At some point in the last decade, skincare became a hobby. That is not a bad thing — understanding what you put on your face is useful — but the hobby has a habit of escalating. Serums layered on serums, acids on retinoids, routines that take longer than breakfast. For many people, the result is not better skin but irritated skin.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a skin condition, speak to a dermatologist.
The basics do most of the work
For most skin types, three things do the heavy lifting: a gentle cleanser, a moisturiser suited to your skin, and daily sun protection. Everything else is optional. That is not a fashionable thing to say in a category built on novelty, but it is consistent with what dermatologists have been saying for years.
Add one thing at a time
If you want to use an active ingredient — a retinoid, an exfoliating acid, vitamin C — introduce it alone and give it several weeks before judging. Layering several new products at once makes it impossible to tell what is helping and what is causing trouble.
Fewer products, better habits
The shortest routines tend to be the most consistent ones, and consistency matters more than any single ingredient. A simple routine you follow every day will do more than a complicated one you abandon after a fortnight.
