We all strive for skin beauty, but it can often seem intimidating. Knowing what to do with the products, treatments, and regimes can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be complicated.

Skincare 101 can give you the knowledge to make informed decisions about your skincare routine. With the right products and simple steps, you can achieve beautiful skin without hassle. This guide will provide you with the basics of skincare, including what to look for when you hunt for products, the best skincare routine, and all the other factors you must consider when caring for your skin.

With this knowledge, you can confidently navigate the wide world of skincare and craft a routine that works for you. So, let's get started on your journey to beautiful skin!

Let's get real for a minute.

No magic cream or potion will solve the problem of our skin getting old. The truth is, when it comes to looking after your skin, there is a range of factors that you need to consider. We all get older daily, so without the budget for excellent plastic surgeons, you cannot prevent those laugh lines or genetic ageing qualities we inherit. But you can slow it down a little. You can have fantastic-looking skin at any age. Let's get into it!

STEP 1 – Pick Your Skincare Brand

There are plenty of excellent and economical skincare brands out there. Understanding why I used the word ‘brand' rather than ‘product' is essential because their products are designed to work together. It would be impossible for Olay to test their moisturiser with Weleda, Nivia, or the hundreds of other brands today.

If your skincare line isn't delivering the desired results, switch to a new brand with various products. The best way to achieve optimal results is to choose a skincare line and stick with its suggested regimen.

Remember to try a brand and routine consistently for three months to ensure it works properly and give your skin time to heal and respond.

STEP 2 – The Best Skin Beauty Routine

Once you have picked the best brand for your skin type, follow up with a great beauty routine. If you buy the products corresponding to the steps below, you are well on your way to beautiful skin.

Daily Routine

SPF

Sun exposure can lead to wrinkles, age spots and even skin cancer. Wear sunscreen with broad-spectrum protection that blocks UVA and UVB rays.

once a week – Facial Scrub

Exfoliating your skin is essential to remove dead, flaky skin cells that can leave you looking dull and tired. It is also important to ensure that your products can penetrate deep into your pores.

once a month – The Mask

Clay Masks are a “deep” cleanse and suck out impurities, so doing it more often than once a month might harm your skin, but at the same time, they are full of skin-loving minerals and can help your skin look its best.

What are the best essential oils with anti-ageing antioxidants?

Antioxidants are the key to anti-ageing skincare. Antioxidants fight off the free radicals that can lead to wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of ageing. They also help prevent pre-cancerous cells from becoming cancerous. But Essential Oils are often packed with antioxidants that can help. Here are my top oils to help add the extra nutrients your skin needs:

STEP 3 – The Best Vitamins (and Food) for fantastic looking skin

If you want a more in-depth review of this, I have written about which foods go towards helping your skin look radiant. Below is a summary of the points made in that post.

A note on mental health and Hormones

When stress, depression and high hormone levels manifest, they can adversely affect our health. Not only can these conditions have physical aspects, but they also produce premature skin ageing and unwelcome hair growth.

If you suffer from depression, then always seek professional help. Helping keep your mental state in check is the most important thing you can do for yourself.

Three hormones regulate the condition of our skin, and they contradict each other! It's a delicate tango between Progesterone, Cortisol and Estrogen.

Progesterone

It stimulates sebum production or the skin's oil glands. It can cause the skin to swell, diminish wrinkles, and compress the look of pores. Too much can make your skin oily, though!

TOP TIP: Keep levels high by increasing your intake of vitamins B and C and eating more foods with Zinc, like shellfish. Zinc can control stress levels, and our body releases cortisol instead of progesterone when stressed.

Thought – Is this why people living near the ocean seem more relaxed?

Cortisol

Cortisol is the evil twin of progesterone. It stimulates the production of the oil glands in the skin. However, too much of it can clog pores and result in acne. Cortisol is a stress response, so constantly increased cortisol levels will harm your skin health.

TOP TIP: Keep cortisol levels low by getting all the nutrients you need, getting a good night's sleep, and exercising regularly.

Estrogen

Prevents a decrease in skin collagen and elastin. It also helps keep skin moisturised, which is why post-menopausal skin is typically drier. To support proper hormone function, increase fruit and vegetable intake and eliminate foods cooked in vegetable or canola oils. Instead, use oils rich in fatty acids and omega-3s, such as olive oil. Avoid highly processed foods and sugary treats, too.

Suppose you were going to go out today armed with a shopping list of the top 30 skin-boosting ingredients. In that case, this is what your shopping list would look like (apologies to all the vegans and vegetarians out there; I'll work on a separate article for you). This shopping list is animal product heavy. Nevertheless, they are at the top of the list of edible products.

What is the takeaway from all this?

As shown above, to have the best skin your genes allow, you must eat the right food, drink more water, keep an active lifestyle, and regularly look after your skin and the most critical person in the world: YOU. If you are new to all this skincare stuff, then do it slowly and make small changes bit by bit.

If you want to find the essential oils mentioned in this article, please visit my shop for inspiration!