Self-love comes in many shapes and forms. You can read, make time for friends, or learn to say no to things that just aren’t right for you at that moment, there is no right and wrong journey to self-love.

Self-love is all about learning to your own self-worth and being kind to yourself, which can also mean looking after the skin you’re in. We believe that looking after your physical self comes hand in hand with looking after your mental health, and it’s also just nice to take a few minutes to pamper yourself in the most basic way.

This time we really mean the ‘skin you’re in’ because proper skincare is vital as it’s the largest barrier against infection that we have. Your skin constantly works hard to keep you healthy, and it’s there for the long run, so we came up with a few simple but effective steps to healthier and well looked after skin. 

Step 1 Cleanse

A good idea to start to prep the skin on your face in the morning is to wash with a very mild cleanser, to just remove any bacteria that could have built up overnight, and this gets our skin fresh and ready for the next steps.

It’s important to check what sort of cleanser you’re using, as a lot of people like the idea of a tight clean face, but actually cleansers that leave your face with that tight feeling are typically too harsh, they not only get rid of unwanted oils, and bacteria but also the healthy oils that your skin needs to stay hydrated. Washing your face can actually be the number one culprit for dry skin.

*TOP TIP* - Look for hydrating cleansers if you already have a dry/normal skin type.

Step 2 Exfoliate

We all have different skin types, there is definitely no one size fits all, so it’s very important that when you are looking for the right steps and products for your skin you look for something that’s right for you! (We know your friend recommended it and her skin is glowing, but they may not have started with the same skin type.)

Exfoliation is the little step that removes all the dead skin cells from your face, as we said earlier, your skin works hard, and is actively producing new skin, although your body is used to this process, and does a great job on its own, there is no reason why we can’t lead a hand for a smoother process as dead skin can sometimes be the cause of rougher looking skin texture, and also clog pores and lead to acne and pimples, or even dark spots and uneven skin tone.

There are 3 types of exfoliation. Physical exfoliation is the one most of us know well, it’s those scrubs with little bits in them, it’s the sonic brush etc. Those tend to cause microtears in the skin that we believe to be good for the skin to kick start regeneration, but… in the long term not so great, it can damage skin very quickly, without you realising. The only skin type we would recommend this for is very oily skin.

Chemical exfoliation is the next one. Chemical, it sounds daunting, but can actually be the gentlest of all exfoliation techniques. When looking for a chemical exfoliator it’s also important to again look for a product that matches your skin type and do your research.

The enzymatic exfoliator is the final kind, and also a very gentle exfoliator, it’s also a is a type of chemical exfoliation that breaks down the "glue" that holds dead, dulling skin cells together.

It’s completely up to you to do what feels right on your skin, just keep in mind all skincare products take time and routine to benefit your skin, instant results are not always the best in the long run!

Step 3 The Extras (Active skincare ingredients)  

There are many different products out there, and because your skincare routine is a moment to yourself, it can be fun, to search for the little extras, that make you feel extra good in your skin - treat yourself.

Always do your research as not all ingredients are good together, and also over-layering can be tricky, but an example of a good addition to your skincare routine is Vitamin C for brightening skin, and combating negative effects of UV skin damage, though please note that it can be a hard ingredient to stabilize, and doesn’t have the longest shelf life.

Step 4 Moisturiser

Skincare is tricky, this is because like we touched on before, there is no one moisturiser for everyone. It’s so important to learn your skin type when buying any product, or you could be on your way to a slippery slope and we want this to be a fun, pampering moment to yourself that makes you and your skin feel amazing.

Once you know what’s right for you, you can start to choose. Though there are some ingredients you should steer away from when putting on your face such as Alcohol. Alcohol is a dehydrating ingredient and can cause sensitivity. So be cautious when approaching products.

Trans Epidermal Water Loss is hydration and water naturally leaving our skin, this can lead to dehydrated skin, ageing, fine lines and other little things. So moisturising is the step you take to lock in water and keep your skin feeling fresh, and firm.

If you have oily skin you will benefit from a gel or water-based moisturiser, very lightweight and easily absorbed.

For combination skin gel to cream moisturisers are a good choice.

Then of course there are heavy creams for people who tend to have dry skin, they are intense hydrators, and will work so well to deliver you all the hydration you need.

*TOP TIP* There are day and night moisturizers, which may be something you would want to look into if you want to hydrate intensely but don’t want to look too oily during the day, and also don’t forget to apply to your neck!

 Step 5 Sunscreen

This is THE most important step in your skincare routine. Something people may not be aware of is 90% of premature ageing is due to sun exposure.  There are various different types of sunscreen, so if you aren’t a fan of the icky feeling, and have found that regular holiday sunscreen make you breakout or just haven’t been kind to your skin do a bit of research as there are sunscreens out there that are much more lightweight and absolutely fine under makeup.

For your face you should really be aiming for something higher than 25 SPF.

*TOP TIP* Sunscreen can be harder to spread on the face, it’s important to do this as gently as possible, and not mix with moisturisers or oils, as this weakens your sunscreens potency.

Ultimately, your skin is very important to your overall wellbeing, and if we can take a moment to pamper ourselves whilst also doing our bit to keep ourselves healthy and growing then we’re heading in a great direction