The Basics of Daily Skincare

If you have ever walked down the skincare aisle in a large pharmacy, you've likely felt a little overwhelmed at the sheer amount of skincare products available.

Yes, even an average-sized pharmacy will probably have shelves full of various serums and creams making anti-ageing promises. From skin maintenance drops to anti-ageing creams, creating a suitable skincare regime for your unique needs can be pretty confusing. As a skincare specialist pharmacy, we often get asked what the essentials of a skincare regime are. A good daily skincare regime should be as simple as possible. Caring for your skin shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes in the morning and a couple of minutes at night. In today's blog, we want to cut through the advertisement hyperbole and suggest a basic skincare regime perfect for people of all ages and all skin types. We'll recommend some products from our skincare range to make it easier to select the right product. Morning Skincare Let's start with what you should be doing in the morning. The morning skincare regime is all about using the right products to protect skin from the stresses and strains of the day. The core three products you should be using in the morning are: Cleanser During the night, your face can pick up some impurities, including sweat residue or dead skin cells clinging to a pillowcase. Therefore it's essential to wash your face when you wake up. We recommend using a gentle, non-medical cleanser to remove impurities without drying out your skin. Our popular cleanser products include the Super Facialist Rose Hydrate Calming Creamy Cleanser or the Purete Thermal 3in1 One Step Cleanser. Cream, Serum or Oil Once you have finished using your cleanser, we recommend using either an antioxidant cream, a serum or an oil. When checking the label, look for vitamin C or E or ferulic acid ingredients. The cream, serum or oil you use should hydrate and brighten your skin and protect your face from free radicals that can damage your complexion. Some of the products we recommend for this step include the Bio health -Vitamin E Cream or the Idealia Day Cream. Sunscreen Finally, you want to protect your complexion from the sun's harmful rays. We recommend looking for a product with an SPF of at least 30. Certain facial creams and makeup contain SPF protection, so in that case, you may be able to skip the step. If not, use a sunscreen with either iron oxide or titanium dioxide. Evening Skincare Routine Finally, a good skincare regime also needs an evening routine. Makeup Remover One of the most critical steps you should take when looking to protect your skin is always to remove your makeup before bed. Unfortunately, most cleansers on their own won't remove all your makeup. So it's essential to use specific makeup-removing products like wipes, balms or micellar water. Some makeup-removing products we recommend include Ella & Jo 'Melt Away the Day' Cleansing Balm and Purete Thermale Waterproof Eye Make-up Remover. Cleanser For this step, you can use the same cleanser from your morning routine or choose a product formulated for your skin type. If your skin is acne-prone, choose a cleanser specifically designed to help prevent breakouts. Individuals in their 30s or 40s should select a product designed to help with pigmentation. Some popular evening cleanser products we sell include Ella & Jo Squeaky Clean Brush Cleanser and Purete Thermale Cleansing 3in1 Micellar Solution. Night Cream Finally, we recommend applying a night cream before you go to sleep. We recommend going for a night cream that is vitamin A based. Vitamin A helps to build new collagen making skin look and feel younger. If you think your night cream dries out your skin, we recommend combining this with a mild moisturiser. Some of the night creams we sell include Slow Age Night Cream and Mask and Superfacialist Vitamin C Sleep & Reveal Night Cream. The above is merely an introduction to a skincare regime. Of course, we always recommend experimenting with different products to find a skincare collection that suits your skin's unique needs. If you need more advice, please visit our pharmacy and speak directly to our professional and highly trained pharmacist.