If you’re the type of person whose skincare regime stretches as far as using a bar of soap and flannel, we're here to level it up and guide you through the basics of starting your own skincare routine.

For many of us, the idea of adding a new habit into our daily lives can be a challenge, but keeping your skin healthy and protected shouldn’t feel like an unnecessary step. We totally get it, that trusty old bar of soap is always floating around in the shower and investing in skincare products can seem confusing. There is a bewildering amount to choose from out there, where do you start? We’re keeping it #basic by breaking it down into the 3 steps synonymous with a simplified skincare routine and offering a little guidance for each.

The 3 steps are:

CLEANSE - washing your face
TONE - ‘rebalancing’ the skin before hydration
MOISTURISE - hydrating and softening the skin

The aim for anyone looking to start a skincare routine is to fortify the skin and make sure it’s functioning at its best and what better place to start than at the beginning?

Every skincare routine should start with washing your face. Think of it as an artist laying their canvas down to paint or a carpenter sanding a piece of furniture before it’s stained. To prepare the skin for steps 2 and 3 starting with a clean face should be your first priority. Using a cleanser twice daily to wash your face assists in a couple of ways. Cleansing in the morning is essential to remove the dead skin cells and debris your face has shed during sleep. At night, it aids in removing any clogged pores that are holding onto makeup or dirt that has built up on your face during the day. You might not be able to see it, but trust us, it’s there.

How to cleanse:

Add a generous amount of cleanser to the palm of your hand (about the size of a large coin). Lather the cleanser by rubbing your hands together then gently massage onto the cheeks, forehead, nose, chin and neck. Rinse it off with warm water. Don’t make the water too hot as it can lead to drying out the skin and can heighten skin sensitivity.

Cleansers to try:

Next up in your journey toward starting a skincare routine is using a toner. There are a number of benefits to using a toner. Firstly, it aids in completing the cleansing process by ‘rebalancing’ the skin without stripping it of all of its natural oils and protective barriers (we could go into discussing acid mantles and pH levels but remember, we’re keeping it #basic). Most importantly, It prepares the skin to receive the 3rd step of your new skincare routine, moisturiser. Toning once again should be done twice daily after cleansing, just think of Toner as the bridge between cleaning the face and hydrating it.

How to tone:

After you’ve rinsed the cleanser off your face, into clean hands shake a small pool of toner and pat onto the skin. The most common method of applying toner is usually with a cotton pad but by using your hands you aren’t losing a lot of the product that the cotton pad soaks up.

Toners to try:

The last step in working toward building your new skincare routine is to moisturise. Hydrating the skin is something not to be skipped, no matter what your ‘skin type’ might be. It doesn’t matter if your skin is dry, oily or a combination of both. Moisturiser is definitely going to be your skin's new bestie. Giving your skin added moisture helps to prevent it from drying out, keeping it feeling soft and smooth throughout the day.

A pro tip when selecting a moisturiser is to choose one with added SPF protection. The sun is harsh and protecting your skin from UVA and UVB rays is a total bonus.

How to moisturise:

Every moisturiser is a little different, so it pays to have a quick read of the package instructions. In most cases, applying a pea-sized drop onto your finger then applying it all over the face and massaging it in with your fingertips is usual practice (don’t skip bringing some down and rubbing it into the neck too).

Moisturisers to try:

Once you’ve mastered the 3 steps of a basic skincare routine, why not add in an additional product or 2 to target specific areas of concern or just give your skin a little reward for all the hard work it has to do.

Exfoliating twice a week helps to remove any stubborn dead skin cells or dirt from your pores. Exfoliate after your cleansing step for an extra deep clean.

Using a masque feels like a little bit of luxury and is a total treat for the skin.

Think of serums like concentrated skin allies. They’re packed with active ingredients and can help target specific areas of concern.