Turns out there can be too much of a good thing. That's why we've teamed up with Skingrediets to not only give your skincare routine a minimalist makeover but to also give one lucky Irish Tatler reader the chance to win the Skingredients Core 4 Bundle.
As a skincare fanatic, I've lost count of how many times I've bought a new moisturiser, cleanser or serum because I've been sucked in by the label. You know the ones, they promise smoother, firmer, more radiant skin and come in millenial-friendly packaging that speaks to my gullible soul. Gullible or not, it's difficult not to be swayed by a 'magic' ingredient such as sulphur, CBD, mushrooms or something that contains 12 letters that you haven't the first clue on how to pronounce. But no matter how excited I am to get my hands on the latest skincare launch, I always end up dropping the product within the space of a few weeks. Why? Because more often than not, my skin has become red, flaky, uneven and generally unhappy.
If you're in the same boat, you might think you have sensitive skin and therefore gravitate towards simpler, bland cleansers, moisturisers and serums that have the words 'gentle' plastered on the label. But according to the experts, angry skin reactions like this might not mean you have sensitive skin at all. In fact, you're likely using too many products.
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Overloading your skin with too many products can have an adverse effect to what you’d hoped for. This is particularly the case if you’re using too many actives (or active ingredients), such as retinoids or AHAs, which target specific concerns. "Your skincare regime need only comprise of the following four steps: cleanser, vitamin A serum, an antioxidant serum and a broad-spectrum SPF" says Jennifer Rock, CEO and founder of The Skin Nerd, award-winning dermal facialist, skincare trainer, and bestselling author. "That is it. No eye creams, no masques, no moisturisers. Feel free to add them on, but they are not absolute necessities."
Because so many of us now have skin that regularly feels the way we do on a Wednesday evening (read: burnt the eff out), it’s hardly a surprise that terms like “#skipcare” and “#skincarediet” have started to become common fixtures on our Instagram feeds. But rather than skipping out on skincare completely (that's not wise either), Rock advises a 'back to basics' approach. "We don't let our clients buy anything before they've got the core right. It's kind of like buying a coat before you have your undergarments on!" And only once you've truly mastered these core steps should you start thinking about additional treatments and products, such as sheet masks, eye creams or peels, she adds.
If, like me, you've spent the past four years believing you need 11 skincare products to achieve healthy, glowy skin, you're probably in a state of shock, disbelief but above all else, confusion. So, I got Rock to spell it out for me. Keep scrolling for the absolute basic skincare routine you need to nail down before you even say the words chemical peel.
STEP ONE: DOUBLE CLEANSE
First things first: cleanse, always.
Even if you don't wear makeup and even if you cleansed last night you need to cleanse your face both in the morning and at night. But don't stop there, once you've cleansed your face - cleanse again. "Contrary to the beliefs of some, double cleansing is not just a marketing ploy so long as you are using the right cleansers that work to assist your skin," says Rock. "To use an outdated analogy, you wouldn’t wax your car without making sure it was totally clean first. If you are using serums, moisturisers, night creams and eye creams, the first part of your routine should be the double cleanse - no excuses."
All it involves is using one cleansing product to remove your makeup and then following up with a cleanser that either nourishes or treats your skin. It's that simple.
THE PRODUCTS TO TRY:
step two: hydrate
Next up, it’s important to keep your skin hydrated whether your skin feels oily or dry.
"Skin Veg is the one that I need you to fall in love with. There really is genuinely nothing else on the market like it," says Rock. "This serum can help to brighten and hydrate the skin and also provide antioxidant protection with real veggie extracts like broccoli, tomato and radish root."
Apply post-cleansing for a shot of dewy plumpness.
PRODUCT TO TRY:
Skin Veg, €42, Skingredients
Step three: serum
To round out your routine, you’ll need to feed your skin essential nutrients. Think a vitamin-rich serum which will act as a multivitamin for your face. "Topical vitamin A, known in skincare as retinyl palmitate or retinol, works to repair, rejuvenate and restore your skin all at the same time. It has the power to help to speed up skin cell turnover, prompt the skin to make more collagen (aka the protein that helps to keep the skin firm), repair damage to skin cell DNA and protect it from further damage due to its antioxidant qualities," explains Rock. "I am not exaggerating, this one ingredient can help with pigmentation, lines, wrinkles, skin dehydration, congestion, acne, dullness, dryness…you name it, it does it."
This form of vitamin A converts to retinol within the skin, meaning that you don’t experience the irritation that you may see with pure retinol. "What about vitamin C?", we hear you cry. Well, don't fret - Jennifer has you covered there as Skingredient's Skin Protein doesn't just contain vitamin A - it has vitamin C and E plus, it's packed full of good fats and it has clinical ingredients with peptides and it helps stimulate collagen and elastin. It’s the most reparative, anti-ageing, results-driven product we've ever tried.
THE PRODUCTS TO TRY:
Skin Protein, €42, Skingredients
step four: spf
Surely, you know by now that not wearing SPF daily is an absolute skin sin.
But just in case you're unclear: "even though many protect themselves from the sunshine UVB rays in the summer months, many neglect to wear an SPF the rest of the time, even though UVA rays can get to us through clouds and even windows. These UVA rays cause damage to the skin and make our skin age faster," explains Rock.
Wearing a broad-spectrum SPF daily helps to protect our skin from these UVA rays meaning SPF is your key anti-ageing product.
THE PRODUCT TO TRY:
Skin Shield SPF 50 PA+++, €42, Skingredients
That's it, that's the only skincare routine you need for healthier, more radiant skin.
And now you've learned the absolute skincare basics, wouldn't it be nice to have some products to go along with it? That's why we've teamed up with Skingredients to give one lucky Irish Tatler reader the chance to win the Skingredients Core 4 bundle worth €140.
To be in the chance of winning the Skingredients Core 4 bundle worth €140, simply answer the question below:
Create your own user feedback survey
This competition is open to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland residents aged 18 or over unless any other age restriction is specified or implied. T&Cs apply. Closing date 22/07/2020.
Main image by @irishtatlerbeauty on Instagram
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