Building a personalized skincare routine

A good routine has three jobs: cleanse gently, support the barrier, and protect from the sun. Everything else is an addition, not a foundation. Most routines that are not working are not missing something; they have too much in them.

The foundation

• A gentle cleanser that does not leave the skin tight
• A moisturiser suited to your skin type, used morning and night
• Broad-spectrum sun protection every morning, reapplied when outdoors

Adding actives, one at a time

Active ingredients such as retinoids, vitamin C or exfoliating acids are introduced one at a time, so the skin's response can be read clearly. If two things are added in the same week and the skin reacts, there is no way to know which one is responsible. More is rarely better.

Protection is the non-negotiable

Daily broad-spectrum sun protection is the single most important step in any plan that aims to improve tone or prevent pigmentation. Without it, most professional treatments are working against the tide.

A personalized skin programme starts here: reviewing what you already use, removing what works against you, and adding only what genuinely matters.