Talking about the most basic of the basics, you really only need four things in your skincare routine. A cleanser, toner, moisturiser and sunscreen! That is as basic as you can get while still protecting your skin. Sometimes, less is more, so the least products you use just might be the cure for you! Even if you’re skincare routine contains tons of products, sometimes you just don’t see any results. If nothing is working out, there’s no harm in going back to the basics! At Beauty Insider, we are going to show you just how basic your skincare routine can get. 

How Many Products For A Basic Skincare Routine?

Now, the question is how much is too much? Honestly in the world of skincare, it all depends on your skin! If it works for you, by all means, go for it. If it doesn’t, then the search continues! We typically never rest until we find the products right for us. The amount of times I’ve had to change my whole routine or products is insane! So, in our books, the most basic skincare routine consists of four main steps. Number 1, cleanse. Secondly, tone. Third of all, moisturise. Lastly, apply sunscreen for protection against the sun!  Easy enough right? Not only does this minimise the number of products you need, but it also saves you time when doing your routine. 

When To Do Your Skincare Routine

The best times to do your skincare routine is in the morning and at night. Twice a day is just right! Some people have different skincare routines for their AM and PM routine. But, for the beginners out there that are just getting into skincare seriously, don’t worry about it. Since there is technically no sun at night, you can actually skip the sunscreen part. The moisturiser can be the last step in your nighttime routine. But, whenever you step out of the house, during daylight hours, remember to put on sunscreen! If your moisturiser contains SPF, it is also easy to incorporate, meaning one less step for you. Applying sunscreen has benefits to help slow down the skin’s ageing and appearance of fine lines. So, if you want to stay youthful, start taking care of your skin now! 

The Different Skin Types

Everybody has a different skin type. Some products that work for others, might not work for you. That is why it is a constant struggle for some to find products that work for them. If you don’t know what skin type you have, just keep reading! You might also have a combination of a few skin types.

Normal Skin

If you want to know if you have a normal skin type, you can probably tell right away. Your skin is less likely to be prone to acne. It also has a regular, clean texture with nearly zero imperfections. Let’s just say that for those that have normal skin, it is truly a blessing! Your skin is usually not very dry and not very oily. Thus, no special care is needed!

Oily Skin

For those with oily skin, it can usually be associated with acne-prone skin as well. Your skin may appear shinier and brighter. This can be caused by the excessive production of fat and sebum. The excess of fats could be due to the sebaceous glands. Oily skin can also be due to hormonal causes as well. 

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is well, more fragile. It’s also easily irritating and this can be caused by a number of different ingredients in products. Sensitive skin also reacts more to stimuli compared to those with normal skin types. If you feel tightness, itching and redness on your skin, it may be signs of sensitive skin. This happens because the skin loses its protective barrier. Thus, it makes it easier for irritating substances and microorganisms to enter the skin. 

Combination Skin 

Noticing that your T-zone is oily while your cheeks aren’t are signs that you have combination skin. Or maybe you have other parts of your skin feeling oily, dry or more sensitive than others. This is because the sebaceous and sweat glands do not distribute properly and are not homogeneous.

Dry Skin

The causes of dry skin are typically externally factors such as the weather. Low humidity in the air and long time immersion under hot water can also cause dry skin. Sometimes, dry skin is temporary but for others, it is not. Dry skin is prone to cracking which could lead to bacteria entering the skin. Dry skin can also cause other skin conditions such as eczema. Roughness, tightness and small cracks could be signs of dry skin. 

Which Skincare Product First?

For beginners, you might get confused about which products to apply first. It can be confusing as to what the difference between a serum and toner is. Fret not, as this basic skincare routine is easy even for beginners to grasp. It’s as easy as one, two, three! Well, four technically if you count the sunscreen. There are multiple skincare brands out there such as CeraVe, The Ordinary, The Inkey List and so much more! Plenty for you to find the one that fits you perfectly.

Four Steps Of A Basic Skincare Routine

First, cleanse your face as part of your AM skincare routine and PM skincare routine. If you’ve just gone through a workout, remember to cleanse as well to prevent clogged pores. To find a suitable cleanser for yourself, you have to understand your skin type first. Cleansing helps get rid of dead skin cells and build-ups of makeup, dirt and oils. There are also a bunch of different cleansers for your different skin types!

Second, it’s time to tone after you have cleansed. Using a toner can help to hydrate the skin and better absorb other products you will put on. As it replenishes your skin with nutrients, it also balances your complexion. Some toners have exfoliating features, which is best used at night or every other day. For beginners, just stick to a normal non-exfoliating toner first. 

Next up, you should moisturise your skin. If you’re doing your nighttime routine, you can stop here. This would be your last step. For those doing their morning routine, this not your last step. So keep reading! Moisturisers help to hydrate your skin and replenish the water loss by the skin. Just because you have oily or combination skin, it doesn’t mean that you should skip out on moisturising! Your skin needs it even if you don’t think it does. Without moisture, it can actually make your skin even oilier. 

Last but not least, it’s time to apply a coat of sunscreen! The use of sunscreen actually has the benefit to help reduce the risk of getting skin cancer. It also helps prevent photoaging, such as wrinkles and dark spots. Sunscreen or moisturisers with SPF30 is just about right to shield you from the harms of the sun. 

Expanding Your Skincare Routine

Now that you have your basic skincare routine, you can start adding the products you need into it. Stopping here, that is totally fine. If a simple routine works for you then it is more than enough. Go ahead and add serums to brighten your skin or topical creams to combat acne, you can do so slowly. Maybe test out one product at a time, so that you know what works and what doesn’t. If you try using a ton of different and new products at the same time, you won’t know what’s causing you irritation!