Skincare is more than just a beauty routine; it is an essential practice that nourishes and protects our skin. Whether you're a skincare enthusiast or just starting to explore the world of skincare, understanding its importance is key to achieving a healthy and radiant complexion. Understanding your skin type is the first step towards building an effective skincare routine. To achieve this radiant and glowing complexion, it is important to identify your skin type to ensure the correct products are used to treat your skin concerns and needs. While professional assessments by dermatologists or your local beauty therapist with skincare expertise is valuable, you can also identify your skin type at home. By identifying and familiarising yourself with certain characteristics of different skin types, you can make a decision when selecting the right products for you and your skin! But what do these characteristics and features look like? Normal Skin: If you have normal skin, you are fortunate to have a well-balanced complexion. Your skin feels neither too oily nor too dry and appears healthy and radiant. It has an even texture, minimal blemishes, and a comfortable level of moisture. Normal skin typically has small pores and is less prone to sensitivity or visible signs of oiliness or dryness. Oily Skin: Oily skin tends to produce excess sebum, resulting in a shiny or greasy appearance, especially in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin). Pores are often larger and more visible, and breakouts and blemishes may be a common occurrence. Oily skin can be prone to acne, blackheads, and congestion due to the overactive sebaceous glands. Dry Skin: Dry skin often feels tight, rough, or flaky. It may lack natural oils and struggle to retain moisture, resulting in a dull or dehydrated appearance. Dry skin can be more prone to fine lines, wrinkles, and sensitivity. Pores are typically small, and the complexion may feel tight or uncomfortable, especially after cleansing. Sensitive Skin: Sensitive skin is characterised by increased reactivity and vulnerability to external factors, such as certain ingredients in products, environmental factors, or even temperature changes. It may appear red, irritated, or prone to rashes or breakouts. Sensitive skin requires gentle, soothing, and hypoallergenic products to avoid triggering breakouts or reactions. Combination Skin: Combination skin is a mix of different skin types, with some areas being oily and others dry or normal. Typically, the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) is oilier, while the cheeks and other areas may be drier. Combination skin can present challenges in finding the right balance in skincare products to address both oily and dry areas effectively. Ageing / Damaged Skin: Ageing and/or damaged skin can easily be identified by recognising the following characteristics. Most occurrent, dryness and dehydration of the face may appear dull and saggy, especially around the jawline, cheeks, and neck. It may struggle to retain hydration and exacerbate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, especially around the forehead, eyes, and mouth. They may also exhibit uneven and lacklustre skin tones in the face, manifesting hyperpigmentation (dark spots or patches), sunspots or redness.

To keep our skin looking radiant and healthy, a proper skincare routine is essential. However, you don't need an extensive 10-step routine to achieve beautiful skin. In this blog post, we'll guide you through a simple and effective 4-step skincare routine that will leave your skin glowing and nourished. It is important to identify your skin type to identify the right products for you and your skin. This is the first step to your journey to clear skin! Please check out our ‘Importance of Skincare: Identifying your skin type’ blog to help you identify your skin type at home, or please ask our lovely therapists, specialised in identifying your skin type to help you find the right products to help you achieve a glowing and radiant complexion. Simple 4-step Skincare Routine: Step 1: Cleanse First, but most importantly, cleansing…. Choose a gentle cleanser that matches your skin type. Whether you have oily, dry, or sensitive skin, cleansing helps remove impurities, excess oil, and makeup, allowing your skin to breathe. Apply to wet hands and emulsify before applying to face and neck, avoiding mouth and eyes. Cleanse in circular motions before removing with water. Step 2: Tone Toning is often overlooked but plays a crucial role in maintaining skin balance. Look for an alcohol-free toner that soothes and hydrates your skin. Toning helps restore your skin's pH level, tightens pores, and preps your skin to better absorb serums and moisturisers. Apply the toner onto a cotton pad and gently sweep it across your face and neck. Step 3: Moisturise Hydration is key to healthy and plump skin. Choose a lightweight moisturiser suitable for your skin type. Applying moisturiser helps seal in hydration, prevents moisture loss, and maintains a radiant complexion. Massage the moisturiser gently into your face and neck using upward motions. Step 4: Protect The final and essential step is sun protection. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to shield your skin from harmful UV rays. SPF helps prevent premature aging, sunspots, and skin damage caused by the sun. Reapply SPF regularly if you are outdoors for extended periods. Bonus Tips Everybody’s skin is different. Identifying your skin’s needs is the start of your journey to clear and radiant skin. Finding the right products for your routine is important! Our simple 4-step skin care routine can be changed to adapt to suit everyone! Exfoliate Incorporate exfoliation into your routine once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells and reveal smoother, brighter skin. Hydrate Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated from within. Makeup Remover (or micellar water) Always remove makeup before following your skincare routine to allow your skin to breathe and absorb products better. This allows you to remove all makeup residue that can lay on your skin, it is important to remove this to see your skin’s best results! Makeup wipes can be harsh for your face when removing makeup, micellar water or a professional makeup remover is suggested to allow a gentle cleanse.

As the sun continues to shine brighter and temperatures continue to rise each year, it’s time to enjoy the summer in a safe manner for you and your skin! Did you know even on cloudy days, your skin can still absorb harmful UV rays which can lead to sunburn, damaged skin, and speed up the process of aging skin? Even on days like this, we recommend wearing SPF to protect your skin! This is a crucial step in skincare. Sunscreen, specifically SPF (Sun Protection Factor), becomes our trusted companion during this season, and is essential to maintaining healthy skin! But what does SPF do for my skin? Shield your skin from UV damage: The sun's rays, particularly UVA and UVB rays, can penetrate the skin and cause long-lasting damage. SPF acts as a barrier, shielding your skin from these harmful rays and minimizing the risk of sunburn, premature aging, and skin cancer. It is recommended that SPF is applied daily to ensure the protection of your skin, resulting in healthy and radiant skin! Prolonging aging skin: One of the main culprits behind aging skin is too much sun exposure. UV rays can accelerate the breakdown of collagen and elastin, leading to the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. By incorporating SPF into your skincare routine, you can slow down the aging process and maintain a youthful, radiant complexion. Reduce the risk of Skin Cancer: Skin cancer is a serious concern, and protecting your skin from UV radiation is crucial in reducing the risk. Regular application of SPF, even on cloudy days, helps safeguard against harmful UV rays and lowers the chances of developing skin cancer caused by these rays. Maintaining a healthy complexion: Sun damage can cause hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and uneven skin tone. By using SPF, you can help prevent these issues and maintain a more even and healthy complexion. SPF aids in preserving your skin's natural beauty and minimising the appearance of sunspots and discoloration.