Let’s get back to basics with skincare

Be honest, are you guilty of doing this? Watching your favourite YouTube beauty guru or reading a beauty mag that recommends a skincare product that you just have to have, and then running out in a mad frenzy to buy the latest product?  Or adding a newly ‘must have’ skincare item to an already never-ending wish list? Yet deep down you know, and I’m sure your bank account does too, that you simply don’t need all the countless skincare products you lust after. So let’s breakdown what you really need to stock up on to get that glowing skin vs what you’ve been told you need.

They say you need: Day Creams. What you actually need: Just a night cream

Note to self: your skin has no idea what time of day it is. Day creams are nearly always just a lighter, less moisturizing and less hydrating version of a night cream. Companies typically take out the more emollient ingredients and add an SPF  in order to make their day creams. I suggest finding a high quality night cream you love and stick to using that all day without making that extra splurge on a day cream. And if your main reasoning for buying day creams is for the SPF element then look for a facial sunscreen, they will be much more effective against sun protection.

They say you need: Skin oils. What you actually need:  A serum

2016 has been the year of the facial oil, never have they ever received such publicity. And to be fair the hysteria surrounding facial oils is not completely misplaced as generally they do provide your skin with the nutrients that our daily moisturising creams typically neglect. However, when compared to serums, facial oils are fundamentally less effective. Serums, unlike facial oils, typically contain very high concentrations of active ingredients of antioxidants which work to brighten the skin, fight against lines and wrinkles and tighten the skin. Serums are water based which mean they have smaller molecules compared to facial oils: this allows them to penetrate the skin at a deeper level.

They say you need: Toners. What you actually need: Not a toner

Do you have large pores? If the answer is no, then stop looking for a toner because you DO NOT need one. Trust me on this one, toners typically contain relatively harsh ingredients because their main purpose really is to dry out your skin and shrink your pores in prep for moisturising and make-up. Unless you have large pores or oily skin, give this whole step a miss. Instead invest in a cleanser to do the main bulk of work in terms of prepping your skin for your moisturiser.

They say you need: A Clarisonic. What actually you need: A Clarisonic

The Clarisonic is one of the few products that deserves the hype it receives. These bad boys are expensive and require the heads to be change every 3 months. There are cheaper knockoffs out there, but trust me nothing beats a Clarisonic. It’s the one product that is a complete staple in my routine; pimples, heat rashes and blackheads are old skincare issues that I don’t have to worry about anymore. It provides deep cleansing that gets rid of makeup and dirt like no other product (and I have tried the various Clarisonic knockoffs). Whilst I was in Kenya my Clarisonic didn’t come along with me and wow did I suffer! My skin completely changed for the worst!