Beginner’s guide to building a skincare routine

Why is skincare important?

Surprise, surprise skincare matters! The reasons for taking care of your skin and building a skincare routine of your own are endless. The skin is the biggest organ of our bodies, protecting our organs from the external environment, bacteria and irritants. 

Our skin deserves love and care, and a good skincare routine is a great way to start.  Keep reading to find out how to build a skincare routine.

How to build a skincare routine

How you build your skincare routine depends on your concern or goal while paying attention to your skin type. For instance, a basic 3 step skincare routine consisting of a cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen, is enough if you have normal skin or no skin concerns. 

As a general rule, apply your products in this order: cleanse, tone, treat (serum), moisturise, protect (SPF). Sunscreen always goes last, and the only thing that you should layer over sunscreen is powder, concealer or foundation.

Here’s a guide on how to build your skincare routine:

1. Cleanse

Cleansing is the basic and first step in skincare! If you’re a newbie (though we do hope you are already cleansing your face) this is a great place to start and slowly build consistency before adding other products to your skincare routine. Cleansers are designed for daily use to get rid of excess oil, dirt, dead skin cells, makeup, and pollutants when incorporated into your skincare routine. Regular cleansing is also beneficial for maintaining skin hydration and preventing clogged pores. 

Shop our AC clean saver foam cleanser (a Kenyan skincare routine must-have) for dull and dry acne-prone skin or our Beausta Cica Recipe foam cleanser for sensitive skin. Incorporate cleansers into your skincare routine and remember to use them in the AM and PM for best results. 

2. Exfoliate

If you want to improve the appearance of your skin, exfoliators will come to your rescue. The skin naturally sheds dead skin cells to make room for new cells every 30 days. When they don’t shed completely they leave the skin looking dull, flaky, dry, and patchy. This is where exfoliators come in handy!

Use an exfoliator that hydrates, smoothens, and retains skin moisture, about two to three times a week. Shop our Neulii Exfoliating Toner Pads for sensitive skin here. 

New skincare routine loading? We’d like to know what product you’ll be getting next and adding to your skincare routine, comment below 🙂

3. Tone

Toners should be the next step in your skincare routine after a good cleanse if you wear makeup, have oily skin, or are prone to acne. 

Their purpose? Quality control! Toners get rid of the last traces of dirt or impurities left over after you’ve cleansed your face. 

When toners are incorporated into your skincare routine they also come with other benefits which include improved skin tone and restored skin pH levels. 

Use every other day then gradually increase frequency to once then twice daily, and observe how your skin responds to the latest addition to your skincare routine. If your skin gets dry or irritated, that’s your queue to take a step back and regulate your skincare routine.

4. Treatment (serums)

Serums are applied before moisturisers as a treatment step for specific skincare concerns because they deliver a higher concentration of active ingredients to the skin. They are typically lightweight and made up of small molecules that penetrate deeply into the skin. Serum can be applied in the morning, at night, or both. (Loo et al., 2018).

Depending on the concentration of the formula they can be referred to as ampoules or boosters. Ampoules have the highest concentrations. 

Here are some examples of actives found in serums you can include in your skincare routine: 

1. Retinol targets acne and premature aging
2. Azelaic acid targets hyperpigmentation
3. Niacinamide controls sebum production, hyperpigmentation. Shop our Niacinamide 10 Brightening Ampoule here 
4. Vitamin C improves complexion, prevents premature aging, and aids collagen production 
5. Hyaluronic acid alleviates dryness and prevents premature aging 

Use vitamin C in the AM, and retinol and azelaic acid in the PM. Niacinamide, salicylic acid, and hyaluronic acid are more flexible as they can be used in the morning and at night when incorporated into your skincare routine. Water-based serums should also be applied before oil-based serums and low pH actives such as vitamin C before high pH actives, like retinol and hyaluronic acid.

If you’re looking for an instant, boost for your skin, sheet masks are a great way to do this! It’s advised to use a sheet mask at least once a week. 

Sheet masks are a Kenyan skincare routine fundamental, made of fabric cotton dunked in a treatment serum. Sheet masks work to increase and allow maximum absorption of the serum by preventing evaporation of active ingredients into the air, so you get maximum benefits of the serum.

Get your instant glow with Uncover Skincare. Shop our “I Am Cool” aloe sheet mask, “I Am Beau-tea-ful” green tea sheet mask, and “I Am Brilliant” vitamin C sheet masks infused with serum here for a new addition to your skincare routine

5. Moisturise

Moisturisers help retain our natural glow… what more would anyone want? Moisturising when skin is still damp is the best way to ensure all the product is absorbed into the skin. 

Moisturise in the AM and PM to reduce the probability of dryness and keep your skin youthful. When picking moisturisers look for those that are non-comedogenic which means they won’t clog your pores. 

P.S: If your skin is extremely scaly and dry even after moisturising you might want to consider seeing a dermatologist in Kenya for more insights.

Shop our non-comedogenic Neulii Natural Squalane Desertica Moisture Cream here for the ultimate inclusion to your skincare routine.

6. Protect (SPF)

Sunscreen protects the skin from hyperpigmentation, premature aging and reduces the risk of skin cancer when incorporated into your skincare routine. Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher should always be part of your skincare routine, especially in Kenya. Use sunscreen daily and reapply every 2 to 3 hours as if you are going to be outdoors for an extended period. 

P.S: Remember to pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA rays – which cause wrinkles and age spots and UVB rays which cause hyperpigmentation when building a skincare routine that works for you.   

Found this helpful? Or have any questions about building your skincare routine? Ask us in the comments below, or send us a message on talkto@uncoverskincare.co.