Building your skincare routine is often not an overnight job. You will find there are times of trial and error where you find what works for you and your skin. Once you find that magical mix of products, you’ll find the results are not too far away too. However, building a skincare routine is not a one-and-done job either. Our skin’s needs change seasonally, and so should our skincare. Caci’s National Skincare Educator, Linda Sharrem takes us through the ins and outs of building a skincare routine that fits into your daily habits, and makes it attainable to know what works for you, when you should see an expert, and how to make sure you’re making the most of your skincare routine.
There is no one-size-fits-all routine to share, but Linda, shares some tips and tricks below about how to build a good skincare routine for YOU.
We first asked Linda the basics – What are the non-negotiables to healthy skincare habits?
Be specific with your skincare choices. It is important to identify your skin goals first and what you want to achieve with your skin, then you can build your skincare routine around your skin goals. Rather than purchasing a trending product or brand, or something you heard a friend was using as this may not necessarily be what your skin needs.
More is not always better. Sometimes we think that the more we layer the more results we will get. Layering serums or more ingredients does not always produce more results – it can often cause irritation or dilute the treatment. You are better to keep it simple, stick with what your skin needs most, and focus on the ingredients working together, rather than fighting each other for the best results.
Consistency is they key – This one is a biggie! You wont see results if you are using your skincare irregularly. Having a daily routine, morning and evening gets you results, and allows your skin to reap the benefits of the ingredients and frequency of the product application. Hot tip: have your skincare easily assessable, you are more inclined to use your skincare when it is easy to access!
Your morning routine and evening routine have different functions to the skin. Your routine should reflect. Some products can be used across both AM and PM routines, but certain products can only be used at either time (e.g. retinol should not be used in the morning due to the photosensitivity against the sun). Your nighttime routine is where you get your repair, hydration feed and nourish and have the repair and detoxification. Daytime routine is about hydration protection and locking it all in, our vitamin c, and SPF is your go to. We get it some mornings can be chaos or busy to remember or have the time to have a full AM routine, our recommendation for days like this is to remember to at least use a hydrating moisturiser and SPF you want to make sure you at least do your full regime in the evening. Your night time routine is around your retinols an treatments to your skin. remember your skin at night if it lacks that nourish and rehydration your skin will wake up tired and inability to lock in and protect the hydration to your skin for your AM routine.
Work out the best times for YOU to do your skincare routine (e.g straight after the shower, when you brush your teeth) and have your skincare readily accessible. Adding on skincare habits to your existing daily habits will keep you consistent, and will feel like everyday tasks, rather than a chore to fit somewhere in the day! Additionally, have your skincare accessible and readily available. Having to hunt around and find a particular serum or moisturiser each time can lead to resentment toward the routine, and a lack of desire to commit to the full routine each day.
Good things take time.
If you are targeting specific concerns such as lines, wrinkles, pigmentation or loss of firmness for example, these results happens as your skin renews. this is why exfoliation is a great product to use in your skincare routine as it will help with your skin renewal and bring out the new cells for you to see your results.
So, we’ve got the breakdown on what is the basis of a good skincare routine, but what about some specifics? What are some product guidelines you’d recommend to those building their skincare routine?
Always prep your skin by cleansing and exfoliating appropriately (once a week), for good absorption of the rest of your skincare otherwise it will just sit on the skin surface and not reach the layers of the skin we are targeting. Additionally, having a hydrating element (e.g. moisturiser) to your routine is important as it seals in the ingredients of your serums and treatments and elevates their efficacy.
We don’t want to get too technical here – but we do feel as though it's important to note what type of cleanser, serum, moisturiser, or any kind of skincare product you should be using for your skin type and concerns. We recommend consulting with an expert in-person to discuss your skincare needs, but as a rule of thumb we think you should know:
- Choose your cleanser and moisturiser based on your skin type e.g. oily, normal, combination, dry etc.
- Choose your serums based on your skin goal / concern e.g. pigmentation, acne, scarring, uneven skin tone etc.
As you build and refine your skincare routine, remember that consistency is key to achieving long-term results. It’s also important to stay mindful of how your skin's needs to evolve throughout the year. Linda offers helpful tips here on how to adjust your skincare routine throughout the year, ensuring your skin stays balanced and glowing in every season. Check out the full blog here.
