We all like to look our best. If we had the ability to choose to have smooth, beautiful, glowing skin, we would. It’s a no-brainer. Choosing to have a solid skincare routine is certainly one of the ways to ensure that this can be achieved.

But what is a good skincare routine? Is there a one size fits all? … Unfortunately not. We all have different skin types and each skin type will need its own special and loving care. So the question is, how do I know what is good for me?

Whether you have dry, oily, combination, sensitive, or acne-prone skin, we’ll try to provide you with a basic, easy-to-understand guide on how to begin your journey into the sometimes overwhelming world of skincare products.

Any good skincare routine should combine a cleanser followed by a toner, then a serum, and lastly a moisturizer.

The cleanser you choose should be one that is tailored to your individual skin requirements. For oily / combination / acne prone skin, a good place to start would be a gel cleanser or something like Elizabeth’s Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser for combination skin to ensure not too much oil is added. If you have dry skin, something like a cleanser would be best for you. StriVectin Comforting Cleansing Cream would be ideal for this.

Next, we recommend some type of toner. There are three main categories for choosing a toner. First, if you have dry skin, a toner with little or no alcohol would be best. Alcohol can dry out your skin, so stay away from it if you can. Lancôme Tonique Confort Hydrating Toner would be something we would suggest for this. If you have oily skin, you may want to choose a toner that also exfoliates. This is due to the increased likelihood of the oil getting trapped in the pores and possibly causing breakouts. If you have combination skin then it is a bit of a judgment call, but you can go for any type of cleanser, but again, try to stay away from those that include alcohol, especially if it is a high concentration.

Then comes the serum. People may ask if it is necessary to use both a serum and a moisturizer … well, if you want the best results, then yes it is. A serum is designed to give your skin more profound benefits than a moisturizer can. They penetrate the epidermis and deliver a concentrated boost of essential nutrition to your skin. The various types of serums include brightening serums, exfoliating serums, anti-aging serums, hydrating serums, and firming serums. Depending on what you hope to achieve and what your skin needs will obviously dictate what you choose.

And finally, moisturizing. There are countless different moisturizers out there, but for simplicity, we’ve grouped them into 3 main categories. Moisturizers, Emollients and Occlusives. Simply put, moisturizers are primarily designed for people with dry skin and help seal in water to hydrate the epidermis (the top layers of the skin). To do this, they draw water from the surrounding air and draw water from the dermis (the layer below the epidermis) to hydrate the surface layers of the skin. These are also great if you have oily skin but still want to hydrate it, as they won’t add any excess oil to your skin. Emollients are great because they replicate the action of the oils found naturally in your skin. It can also help reduce the amount of insensitive fluid loss (we all lose an indeterminate amount of water each day, partially through the spaces between skin cells) by filling in the spaces between skin cells. Last on our list are plosives. They are designed for extremely dry skin or for people with conditions such as eczema. They create a physical barrier between your skin and its surroundings, sealing in moisture and protecting from further water loss. Understandably, they are very thick compared to other moisturizers.

Whatever your skincare needs, we hope you find what you are looking for. Never be afraid to ask the experts who work in beauty departments for help, that’s what they are for and I’m sure they will be happy to help you.