Dermatologist skincare tips

What order should you use skincare in?

1. 1Cleanse first. Wet your face, gently massage cleanser with your hands, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Use warm water rather than scrubbing with a cloth.
2. 2Apply a treatment if you need one. A morning serum or an acne spot treatment goes after cleansing. Use only one serum at a time.
3. 3Apply moisturizer morning and evening. Moisturizer helps hold water in the skin and reduces water loss.
4. 4Finish your morning routine with sunscreen. Sunscreen is not needed at night.

Morning and evening cleansing is a common starting point, but dry or sensitive skin can need less washing. For dry or sensitive tweens, washing only in the evening can be sufficient. Overwashing removes surface oils and increases water loss, leaving skin dry or irritated. More washing is not the answer to acne.134

Choose products for how your skin behaves

To get a rough sense of your skin type, wash your face, pat dry and wait an hour. Press a tissue against your forehead, cheeks, chin and nose. Tightness or flaking without oily residue suggests dry skin. Shine and oily residue suggest oily skin. An oily forehead, nose and chin with normal or dry cheeks suggests combination skin. Skin that stings easily, especially during cleansing, is sensitive.3

Choose a gentle cleanser rather than an abrasive scrub. Synthetic detergent cleansers, sometimes called syndets, generally cause less dryness and irritation than traditional alkaline soap. For acne, look for labels such as oil free and noncomedogenic, meaning designed not to clog pores. Hypoallergenic cleansers can still irritate. A cleanser can cost more while using ingredients similar to a cheaper one, so the price tag is not a qualification.3

Choose fragrance free moisturizer, especially for sensitive skin. Added fragrance can trigger irritation or allergic reactions. Ceramides help keep skin hydrated. Apply body moisturizer within three minutes of leaving the shower to help hold in water. Skin often becomes drier with age as oil glands become less active.14

How do you get sunscreen right?

Choose SPF 30 or higher with broad spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays. On UK labels, look for at least four stars for UVA protection; a circled UVA mark indicates the EU standard. Check the expiry date. Use water resistant sunscreen when swimming or sweating. Cloudy weather does not eliminate sunburn risk, and people of every skin tone can get skin cancer.5

1. 1Cover all exposed skin, including your face, neck and ears. Adults covering their whole body should aim for around 6 to 8 teaspoons.
2. 2If you will be outside long enough to risk burning, apply sunscreen 30 minutes before leaving and again just before going out.
3. 3Reapply every two hours outdoors, following the product instructions. Reapply straight after swimming, towel drying or sweating, even with water resistant sunscreen.
4. 4Use shade, clothing, a hat and sunglasses as well. In the UK, the strongest sun is generally between 11am and 3pm from March to October.

Applying sunscreen too thinly reduces protection. Do not use sunscreen as permission to stay outside longer. Avoid sunbeds: concentrated UV exposure increases the risks of skin cancer, premature skin ageing and eye irritation.5

Which extra products are worth adding?

Serums and toners are optional, which is useful news for a bathroom shelf already applying for planning permission. For adults, vitamin C can help reduce dark spots and support sun protection, but it never replaces sunscreen. Retinol and retinoids, ingredients derived from vitamin A, can help with acne, fine lines and dark spots. Use them at night before moisturizer. Toners can dry or irritate sensitive skin; adding one is not a requirement.2

Introduce one new product at a time. If you have sensitive skin, try a small amount on a limited area before applying it across your face. Avoid combining an acne cleanser with leave on acne treatments without considering the extra irritation: too much treatment can cause excessive dryness.13

What should tweens and teens use?

Tweens should start with a gentle cleanser, fragrance free moisturizer and daily sunscreen. Adult routines targeting wrinkles or sun damage are not appropriate: retinol, vitamin C and exfoliating acids can cause redness, burning or peeling in young skin. Teenagers with acne can benefit from benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, but both can cause dryness and irritation. Keep moisturizer and sunscreen in the routine. A dermatologist can decide whether a retinoid or salicylic acid is appropriate for a particular child.1

Do not scrub or squeeze acne

Acne is largely driven by hormones or genetics, not poor hygiene. Benzoyl peroxide targets acne causing bacteria, while adapalene helps keep pores clear. Squeezing pimples can worsen inflammation, introduce infection and increase scarring. For teens, arrange a dermatology appointment if acne leaves dark marks or scars, or has not improved after a few months of treatment bought without a prescription.14

Look after more than your face

A daily shower helps rinse away allergens. Avoid overly hot water and choose a body wash without fragrance. For sensitive or eczema prone skin, soap only needs to go on the face, armpits and groin; normal skin can tolerate soap elsewhere. If you shower more than once daily, use soap only once to reduce drying. Avoid heavily fragranced bubble baths, and rinse afterward if you use bubbles or a bath bomb.6

Wash makeup brushes every 7 to 10 days to remove harmful bacteria and protect your skin.7

When should you stop a product or see a dermatologist?

Stop a product that causes irritation and arrange a dermatology appointment. If cutting back products does not improve a flare, seek medical attention rather than adding more treatments.24

Check your skin monthly. Look for new growths and spots changing in size, shape or colour, uneven borders or halves that do not match. Have an itching, bleeding or growing mole evaluated. Report new or changing growths to your doctor promptly. Seek medical help for sunburn that causes severe swelling, blisters or feeling unwell.45