with clean skin and allows your other products to get easily absorbed.

Our cleanser recommendations include

Cerave foaming cleanser: Suitable for oily skin type.

Cerave hydrating cleanser: Suitable for all skin types.

Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser: Suitable for all skin type.

Find the right moisturizer

The skin loses water throughout the day and it’s why we are usually advised to keep hydrated by drinking enough water and by moisturizing. All skin types will tolerate an oil free and fragrance-free moisturizer.

Even with an oily skin, it is important to moisturize. The skin compensates for a lack of moisture by producing more oil which goes ahead to clog the pores and encourage breakouts.

We recommend these moisturizers to help you stay hydrated:

Neutrogena hydro boost water gel: Suitable for oily skin.

Cerave Moisturizing lotion: Suitable for dry skin.

Always use sunscreen

Wear sunscreen every day even if it’s a cloudy day. Asides from protecting you from risks of skin cancer, it also slows down aging. Some moisturizers and lotions contain SPF but it’s always better to buy a product whose sole duty is to protect. Ensure the SPF is 30 or higher to ensure maximum protection.

These sunscreens are skincare sweethearts:

Missha Essence SPF45: Suitable for oily skin.

Missha Aqua SPF45: Suitable for dry skin.

La Roche–Posay Ultra-Light Sunscreen: For sensitive and dry skin types.

Put it together

The routine is cleanse, moisturize, and protect – for a morning routine but for a night-time routine; cleanse and moisturize. This is a simple routine you should be able to follow every day.

Be patient

We can get impatient and expect to start seeing results by the next morning, it doesn’t work that way and if any product promises overnight results, you should run. Give your routine a month to two months before introducing new products like a toner or an exfoliant. 

The world of skincare may be terrifying at first, but we are here to guide you and help you take your first steps. Do you have questions for us? Reach out. We are glad to help.