Skincare for glowing skin

What should you use in the morning?

1. 1Cleanse gently. Wet your face with warm water, massage a mild cleanser with your fingertips, rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a clean towel. Do not scrub or rub.
2. 2Apply moisturizer. Choose a fragrance free product, especially if your skin is sensitive. Regular moisturizing helps relieve dryness and itchiness.
3. 3Apply sunscreen before going outdoors. Look for broad spectrum protection, SPF 30 or higher and water resistance. Cover exposed areas, including your face, neck and ears.

Washing when you wake up, before bed and after sweating is general guidance. If your skin is dry or sensitive, washing just once in the evening can be enough. More vigorous washing is not the answer to dullness or breakouts: scrubbing irritates skin and can worsen acne.13

What should you use at night?

1. 1Remove makeup if you wear it. A makeup remover can help because a cleanser alone does not always remove everything. Options include micellar water and cleansing balms.
2. 2Wash with a gentle cleanser suited to your skin type. Evening cleansing removes makeup residue and the dirt that has settled on your face during the day.
3. 3Apply moisturizer. After a shower, apply moisturizer within three minutes to help lock in water and keep skin hydrated.

Toner is optional, despite having a name that sounds like an assigned task. It can help remove leftover dirt or makeup, particularly for oily skin. Alcohol based toners can strip natural oils and cause dryness or irritation.2

Which ingredients help with dryness and texture?

Ceramides help keep skin hydrated. Hyaluronic acid can improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines. These are useful ingredients to look for when dryness is your main concern. As skin ages, its oil glands become less active, making dryness, sensitivity and irritation more likely; moisturizer helps keep skin soft and healthy.15

Do you need vitamin C or exfoliating acids?

An antioxidant serum or cream is an optional morning step after cleansing and before sunscreen. Vitamin C helps protect against free radicals, molecules that can damage skin, and supports collagen production. Vitamin E helps skin retain moisture. Neither replaces sunscreen. For adults concerned about pigmentation, a cleanser containing glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid, can help brighten skin and reduce pigmentation.2

Choose ingredients for your actual concern rather than price or marketing claims. "Natural" does not mean a product cannot cause an allergic reaction.2

How do you protect the results?

Sunscreen helps slow skin aging, and UVA exposure through windows can contribute to dullness and pigmentation. Broad spectrum means protection against both UVA and UVB. On UK sunscreen labels, look for SPF 30 or higher and at least four star UVA protection; a UVA symbol inside a circle indicates the EU standard.345

Apply sunscreen generously: a thin layer gives less protection. Reapply every two hours outdoors and straight after swimming, sweating or towel drying, even with water resistant sunscreen. If you expect enough sun exposure to risk burning, apply sunscreen 30 minutes before leaving and again just before going out. Check its expiry date, and use shade, clothing and a hat as well.4

A tan is not a healthy shortcut to glowing skin. Tanning outdoors or indoors increases skin cancer risk and prematurely ages skin. If you want a tanned appearance, use self tanner and continue protecting your skin from the sun.3

How do you avoid irritation?

Introduce one new product at a time. For sensitive skin, try a small amount on a limited area before using it across your face. Choose fragrance free products because added fragrance can trigger irritation or allergic reactions. If a new routine causes irritation, cut back on products; seek a dermatologist's help if simplifying the routine does not improve the problem.15

For tweens and teens, focus on gentle cleansing, moisturizer and sunscreen rather than adult brightening treatments. Retinol, vitamin C and exfoliating acids can cause redness, burning or peeling in young skin. A dermatologist can advise when an acne treatment such as a retinoid or salicylic acid is appropriate. Seek help if breakouts leave dark marks or scars, or do not improve after a few months of treatment.1

What else affects how skin looks?

Get enough sleep, manage stress and eat a balanced diet alongside your skincare routine. Smoking speeds skin aging and delays wound healing. Leave pimples alone: squeezing can introduce infection, worsen inflammation and lead to more scarring. A spot that changes, itches or bleeds needs a dermatologist's assessment, not another brightening product.235