How to Build a Basic Skincare Regime
It takes just three products to get a simple and effective regime in place: a cleanser, a moisturiser and a good SPF.
What is harder, though, is wading through product reviews to find the three products that are best for you. The only two variables you need to consider are your skin type and your budget.
I’ve included my personal recommendations below, with some links. Currently I have no relationship with these brands, so I am not getting any kickbacks if you purchase them. They are just products that I’ve used and liked. If that changes (hope it does!) I will update accordingly.
Step 1: Cleanser
Cleansers might not be the most interesting products out there, but there’s no point building a regime on top of clogged skin. The good thing about cleansers is that they are usually the cheapest products in a range, and last a really long time. You don’t need to splash out for a good one.
Cleansers for Oily Skin
I’m team oily. You need to find the balance between cleansers that will keep the oil at bay, but won’t dry your skin out. Remove too much oil and your now-dry skin will overcompensate and make you greasier later.
I think there’s two ways to pinpoint cleansers that will be better for oily skin: texture, and ingredients.
In general, it’s best to avoid oil-based cleansers. Thick oils and balms could block pores and lead to more spots. Though full disclosure, I’m oily and do still use a balm – but only when I double-cleanse. More on that later.
Oily skin normally responds best to light, gel-like cleansers. Advice on this did seem to shift a bit, at least based on who I was following. I started out with a natural skincare regime, which evangelised using oils to clean oil. I used to absolutely love an oil cleanse, but the derms seem to agree that oily substances are not good for oily people. That is to say, do whatever works for you. Skincare advice evolves and is especially susceptible to fads.
In terms of ingredients, look for cleansers with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Even if you have sensitive skin this can be a great way to start incorporating these ingredients; they’re active on your skin only for a short while before you wash them off.
Here are some cleanser recommendations for my fellow grease pots. In price order.
1. Blemish Control Cleanser
CERAVE
While I don’t love CeraVe products that much – they feel a bit sad to me – they are very widely respected by dermatologists, very affordable, and usually safe for most skin types.
This particular cleanser is a powerhouse of great ingredients: ceramides to help plump up the skin and protect against ageing; salicylic acid to help regulate oil production; and niacinamide to brighten the skin. Fantastic bang for your buck, and a great option to have stashed away if you ever need to revert back to a very gentle oil-balancing routine.
2. Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser
KRAVEBEAUTY
I think it was a Hyram review that got me onto this orginally. It is so light and gentle. The combination of matcha and hemp means it’s jam-packed full of antioxidants, which will protect you against free radicals (UV, pollution etc), as well as helping to create a fighting-fit skin barrier.
When I used it years ago it had a much stronger matcha scent, which I personally love. The scent is less potent now which might be good for fragrance-sensitive folk, but I miss smelling like a green tea bag.
If it’s important to you: the brand is cruelty-free, female-owned and has strong sustainability practices. They have a very pared back range of products that are all very well formulated.
3. Exfoliating Cleanser: Normal to Oily Skin
ZO SKIN HEALTH
Price about £40 – but you’ll need to go through some sort of consultation to get it
ZO really don’t want you to be able to buy their products easily. You need.to have a consultation with an approved provider before you can access the range. I actually would never have bothered with such hard-to-buy products until they were recommended to me by a facialist at Kate Kerr.
I saw Lara Husband, who has annoyingly moved on (London’s loss is Tunbridge Wells’ gain), but the ZO products she suggested were a game-changer.
Kate Kerr’s philosophy for treating oily skin is relatively controversial. Most derms recommend gentle products, staying hydrated and minimising irritation. At Kate Kerr, though, they recommend avoiding moisturiser completely, so that your skin starts to regulate its moisture levels more reliably. They’re also quite bullish on layering up exfoliants to whip your oily skin into shape. A risky thing to do with spot-prone skin, so definitely get expert advice if you want to go down that road. It did work brilliantly for me.
Though this is the most expensive cleanser on my list, the regime I was recommended has saved me quite a bit of money. The ZO products last ages – one bottle of this cleanser lasted me a whole year. You need such a tiny amount.
Additionally, having a prescribed routine from a professional makes it easier to stop chasing after shiny/new products. Getting good skin is really quite a boring process: find the right products and use them consistently. All the product swapping I was doing before was eating into my budget as well as my results.
Ingredients-wise, this cleanser contains salicylic acid for oil control, as well as Vitamin E beads that burst as you rub them in for an antioxidant boost. Would absolutely recommend.
Cleansers for Dry Skin
I can’t really relate to the dry skin crew, unless I’ve seriously overdone it on the retinol. Like finding a cleanser for oily skin though, the key is to find something that will cleanse you without drying you out. Here you can more safely lean on heavier products like cleansing oils, balms, cold creams. Yet good quality, gentle cleansers like the Kravebeauty Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser will also work brilliantly.
Here are three new options, in price order, that would be great for dryer skin.
1. Gentle Skin Cleanser
CETAPHIL
Price: £10 at LookFantastic
I feel the same way about Cetaphil as I do about CeraVe: snore. HOWEVER it’s very reliable, and cheap as chips.
This product has niacinamide for brightening and calming skin, as well as glycerin and panthenol. They are both humectants, meaning they suck in moisture and keep it locked in the skin. They are ingredients also used to promote healing – so even if you’re not naturally a dry/flakey person, it’s another good product to keep up your sleeve if you ever go through a sensitive period.
Top tip: use a facial spray (can just be water) on top of humectants for a plump and juicy look.
2. Deep Cleansing Oil
DHC
Price: £27 at Sephora
Cleansing oils are brilliant at keeping the skin hydrated, as well as being able to dissolve makeup and SPF. This cleansing oil is made mostly from organic olives, and is a cult classic in Japan (where you can probably find it for cheaper). Grease yourself up and watch dirt and impurities disappear.
It’s a perfect product for the first step of a double cleanse. The classic Asian method is to use an oil-based cleanser like this one as the first step to remove dirt, makeup and SPF. It’s then followed by a lighter, water-based cleanser to remove the excess product and ensure your skin is completely clear.
If you’re using this, make sure to rinse your face thoroughly afterwards – for example use it before you get in the shower and steam it off. Or follow it up with a different cleanser. You don’t really want too much oil residue sitting on your skin.
3. Living Cleansing Balm
THEN I MET YOU
Price: £38 at Cult Beauty
This product is absolute heaven and will make you reconsider cleansers as the least-interesting part of your routine. It is on the more expensive side, though the tub is huge.
It’s from a Korean brand, which is its first green flag. No one is doing it like the Koreans. It was also dubbed as product of the year back in 2021 by no-nonsense skincare maven Caroline Hirons. She said “she couldn’t fault it” – which, if you’ve read Caroline’s reviews, is rare.
It also has a lovely, fresh scent. It’s made with persimmon, rosemary and grapefruit. I know lots of people are wary of fragrance, but I think a good scent really does determine whether a product feels luxury or not: this balm makes you feel like a bougie bitch.
Even if you’re sensitive to fragrance, this would be the part of your regime to incorporate it (if you want to) – the fact you’ll wash it off means you’ll be at much lower risk of irritation than with, say, a scented moisturiser.
Step 2: Moisturiser
As I said earlier, I don’t really use moisturiser that much anymore; my skin gets the moisture it needs from the serums I’ve been prescribed. For now, I’m excluding serums from this simple regime advice, but will share recommendations on that later.
If you are oily and want to buy minimal products, you could probably skip this step in the day and just use an SPF instead. You might just miss having a moisturiser at nighttime, when your skin is healing and can absorb thicker creams more easily.
Picking a moisturiser needs exactly the same logic as a cleanser: what skin type are you working with, and how much do you want to spend?
Here are three options for the two main skin types, again in price order.
Moisturisers for Oily Skin
I found this quite difficult! It’s made me realise that there aren’t many light moisturisers I’ve totally loved. I really like thick, unctuous moisturisers so I can pretend I’m a Hollywood actress in her twilight years, lathering on thick creams in her dressing room. Totally unnecessary for my skin type though.
For me, the best and lightest moisturisers come from Korea. The two Korean options I’ve given are available in the UK, but you’ll likely get better prices ordering directly from a Korean store.
1. Effaclar MAT
LA ROCHE POSAY
My only non-Korean recommendation. If you’re oily, you might want a product that mattifies your skin. I personally don’t love the feeling of being matte. It feels a bit unnatural to me. Though my insanely sweaty head does benefit from occasional shine reduction, so there is a time and a place for a product like this.
La Roche Posay is a very well respected brand amongst dermatologists, widely available, and well priced. In general most of the French pharmacy brands are a pretty safe bet. This moisturiser contains perlite, a volcanic rock that absorbs moisture and gives the mattifying effect. It also has Sebolyse to minimise the appearance of pores. If you absolutely hate being shiny, it’s a good option for you.
2. Lotus Cream
ROVECTIN
Korean moisturiser option 1/2. I’m not sure if they still do it but they used to come with a fun set of stickers so you can customise the bottle. It’s made with 75% lotus flower extract, which lightly hydrates the skin and provides some antioxidant effects. It won’t be the most exciting product in your cabinet, but it is refreshing and the price is right.
3. Midnight Blue Calming Cream
DEAR, KLAIRS
Price: £28.50 at Beauty & Seoul
Korean option 2/2. So nice and soothing. And blue! The blue pigment comes from Guaiazulene, an extract derived from camomile that is meant to soothe the skin. It additionally contains Centella Asiatica which is a very common ingredient in Korean skincare. It’s also very good for soothing the skin and calming redness. Great for everyday use, but you could keep it around for managing sunburn or bouncing back from a laser procedure.
Moisturisers for Dry Skin
Enter the luxurious formulas! There are a lot to choose from. You’re looking for heavy-hitting ingredients like peptides, ceramides, and fatty acids. Even if you’re dry, some of these might be too heavy to wear in the day – especially under makeup. If you feel like splashing out, consider a day cream and a night cream; the Korean moisturisers I recommended for oily skin would work well as day creams. If you’re on a budget, try and find one that’ll work day and night for you.
1. Lait-Crème Concentré
EMBRYOLISSE
Beloved by make-up artists (and my husband), this product is a triple-threat. You can use it as a primer, a moisturiser and a make-up remover. Very versatile product for the price. It is packed full of nutrients and fatty acids to keep your skin perky and plumped.
2. Instant Angel
DIEUX
Price: $36 – currently only available in the US, but worth getting if you can
I debated whether to include this product or not, because of its annoyingly slow arrival to the UK. But I had to. I got my hands on it once and it is a wonderful moisturiser. It’s packed full of peptides, ceramides and fatty acids – everything you need for hydrated skin and a solid skin barrier.
The brand’s co-founder, Charlotte Palermino, puts out a lot of great content. I particularly enjoyed learning about the history of vaseline and how Native Americans invented slugging. Side note: slugging is the practice of putting something occlusive, like vaseline, on top of your moisturiser. If you’re especially dry, try applying a small amount of vaseline over your moisturiser before bed – it’s insanely effective.
Dieux are very transparent about their pricing, packaging, formulations and environmental impact. It’s about as ethical as a brand can get; they’re always innovating ways to improve. And while you can’t buy their serums or moisturisers in the UK yet, you can buy their reusable eye masks which are also fantastic.
3. Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 Cream for Ageing & Dry Skin
SKINCEUTICALS
Price: £150 at Skinceuticals website; though you can probably find better deals elsewhere
The most expensive product I’ll recommend on this post, but if dryness is your issue – this could be your solution. It’s called 2:4:2 cream because of its supposedly perfect ratio of 2% pure ceramides, 4% natural cholesterol, and 2% fatty acids. It is very much formulated for mature/dry skin, so unless you’re really dry you probably only want to use this at nighttime. It has clinically proven results in aiding adjustment to retinols, so a great option if you’re using products that put a strain on your skin barrier.
What if I have normal/combination skin?
Sadly we don’t all fit into neat-and-tidy skincare categories. You’ll need to experiment. A very common type of combination skin is an oily t-zone, but dry everywhere else. In this instance I’d personally treat yourself as oily, but keep things as gentle as possible. In more advanced routines you could spot-treat the areas with different products, but, while we’re keeping to basics, you’ll definitely be able to find a single cleanser and moisturiser that works for you. Look for goldilocks products: not too heavy, not too stripping. Just right.
Step 3: SPF
I’m going to combine dry/oily recommendations now. There are mattifying SPFs for oily skin, but I honestly don’t think that’s necessary. Instead, I’d focus on working out what level of moisture works for you. If you’re quite oily an SPF might be sufficiently moisturising. It could also change over time – maybe you only need an extra layer of moisture in the winter, when your skin is dried out by cold weather and central heating.
And let’s be clear: SPF is not an optional part of the routine. Even if you’re only going outside for a few minutes. Even if it’s cloudy. Even if you’ve got dark skin that tans easily. Everyone needs to use it, every day. In my opinion a joint SPF/moisturiser isn’t a viable option, because you’ll never use enough moisturiser to give sufficient SPF coverage. You need two fingers worth of at least factor 30, and you’ll need to reapply periodically – especially if you’ve showered or swam, or (like me) sweated it all off.
Let’s also do some myth busting: there is no real evidence to suggest SPFs contain toxic, cancer-causing ingredients. What is certain is that UV rays do cause cancer, and SPF protects your skin from these rays.
There are two types of SPF: mineral and chemical. Chemical doesn’t mean “nasty”. It means that the SPF filters used in the product absorb the UV rays and deactivate them in a chemical reaction. Mineral sunscreens have ingredients that physically block the rays. That said, chemical sunscreens can be harder to tolerate for people with sensitive skin. Make your choice based on what is going to work best for your skin, and not out of fear. Be wary of anyone who advocates for “chemical free” skin products – not only is it literally impossible for anything to be chemical free, it’s also misleading that “natural” options are reliably safer and gentler. There are many dangerous, natural, chemicals out there. Arsenic, anyone?
One final point before the recommendations: SPF should be one part of your strategy for protecting your skin against sun damage. Even if you’re diligent about reapplying and reliably use the right amount, it cannot protect you from 100% of UV rays. Make sure to opt for shade when the sun is in full force, and wear things like hats and cover ups.
1. Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50
BEAUTY OF JOSEON
You’ll sense a recurring theme here: the best SPFs come from Asia. Most complaints I hear from people about sunscreen is that the texture is too thick and it makes them feel claustrophobic. The newer SPFs coming out of Korea are just like moisturisers.
What’s also great is the price: considering you need to wear this daily, and reapply regularly, it’s not the product you want to spend all your money on.
This chemical SPF has taken the world by storm and rightly so. The main ingredient is rice extract, which is great at hydrating and balancing the skin. The probiotics help increase the skin’s strength, and niacinamide helps with radiance and glow. It’s SPF 50 and broad spectrum (meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays). It really does tick all the boxes.
2. Sun Project Water Cream
THANK YOU FARMER
Price: £35 at Cult Beauty
Another great Korean product, this SPF is also factor 50, broad spectrum, and applies just like a moisturiser. It’s got hyaluronic acid for moisture, as well as skin-soothing ingredients like bamboo water and Centella Asiatica. Not much else to say – try it!
3. Queen Screen™ SPF 50+ Luminising Skinscreen
ULTRA VIOLETTE
If you’re not going to use an SPF from Asia, Australia is your next best bet. They have one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with 2/3 Ozzies getting diagnosed with some sort of skin cancer in their lifetime. Their cosmetic formulators therefore take SPFs very seriously.
Ultra Violette has a bunch of fun, catchily-named SPFs. Queen Screen is my personal favourite. Like the other two recommendations, it’s more like a moisturiser than an SPF. It leaves your skin dewey and delicious-looking. It’s got pink algae extract for firmness and reducing pigmentation, and a whole host of antioxidant protection. Side note: antioxidants and SPFs are excellent bedfellows. The SPFs either block or diffuse the UV rays, while antioxidants (like Vitamin C) help repair already-done UV damage to the skin.
How to Put Your Regime Together
Once you’ve worked out what products to try, you’ve really done the hard bit. This simple routine will take maximum 10 minutes a day.
Here’s what it could look like:
Morning:
Wash face with cleanser (or just with water if you’re pretty well cleansed from the evening before)
Moisturise (potentially skip this if you’re quite oily)
SPF (two fingers’ worth of product — about 1/2 tsp for face and neck, depending on the size of your face)
Evening
First cleanse (consider a balm or oil if you’re removing SPF/makeup)
Second cleanse (consider a water-based one for this; though do note you can double cleanse just by using the same product twice)
Moisturise (this is the time for a thicker cream if you want to use one)
