What products do you really need in a skincare routine?

01 Jul 2022 / Tips

Stepping into the skincare beauty space can feel instantly overwhelming. You’ll be introduced to hundreds of skincare products, and each product claims that you need them, or else your skincare routine will fail. But we’re here to tell you the truth about skincare: it doesn’t have to be complicated.

While it can take some trial and error at first, it’s possible to build a solid skincare routine with just a handful of products. Here is our guide to which products you really need to start seeing results from your skincare routine.

The Big 3 in Skincare

When it comes down to It, you technically only need three products in your skincare routine for healthy skin: a cleanser, moisturiser, and sunscreen.

Cleanser

Starting with the most basic skincare product, you should first find a cleanser that will clear away impurities and excess oil, without stripping your skin of its healthy oils. There are heaps of options for cleansers tailored to different concerns like dry skin, acne-prone skin, and sensitive skin.

Tip: If you have dry skin, you can try washing your face only at night and then rinsing your face with just water the next morning.

Moisturiser

The next skincare basic is a moisturiser, which will help keep your skin hydrated. Moistuisers are recommended for every day use, no matter your skin type. For those with oily or acne-prone skin, you may need to find lighter moisturisers, while those with dry skin should look for thicker ones.

Sunscreen

The most important step in any skincare routine is and always will be sunscreen. If you aren’t wearing sunscreen, no amount of skincare products will be able to stop your skin from premature ageing.

Tip: To simplify your routine even further, you can find moisturisers with SPF in them, instead of applying the two products separately.

Top Recommended Skincare Routine Add-Ons

Even though the above three products are your must-have basics, we also recommend adding the below products to your routine. These products work harder to reverse existing damage and give you your best skin yet.

Exfoliant

Exfoliating should be added to your skincare routine to buff away and remove dead skin cells. When shopping for an exfoliating product, choose a product that uses AHA (alpha hydroxy acids in the form of sugar, milk and fruit acids) as a topical exfoliant, rather than an actual physical scrub. Scrubs are more abrasive than AHA exfoliants and can damage your skin.

Tip: Start out only using an AHA exfoliant every couple of days. As your skin gets more used to it, start applying every day or every other day.

Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C serums are powerful products that are packed with antioxidants, give your skin an extra layer of protection from the sun, and help with collagen production. Since this is also a hydrating product, people with acne-prone skin may want to opt for a lighter Vitamin C serum made for acne-prone skin.

Retinal

For women in their mid-20’s and older, retinal (Vitamin A) should be just as essential as your cleanser, moisturiser, and sunscreen. Night creams with Vitamin A will help you combat fine lines and wrinkles, even out your skin tone, and improve your skin’s overall texture.

Tip: Apply your Vitamin C serum during the day and your retinal at nighttime – you don’t want to use these products at the same time.

Building Onto Your Everyday Routine

So, what about eye creams, toners, face masks, and all the other products on the market? These can come later once you finalise your basic, everyday routine. While they may not be considered essentials, you may come across other products that you love. We recommend just holding off on adding these additional products into the mix until you’ve figured out your everyday routine to keep things as simple as possible!

Shop with Victoria’s Cosmetic Medical Clinic

Whether in-store or online, we offer clients skincare products that have proven time and time again to be effective. Keeping things extra simple, we’ve created Victoria’s 5-Step Skincare Routines. Learn more about each of these routines below:

Victoria’s 5-Step Skincare Routine