Serums, face oils, face exfoliators, and sheet masks!

Geez, with every passing day, your skincare routine is getting lengthier. Cleansing, toning, moisturising – was it not enough for your skin?

And now beauty influencers are stressing over pre-serums! 

Do you really have to spend 30 minutes every morning and evening to get your desirable skin? Do you really need so many products? 

Well, NO!

While all these products have their own benefits, your skin can look good with only 3 essential skincare products – cleanser, moisturiser, and sunscreen.

These three oldies are the best goodies one can rely on; the rest are just bonus products.

The 3 Essential Daily Skincare Products Everyone Should Use

Cleanser: Remove Makeup, Dirt, and Impurities

Cleansers are products that never excite anyone. All they do is remove makeup and dirt from your face. But, cleansing is the foundation of a good and essential skincare routine.

Plus, who wants dirt and pollution on their face? Or to sleep with makeup only to wake up with breakouts. Moreover, what are the purposes of investing thousands in serums and makeup kits if all they do is create a thick layer of grime, dirt, and impurities on your skin?

So, if you want to have flawless skin for years long, then a cleanser is your forever companion.

The first crucial step in a basic skincare routine is finding a cleanser that is made specifically for the face rather than the body. So, how can you pick the best one?

Many products come with beads or other particles that aim to exfoliate the skin. But daily exfoliation is a nightmare for your skin, especially acne-prone skin. In fact, harsh cleansers can irritate and worsen acne, resulting in stubborn spots and redness on the face. When it comes to cleansers, keep it simple with a gentle formula.

Here is what you need to look for in everyday cleansing rituals:

Dry Skin

For dry skin, cream and oil-based cleansers work the best. These cleansers help remove impurities from your face and neck while maintaining hydration levels.

Oily Skin

For oily skin, oil-free and foaming cleansers works the best. As the skin produces excessive sebum, using an oil-free cleanser will break down dirt and remove excessive oil from the pores, giving you a fresh and smooth look.

Sensitive Skin

Since sensitive skin can cause issues like redness, inflammation, and breakouts, it is best to use mild, fragrance-free, and alcohol-free cleansers. These cleaners do not irritate the skin, and the oil present in these cleansers keeps the face hydrated.

Best Pick – CLENZ Hydrating Antioxidant Facial Cleansing Foam — $79.00 AUD

Moisturiser: Hydrate, Moisturise, and Soften

Moisturiser is your skin’s BFF. As we get older, our skin gradually loses its capacity to hold onto moisture, and routine tasks like cleansing and exfoliating can deplete the skin's natural supply of hydrators.

So, moisturiser helps to keep your skin hydrated and prevent moisture loss through the outer layers of your skin.

A good moisturiser can also be used to supplement the skin's own defense mechanism, such as ceramides and other natural oils. Moreover, this is the one product dermatologists recommend all year round for all skin types.

By using a moisturiser or face cream, you strengthen the skin's natural moisture barrier, which guards it against dryness and inflammation.

People with oily skin have a misconception that they don’t need moisturiser. But the fact is, all skin types require face cream to keep the moisture intact after cleansing. If you don't use moisturiser, your skin will keep producing excessive amounts of oil to keep the moisture barrier in place. The natural oil production of the skin can be decreased by using a non-comedogenic moisturiser.

You should keep it simple and avoid products with a long list of distinctive ingredients, just like you would with your face wash. The possibility that something in a moisturiser can irritate your skin or trigger pimples increases the more ingredients it has.

Pro tip: Apply moisturiser as soon as you finish cleaning because it works best when applied to damp skin.

Here is what you need to look for in your moisturiser:

Dry Skin

A cream-based moisturiser is ideal for dry skin. It is a thick oil-based moisturiser that keeps the skin moisturised and nourished all day.

Oily Skin

Gel-based moisturisers work best for oily skin. These are lightweight moisturisers that easily absorb into the skin.

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is prone to redness, burning, and itchiness, so beauty balms or moisturising balms are perfect to use. These are like a cream but have a bit heavier texture that lessens sebum production and maintains skin moisture.

Combination Skin

Lotions are perfect for combination skin as they easily absorb into the skin. These are lighter than creams but heavier than gel-based moisturisers.

Best Pick: MINC Natural Moisturising Zinc Sunblock 20%

Sunscreen: Prevent Sun Damage

Lastly, everyone’s favourite – Sunscreen. No matter how many steps you have in your skincare routine, sunscreen is the last and most important step regardless of age and skin type.

It shields the skin from all types of UV damage, including wrinkles, dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer. Even if you use the best skin care products available, you're wasting your money and undermining your efforts if you keep on missing sunscreen.

The sun is the main cause of accelerated ageing of the skin. And the impact isn't just cosmetic.

A sunscreen that combines chemical and physical ingredients protects from UVA and UVB radiation while often leaving no residue behind.

Chemical Sunscreen: These are the types of sunscreen that absorb UV rays that come in contact with bare skin.

Physical Sunscreen: These are also known as mineral sunscreens that reflect UV rays off the skin.

Pro Tip: Sunscreen should be applied at least 30 minutes before going outside and should be reapplied every two hours.

Here is what you need to look for in sunscreen:

Dry Skin

Cream-based sunscreen is perfect for dry skin as it provides hydrating and moisturising effects while ensuring protection from harmful UV radiation.

Oily Skin

A non-comedogenic and gel-based sunscreen is perfect for you. It helps in preventing greasiness and breakouts.

Sensitive Skin

Mineral-based and zinc-oxide sunscreen is ideal for sensitive skin as it helps to minimize inflammation and redness. In addition, these sunscreens do not cause any irritation or burning sensation.

Products You Need for Healthy Skin in the Long Term

Skin is the largest body organ made from three layers – epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. One of the most important roles of the skin is barrier function, which includes protection from UV rays, pathogens, dehydration, and environmental factors. Thus, it becomes important to nourish and protect your skin.

When it comes to protection or skincare, the first thing that comes to our mind is SKINCARE PRODUCTS. It is essential to understand which products are important for your skin. 

As we have already mentioned above, you only need three essential products for good skin. If you want healthy skin, then based on your skin issues, you can add on products like serums and face oils to protect your skin and keep it moisturised.

Best Pick: ALLEVIATE AM Anti-Aging Calming Day Repair Serum

Skin Care Items You Can Live Without

Makeup Wipes

Face wipes have been regarded for a long time as the ultimate self-indulgent trick. Keep a pack beside your bedside for simple makeup removal, as magazines love to advise. But getting a proper cleanse is sadly not that simple.

Makeup wipes can really irritate and even rip the skin when used often. Additionally, because the wipes are wet, a significant amount of alcohol and preservatives are needed to prevent mold growth, neither of which is good for sensitive skin.

Why invest in wipes, when your regular cleanser can do the same job in a better way?

Harsh Face Scrub

Years ago, granular exfoliants were a cult favourite—until customers realised that they were doing more harm than good to their skin.

Dermatologists agree that crushed walnuts should not be used for skin treatment. No matter how nice this item smells, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

Look for jojoba beads or mild grains in place of physical exfoliants if you still want the sense of being freshly buff.

Right Order to Apply Beauty Products

It's essential to apply your skin care products in the right order. The majority of us invest a lot of money and time into our skincare regimens, so why not make the most of it by following a proper skincare order? 

So, the right order to apply your skincare product is:

Morning

1. Cleanser

2. Serum (if needed)

3. Moisturiser

4. Sunscreen

Night

1. Cleanser

2. Serum (if needed)

3. Moisturiser

Why Is Your Skincare Routine's Order Important?

Sincere and significant differences can be seen in your skin depending on the order in which you apply your skincare. If you're not performing your routine in that certain order, it can be less effective overall. And why spend more money on the best items if you're not going to utilise them correctly? Nothing about it makes sense.

Applying products should generally be done from thinnest to thickest. This guarantees that the entire product spends time in touch with your skin.

Cleanser

Cleaning always comes first. Even though it seems clear, some people persist in skipping their morning cleanser. Even at night, pollutants and oil production on your skin are still possible. So it might be a great error to skip using cleanser in the morning.

Cleanse first, since the products need to be absorbed and is best on skin that is clear of dirt.

Serum (Optional)

Based on your skin issues, you can use face serums. However, vitamin C is one of the most commonly used serums in the skincare routine. Since vitamin C serum contains antioxidants that preserve the skin and fights free radical damage, you can apply it every morning.

Moisturiser

Apply moisturiser after serum to keep your skin hydrated, balanced, and beautiful. Utilise your moisturiser as an added opportunity to care for your skin. 

Sunscreen

Before applying makeup, use sunscreen first. As SPF solutions are designed to prevent UV rays from penetrating the skin.

Conclusion

Skin care is sometimes portrayed as a difficult regime requiring a lot of effort and materials. In truth, your skin doesn't necessarily require the most cutting-edge treatments and products to thrive.

All you need is sunscreen, moisturiser, and cleanser if you want to cover all your bases. Get beautiful, healthy skin by including them in your morning and evening routines.

FAQs

1. What is a must-have for skincare?

A mild face cleanser, a nourishing moisturiser, and an effective sunscreen should be part of any good skincare regimen. So if you want beautiful and healthy skin, don't neglect these measures.

2. What is the most important product in skincare?

Without a doubt, sunscreen is one of the most important skin-care products. As it will protect your skin from premature ageing, hyperpigmentation, skin cancer, and other environmental pollutants.