Building a Skincare Routine Tailored to Your Skins Needs


 
Now that you understand the structure of your skin and how to identify your skin type (from our previous blog post), let’s get into how you can build a skincare routine that’s actually tailored to your needs — not dictated by trends. Skincare isn’t about doing what everyone else is doing — it’s about giving your skin
what it needs. Please only try what’s relevant to your skin type and condition, and if you notice any redness, stinging, or irritation, pause and give your skin time to recover before trying anything new. Let’s keep it simple, science-backed, and personal.   Remember, price doesn’t equal performance. It’s not about how expensive the product is — it’s about the ingredients inside. If you choose the right actives from your favourite affordable skincare brand, you can still get amazing results without breaking the bank.And if you buy something expensive that your skin doesn’t actually need, that’s money wasted. Focus on understanding your skin and getting what you need — not just what looks luxury.

🧴 Building a Skincare Routine Based on Your Skin

1. Start with Your Skin Type as the Base

Your skin type is your foundation. Whether you’re oily, dry, combination, normal, or sensitive — this determines the kind of cleanser, moisturiser, and textures(lightweight vs rich) your skin will respond best to.

  • Dry skin needs cream based cleansers, rich moisturisers, and oils.

  • Oily skin does better with gel or foaming cleansers, lightweight hydrating serums, and oil-regulating ingredients.

  • Combination skin requires a balanced routine that targets oily zones (like the T-zone- forehead, nose and chin) while soothing dry patches.

  • Sensitive skin needs fragrance-free, non-stripping(does'nt pull oil from your skin) products, and extra attention to barrier care.

Start simple: Cleanser → Moisturiser → SPF (AM only). Once your base routine is stable, you can build in actives based(actives are  on your skin condition.Actives are ingredients that directly target specific skin concerns — like acne, pigmentation, or dehydration — and are backed by science to create real change in the skin over time.

2. Address Skin Condition: Add Treatments with Purpose

Once your core routine is in place, tailor it with ingredients that treat what’s happening right now — whether that’s breakouts, dehydration, irritation, or dark spots.  You don't need all the ingredients for each condition, just choose one and stick to it, some products will already contain a mix so you don't have to buy them all, they are just different alternatives.

  • Dehydrated skin → needs hydrating serums like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and panthenol to pull water into the skin.

  • Congested or acne-prone skin → responds well to salicylic acid (a BHA that unclogs pores) or niacinamide (to regulate oil)- for this you can get both as they perform different functions.

  • Barrier-damaged or irritated skin → calls for ceramides, panthenol, oat extract, and pentavitin to repair and soothe.

  • Hyperpigmentation → is treated best with vitamin C, niacinamide, and gentle exfoliants like lactic acid or mandelic acid.

Keep in mind: Your actives don’t need to be applied all at once. Use one or two consistently and give your skin time to respond.

Routine sequence- Cleanser > Actives/serums > moisturiser > SPF
Here’s why it works well:
Cleanser: Removes dirt, oil, and impurities to prep your skin for the next steps.
Actives/Serums: These usually contain concentrated ingredients (like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, retinol, acids, niacinamide) that target specific concerns. Applying them on clean skin ensures better absorption.
Moisturiser: Locks in hydration and creates a protective barrier.
SPF: Protects your skin from UV damage, which is essential every morning.
A couple of tips to keep in mind:
Order of actives: If you use multiple actives/serums, layer from thinnest to thickest texture.
SPF always last: Never layer anything on top of sunscreen during the day.
Night routine: You can skip SPF and maybe swap in richer moisturisers or treatments.
Patch test: Always patch test new actives before full use to avoid irritation.

3. Ingredient Deep Dive: The Science Behind Key Actives

  1. Salicylic Acid- A beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) that’s oil-soluble and penetrates into pores.
    What it does: Dissolves sebum and dead skin buildup inside the pores, reducing congestion and inflammation (Kligman, 1985).
    Visible effects on the skin: Clears blackheads, smooths texture, reduces breakouts, and shrinks the look of pores over time.

  2. Niacinamide- A form of vitamin B3 that’s anti-inflammatory and barrier-supportive.
    What it does: Regulates oil production, reduces redness, improves elasticity, and strengthens the skin barrier (Draelos, 2006).
    Visible effects on the skin: Calmer skin, fewer breakouts, a more even skin tone, and less visible oiliness throughout the day.

  3. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)- A powerful antioxidant and skin-brightening active.
    What it does: Inhibits melanin production, protects against sun damage, and boosts collagen production (Humbert et al., 2003).
    Visible effects on the skin: Fades dark spots, improves brightness and clarity, gives skin a more radiant appearance.

  4. Hyaluronic Acid- naturally occurring humectant molecule(molecule that attracts and holds water) in the skin.

    What it does: Attracts and retains water in the skin’s upper layers, binding up to 1,000x its weight in water (Papakonstantinou et al., 2012).
    Visible effects on the skin: Skin feels plumper, smoother, and more hydrated with fewer dry patches or tightness.

  5. Panthenol (Vitamin B5)- A provitamin that acts as a moisturiser and skin-soothing agent.
    What it does: Increases skin hydration, improves healing, and reduces inflammation (Ebner et al., 2002).
    Visible effects on the skin: Soothes irritation, reduces redness, and leaves skin soft and calm.

  6. Lactic Acid- alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) derived from milk or sugars.
    What it does: Gently exfoliates by loosening dead skin cells while also hydrating (Ditre et al., 1996).
    Visible effects on the skin: Brighter skin tone, smoother texture, and reduced dullness or uneven patches.

4. What Actives to Avoid by Skin Type- 

Not every active works for everyone. Some can be too harsh, clogging, or drying depending on your skin’s baseline behaviour. Here's what to look out for:

Dry Skin🧴 Your skin lacks oil and often feels tight or flaky so you should avoid; 

  1. Strong exfoliating acids like high % glycolic acid or salicylic acid — these can over-dry, if you use these and notice drying, switch to AHA's Lactic acid or Mandelic acid
  2. Alcohol-heavy products (look for denatured alcohol in ingredients).
  3. Overuse of clay masks — can strip moisture further.

    4. Use with caution: Retinoids — introduce slowly with lots of barrier support.

Oily Skin💧 Your skin overproduces oil and may look shiny, especially in the T-zone, so avoid;

  1. Heavy oils (like coconut or wheat germ oil) — may clog pores.
  2. Occlusive-heavy balms or thick butters unless in winter or for barrier repair.
  3. Over-cleansing or harsh scrubs — these can trigger more oil production.
Use with caution: Layering too many actives (e.g. AHA + BHA + retinol) — can lead to irritation or rebound oiliness.

Sensitive Skin🩹 Easily irritated, stings with new products, or flares up with redness. Avoid

  1. Fragrance and essential oils — common irritants in sensitive skin.
  2. High-strength exfoliants like glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or strong retinoids.
  3. Harsh foaming cleansers — these can strip the skin barrier.
Use with caution: Even gentler actives like niacinamide or lactic acid — start low and slow.

Combination Skin🌗 Oily in some areas (like the T-zone), dry or normal in others. Avoid;

  1. One-size-fits-all actives applied everywhere — treat each area based on its needs.
  2. Too many exfoliants at once — can throw off balance.
  3. Heavy oils or rich moisturisers in oily areas.
Use with caution: Spot treat oily zones (like using salicylic acid only on nose/chin) instead of applying actives everywhere.

Normal Skin🌿 Generally balanced, not too oily or dry. Avoid;

  1. Overloading with too many actives — unnecessary, and can cause imbalance.
  2. Rough physical scrubs — not needed and may damage healthy skin.
  3. Strong actives without reason — stick to maintenance unless treating something specific.
Use with caution: Anything trending or overly harsh — your skin doesn’t need fixing, just supporting.

5. Routine Customisation Tips (That Actually Work)

  1. Patch test first- Always test new actives on a small area of skin before applying them to your whole face — it helps you catch irritation early.

  2. SPF is non-negotiable- If you’re using acids or vitamin C, your skin becomes more sensitive to the sun. Daily SPF protects your progress and prevents new damage.

  3. Listen to your skin- If it feels tight, flaky, itchy, or stings — that’s your cue to scale back or pause actives.

  4. Add one new product at a time- This makes it easier to tell what’s working (or what’s irritating you) instead of overwhelming your skin.

  5. Don’t chase every trend- You don’t need every serum TikTok recommends. Build your routine around what your skin feels like it needs, not what looks cute on a shelf.

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