What your skin needs most is a consistent routine, but where do you start and what should you include? Today, we are going to look at creating a simple and effective routine built on 4 easy steps...
When it comes to skincare, you will see better results in your prioritise consistency over complexity. You don’t need a 7-step routine or a cupboard full of products to achieve healthy, resilient skin. What you do need is a solid foundation, and consistent daily actions. Once you nail this, you will really start to see great results.
Think of skincare as you would nutrition or exercise, small, repeated actions over time will create real results. Below are four simple steps to follow consistently for radiant skin.
Step One: Cleansing
Cleansing is the foundation of any great skincare routine. Throughout the day (and night), your skin accumulates oil, sweat, environmental pollutants, sunscreen, and makeup. If these aren’t removed properly, they can clog pores and disrupt the skin barrier.
A good cleanser should:
- Remove impurities without stripping the skin
- Respect your skin’s natural barrier
- Leave skin feeling clean but not tight or dry
Red flags to watch out for when choosing a cleanser, particularly if you have dry skin, are foaming cleansers which include sulfates. You'll find sulfates on your ingredients list going by the following names - sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium laureth sulfate. Sulfate can create a tight 'squeaky clean' feeling on the skin due to the fact that they strip the skin of its natural oils, putting the skin barrier under stress over time.
We're huge fans of oil cleansing at NEVE, we truly believe it is the most effective but gentle way to cleanse. Oil cleansing is perfect at lifting impurities (many of which are oil based themselves) without stripping the skin.
We recommend cleansing morning and night, go in for a double cleanse in the evening if you like to wear make up. Consistent cleansing sets your skin up perfectly for everything that follows. Opt for the Tri-Elixir for a thorough, but hydrating cleanse. It is full of nutrient rich, cold pressed plant oils that nourish the skin and it has a wonderful silky slip for gently massaging and lifting impurities.
Step Two: Hydration and moisturisation
Hydration and moisturisation are often grouped together, usually because many products do both, but they play slightly different roles.
Hydration refers to adding water to the skin helping to plump it up and boost elasticity. Moisturisation helps seal that hydration in and prevent water loss. Usually this is achived by adding oil to the skin which creates a barrier across it and reduced trans epidermal water loss. Dry skin in particular needs extra moisturisation.
You'll find that well-hydrated and moisturised skin functions better and is healthier. It looks plumper, feels more comfortable, and is more resilient to stress, breakouts, and sensitivity.
This step in your routine can include moisturising creams, hydrating serums, balms and oils. All of these products will focus on hydrating and moisturising the skin.
The Alchemy 7 Comfort Balm is a wonderfully moisturising balm to soothe and protect the skin barrier which is a great choice for this step, it's also a great option for drier skin types. For something a little lighter, you can apply Tri-Elixir as a daily facial oil or even add a drop to your morning moisturising cream to lock in hydration.
No matter what skin type or concerns you have, hydration and moisturisation, are crucial to maintaining a healthy skin barrier, and therefore a super important step in all skincare routines.
Step Three: Targeted treatment
This step is where your routine becomes extra personal and where you will address any specific concerns that you have. Those concerns may include any of the following:
- Acne or congestion
- Hyperpigmentation or uneven tone
- Fine lines and loss of elasticity
- Redness or sensitivity
- Dryness or impaired skin barrier
A great way to approach this step is to think "what would I like to correct or support in my skin right now?" The answer to this can change over time, as you age, or even seasonally, so remember to reconsider it from time to time.
More is not always better, one well-chosen treatment used consistently will outperform multiple actives used sporadically. Remember consistency is key!
Some of our favourite targeted treatments at Neve include the Luna Drops which is a wonderful night serum to replenish and revitalise ageing skin. Alternatively if you want to address dry or stressed skin the Alchemy 7 Comfort Balm which is rich in plant ceramides and soothing herbal extracts, and it is the perfect treatment to restore the skin barrier. It is a versatile product and you could use it as an overnight treatment or even as a 10 minute mask.
Step Four: Exfoliation
Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, allowing it to appear smoother, brighter, and more even. Our skin naturally sheds roughly every 30 days but using an exfoliator can help to remove build up and improve the absorbency of your other products - an added bonus!
You should never think of exfoliating as 'scrubbing' the skin, and we'd be wary of any facial products described as a 'scrub'. Many exfoliating particles on the market are too large, too sharp or have irregular shapes which can cause micro tears in the skin.
A respectful routine focuses on gentle exfoliation, not daily scrubbing or aggressive treatments. See what feels right for you and listen to what your skin is telling you, one exfoliation a week might be fine for some, others might like to exfoliate multiple times per week. Your skin should not feel raw afterwards.
Effective exfoliation should:
- Improve skin texture gradually
- Not cause stinging, burning, or prolonged redness
- Support skin renewal without compromising the barrier
When used respectfully, exfoliation will really improve the appearance of your skin. At Neve we love the gentle polishing effect of the Glow Mask, it contains rhassoul clay which is a wonderful natural exfoliant and deep cleanser, while antioxidant cacao is super fine and gentle.
Consistency over Complication
To summarise, keep in mind that building a skincare routine isn't about doing everything at once or loading on lots of different products, its about respectful consistency. The greatest product in the world will have little impact if you are only using it here and there, and applying to uncleansed skin for example.
Build your beautifully consistent routine around the key steps we've discussed here - cleanse, moisturise, treat & exfoliate - and we promise you, you will start to see the results.
Want to start building your best routine for maximum results? Take a look at the full NEVE collection for healthy, radiant skin.
