How to Create a Skincare Routine: Tailored for Your Unique Skin Type

Creating a skincare routine can feel overwhelming, especially for those who are new to it. With numerous products available and various skin types, it's vital to understand how to establish a basic skincare routine that caters to your skin's unique needs. In this guide, we will break-down how to develop a simple yet effective regimen based on your specific skin type.

No matter your skin type or concern, there are three essential products that are non-negotiable when it comes to skincare: 

• A cleanser

• A moisturiser

• A sunscreen 

These three products will provide the foundations for you to build your skincare routine.

Before you dive into the world of skincare products, it’s essential to identify your skin type. Generally, skin types can be categorised as normal, dry, oily, combination, or sensitive. Engaging with your skin and recognising its needs will empower you to choose the right products and avoid potential irritations.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR SKIN TYPE

Normal Skin

Normal skin typically exhibits balanced moisture levels. It has a smooth texture, minimal blemishes, and generally healthy elasticity.

Dry Skin

Dry skin can feel tight, flaky, or rough and may exhibit redness. This skin type often lacks moisture and may benefit significantly from hydrating products. Approximately 45% of adults experience some form of dry skin.

Oily Skin

Oily skin tends to shine and is usually characterised by larger pores. It is more prone to acne due to excess sebum production, affecting about 30% of the population.

Combination Skin

Combination skin features both dry and oily areas, often showing oiliness in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and dryness elsewhere. This type affects around 50% of people.

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin can react negatively to different products, leading to redness, irritation, or itchiness. It requires gentle formulations. Reports indicate that nearly 60% of individuals consider their skin sensitive.

CLEANSERS

Cleansers are designed to remove dirt, oil, and make-up from your skin and come in many different forms; foams, creams, gels, oils, milks, bars, and powders. The type of cleanser you require will generally depend on your skin type and the skin condition you intend to treat. 

One important factor to consider when choosing a cleanser is its pH value, that is how acidic or alkaline it is. The surface of your skin has a naturally acidic pH value of between 5.4 and 5.7, although can be as low as 4.7 on untreated skin. The ideal cleanser should have a pH as similar to these values as possible and will likely be labeled as ‘pH balanced’. 

This is because cleansers with higher and more alkaline pH values can increase your skin’s pH level, damage your skin barrier, and cause irritation. A higher skin surface pH is also linked to a number of different skin conditions, including acne, eczema, and dermatitis. 

When it comes down to what type of cleanser to use, some may be better for your skin type and others may even be damaging to your skin. The best example of this would be foaming cleansers.

FOAMNING CLEANSERS

Foaming cleansers contain sulfates which are anionic surfactants that enable the cleanser to produce a lather or foam. This foaming mechanism means that sulfate-based cleansers tend to be the best at removing dirt, oil, and other debris from your skin but, as a consequence, may also strip away your natural lipids (oils) and damage your skins barrier function. 

One sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), is so good at stripping the natural lipids from the skin that it is regularly used in research studies to purposely damage skin barrier function. This enables researchers to test the effectiveness of barrier-repairing moisturisers. 

For this reason, sulfates have received a particularly bad reputation among the skincare community. However, there are many gentler sulfates available, such as sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), that are less likely to damage your skin and cause irritation. 

In addition, the skin irritation from SLS varies greatly between individuals, with some people reacting to concentrations of less than 0.1% while others showed little irritation to SLS concentrations of over 20%. 

Basically, if your skin is well hydrated and has a healthy skin barrier then sulfate-based cleansers, even those containing SLS, are unlikely to irritate. However, if you have dry or sensitive skin, which would indicate some degree of barrier damage, you are highly likely to experience irritation.

NON FOAMING CLEANSERS

There are plenty of non-foaming options available that were designed to reduce the irritation experienced with conventional detergents, as well as those that contain lipids to help hydrate your skin. These include creams, milks, and oil cleansers which may not offer enough of a ‘clean-feeling’ for oily skin types but would be well suited to dry skin types. 

While these types of cleansers, alone, may not offer sufficient cleansing for oily and acne-prone skin types, the practice of ‘double cleansing’ may. Double-cleansing describes the practice of cleansing twice with two separate cleansers, usually an oil cleanser and then a cream-based cleanser (although foam cleansers may often be used too). 

The thought of applying oil to an already oily face may seem counterintuitive and like a recipe for blocked pores and breakouts, however, it is based on the fact that molecules dissolve with other molecules that share similar characteristics. 

In other words, oil dissolves oil – so applying oils to your face may actually reduce oil production! 

In terms of skincare, there isn’t a whole lot of evidence regarding this, but a limited amount of research does seem to support the ability of facial oils to reduce oil production – for example, eucalyptus oil and argan oil. 

Double-cleansing is particularly useful for removing make-up and sunscreen. However, oil-based cleansers should be used with caution if you have pityrosporum folliculitis (a.k.a. fungal acne) as the yeast involved in this condition feeds on long-chain fatty acids, such as oleic and linoleic acids, which may be present in some oil cleansers.

WHICH CLEANSER IS RIGHT FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE?

In most cases, the type of cleanser you choose is really down to personal preference but you may want to avoid foaming cleansers if you have dry or irritated skin.

• Normal Skin – Gels, Creams, Milks, Oils, Balms.

• Oily – Foams, Gels, Oils, Balms, Creams (if Double-Cleansing).

• Combination – Gels, Milks, Oils, Balms, Creams (if Double-Cleansing).

• Dry – Creams, Milks, Oils, Balms.

• Sensitive – Creams, Milks, Gels, Oils, Balms.

Of course, this is just a guide and your skin may not fall neatly into one of these skin types. You may also want to look for certain ingredients within cleansers that can help improve the appearance of skin. For example, chemical exfoliants can be added to cleansers to help increase skin cell turnover and treat certain skin conditions, such as aging, acne, and hyperpigmentation.

A GOOD MOISTURISER

The term ‘moisturiser’ was created by marketers to describe a cream that increases skin moisture. It is not a scientific definition but is often used interchangeably with the Latin term ‘emollient’ meaning ‘a material designed to soften the skin’. However, not all moisturisers are emollients. 

A good moisturiser is a key part of any skincare routine as adequate skin hydration/moisturisation is essential for all skin types – including oily and acne-prone skin. 

Skin hydration is controlled by your ‘stratum corneum’ which is the outermost layer of your skin that keeps water within your skin and irritants and out.

The stratum corneum is said to have a ‘brick-and-mortar’ like structure where the skin cells are the bricks and the skins natural oils (lipids) are the glue-like substance that holds them together. 

Your skin cells contain natural moisturising factors (NMFs), such as lactic acid and urea, while your lipids are primarily made up of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids.

One way of increasing skin hydration is to replace any depleted NMFs and lipids to ensure optimal skin barrier function.

EMOLLIENTS

Emollients soften, smoothen, and condition skin by filling in the gaps between your skin cells and, when applied heavily enough, can also act as occlusives. Emollients are mainly oils and lipids, particularly those that are naturally present in your skin. 

Other popular emollients include aloe vera, shea butter, linoleic acid, stearic acid, and cetyl alcohol. In addition, some oils, such as mineral oil and jojoba oil, work as both emollients and occlusives.

OCCLUSIVES

Occlusives create a barrier on top of your skin which increases skin hydration by preventing the natural loss of water. The most widely used and effective occlusive agent is petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline) which can reduce the amount of water lost from your skin by more than 98% [7]. Other occlusive ingredients include lanolin, mineral oil, and silicones (e.g. dimethicone) which can reduce the amount of water lost from your skin by 20-30% [8].

HUMECTANTS

Humectants draw water from your dermis into your epidermis. In very humid environments they can also draw water from the atmosphere into your skin. 

Due to the fact that humectants draw water from your dermis, excessive use may worsen dry skin conditions. To prevent this water from being lost through your epidermis, humectants should be combined with an occlusive agent (this is particularly the case if you live in a very dry environment).

WHAT TYPE OF MOISTURISER IS RIGHT FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE?

Pretty much all skin types can use whichever type of moisturiser they please as there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to this. 

For acne-prone skin, it may be best to opt for an ‘oil-free’ moisturiser as these are free from comedogenic (pore-clogging) oils, such as mineral oil and vegetable oil, and instead include non-comedogenic ingredients and oils. 

However, it is important to note that comedogenicity ratings, and thus the system of labelling ingredients as either comedogenic or non-comedogenic, is somewhat flawed and unrepresentative of how these ingredients are typically used in skincare and skincare products. 

The majority of moisturisers that are particularly targeted toward acne-prone skin combine the humectant glycerin with the occlusive dimethicone [9], although this combination is suitable for all skin types. 

For dry and sensitive skin types, a moisturiser rich in ceramides can be particularly beneficial when combined with cholesterol and fatty acids (palmitate and linoleate). However, when used alone, both ceramides and cholesterol can actually dehydrate your skin. Luckily, most products that include ceramides are formulated with this in mind. 

The Essential Steps for Your Skincare Routine

Once you've identified your skin type, it’s time to outline a basic skincare routine. A straightforward regimen typically includes cleansing, toning, moisturising, and sun protection. Let’s delve deeper into each step tailored for various skin types.

1. Cleansing

Cleansing is the first essential step to remove dirt, makeup, and impurities. Here’s what to consider based on your skin type:

• Normal Skin: Use a gentle foaming cleanser. A product with botanical extracts can maintain balance without stripping natural oils.

• Dry Skin: Opt for a creamy, hydrating cleanser that nourishes and effectively removes skin debris. Look for ingredients like aloe vera or jojoba oil.

  
  

• Oily Skin: A gel-based cleanser with salicylic acid can help manage excess oil and prevent breakouts. For instance, a cleanser containing 2% salicylic acid is effective for many.

  
  

• Combination Skin: Use a balanced cleanser suited for both dry and oily areas. A pH-balanced formula can prevent irritation.

  
  

• Sensitive Skin: Choose a mild, fragrance-free cleanser that calms without causing reactions, such as those containing chamomile.

  
  

A gentle cleanser positioned on a minimalist bathroom countertop.

2. Toning

Toners help restore pH balance and can provide additional hydration or treatment benefits. Choose a toner based on your skin type:

• Normal Skin: A hydrating toner with botanical extracts, such as rosewater, works best.

• Dry Skin: Look for toners containing hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which help retain moisture effectively.

  
  

• Oily Skin: A toner with witch hazel may help control oil production and contains astringent properties.

  
  

• Combination Skin: A lightweight toner that addresses the varying needs across skin areas can be beneficial.

  
  

• Sensitive Skin: Find a calming toner with soothing ingredients like aloe vera or calendula.

  
  

An assortment of toners displayed in a modern bathroom cabinet.

3. Moisturising

Moisturising is essential for all skin types, helping to lock in hydration and protect the skin barrier. Here’s what to apply, depending on your skin type:

• Normal Skin: Lightweight lotions that contain antioxidants, like vitamin C, are ideal.

  
  

• Dry Skin: A rich cream enriched with ingredients like shea butter or ceramides will provide substantial hydration.

  
  

• Oily Skin: A gel-based moisturizer is perfect for hydrating without clogging pores. Look for oil-free formulas.

  
  

• Combination Skin: A non-heavy cream or lotion that balances oily and dry areas is beneficial, often labeled as “balance” moisturizers.

  
  

• Sensitive Skin: Opt for a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic moisturizer to prevent irritation and ensure comfort.

  
  

4. Sun Protection

Protecting your skin from UV damage is vital, regardless of skin type. Consider the following:

• Normal Skin: Choose a broad-spectrum SPF of at least 30 that suits your lifestyle.

  
  

• Dry Skin: Look for a moisturising sunscreen that hydrates during protection, with added ingredients like aloe.

  
  

• Oily Skin: A matte-finish sunscreen can help manage shine throughout the day, particularly those designed for oily skin.

  
  

• Combination Skin: A lightweight sunscreen that does not feel greasy on combination areas is ideal, ensuring no excess shine.

  
  

• Sensitive Skin: Mineral sunscreens, like those containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, are less likely to cause reactions.

  
  

Adjusting Your Routine with the Seasons

Remember, your skin may change with the seasons. During winter, you might need heavier moisturisation while summer may require lighter formulations or increased sun protection. For instance, combining a heavy moisturiser in January and switching to a gel-based one in July can keep your skin balanced.

Wrapping Up

Crafting a basic skincare regimen isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach; it must be tailored to your unique skin type. By identifying your skin characteristics and following these essential steps—cleansing, toning, moisturising, and protecting—you create a routine that meets your skin’s demands.

So, whether you are battling dryness, oiliness, or sensitivity, a straightforward skincare routine can nurture healthier skin. With patience and consistency, you will notice positive changes in your complexion, solidifying a lifelong skincare habit.

Incorporate these steps today and embrace the benefits of caring for your skin, exactly how it needs!

Want to discuss your skincare and discover what products actually work? Get in touch!

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