Essential Skincare Series- Part 1
The idea behind the Essential Skincare Series is to provide people with the basic principles behind healthy, radiant skin. Skincare is far from a one size fits all approach, however there are some fundamental elements that most, if not all people should follow. Remember formulation is extremely important in skincare, just because the £10.00 cream you bought from Boots contains retinol does not mean it will be as effective as the Obagi Retinol 1.0, for example. So, whilst I wont go into the differences between brands (come see me for a consultation if you want to know more), I will discuss what key stages you should be incorporating into your routine.
Number one has to be cleanser. This is an absolute non-negotiable, WASH YOUR FACE TWICE DAILY! Your evening cleanse is arguably the most important, as this is where you will remove makeup, oil, dirt and pollution from your skin. It’s a no brainer right? If you can, remove your makeup with an oil or a balm first (not suitable for oily/ acne/ blemish prone skin), and then wash your face. Just washing your face twice is also absolutely fine. Firstly to remove makeup and secondly to clean your skin.
You should also wash your face in the morning. I’ve had people tell me they just splash their face with water in the morning, and my advice to them is to start cleansing in the AM. Your sebum glands are still producing oil while you sleep and, more importantly, your skin cell turnover (the process of shedding ‘dead’ skin cells and replacing them with new ones) is at its peak at nighttime. Therefore you really want to be washing your face in the morning to help exfoliate these dead cells off to reveal the lovely, radiant healthy new ones underneath.
Your cleanser (as well as your moisturiser) are inactive skincare ingredients, and should be tailored to your skin type (oily, dry, combination etc). I usually prefer a gentle cleanser, that removes impurities but doesn’t strip the skin, which can lead to impaired skin barrier function. If you have very dry skin then I am likely going to recommend an oily/cream/ milky cleanser however, if you have an oilier skin type then I am more likely to recommend a gentle foaming cleanser to remove excess surface oil without stripping the skin. I’m not overly a fan of cleansers that contain active ingredients such as Salicylic Acid, unless my patient has very oily skin.
If you have a particular skin concern or maybe you need help finding the right skincare for you, then get in touch to book your skin consultation with Natalie, Dermatology nurse and skin specialist.
