Beginner's Skincare Guide: These Tips Boosted My Confidence!

This year has been the year of self-care and skincare discovery for me. A few months ago I decided that I needed to take matters into my own hands and seriously start investing in myself and my body. I’ve lived for too long in a state of constantly floating and hoping for the best, and I came to realise that this attitude was simply neglectful. I wasn’t taking care of myself because I didn’t think it was necessary – why did I need a beginner’s skincare guide? After all, I’m a mum, and we have about 400 other things to do each day, so did I really need to spend 20 minutes every morning and night applying lotions and potions to my face?

Well, yes, it turns out that I did! I probably should have been taking my skincare a lot more seriously years ago, and as a result, I have missed out on a lot of pampering and self-esteem boosting selfies along the way!

I want to preface this blog post by saying that I am by no means a skincare expert – I am simply a woman in her 30s who was sick to death of having greasy, spotty skin and dark circles around her eyes. What I do, the products I’ve used, and the order in which I apply them may not be the “right way”, but it is what has worked for me and what I have pieced together from watching many beginner’s skincare guides and tutorials on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

With that being said, I want to share some of the tips and tricks that I have learnt so far this year in case there are other women out there who feel a bit like me. If you have decided that you need to take control of your life, start treating your body with more respect, and learn more about how to properly look after your skin with a beginner’s skincare guide, this post is for you.

Having a good skincare routine has boosted my confidence.

Before I started to take better care of my skin, I was really struggling to accept the condition and appearance of my skin. I seemed to get painful spots in all areas of my face, with a staggering number popping up in the lead-up to my period.

I hated these and, in a desperate effort to get rid of them, I’d often pick at them and, ultimately, just make them worse. I know that you really shouldn’t pick at your spots, especially those on your face, as this can cause scarring and, in my case, very angry and painful areas. These spots were also so hard to cover up with make-up, which led to me hiding away or feeling very embarrassed by my ‘teenage’ like acne.

Another thing that I really struggled with before taking care of my skin was having big, dark circles around my eyes. These weren’t just dark bags under my eyes from being tired. Nope, when I closed my eyes, the circles encompassed my whole eyelid as well, making me look remarkably like a panda. I mean, they were dark circles!

Since looking into skincare routines and learning more about the type of products I should be using on my skin, these two main issues have dramatically improved. I barely get painful spots anymore, and I have definitely noticed a huge difference in the dark circles. It’s not just me that’s noticed these differences either, I have been receiving compliments and comments from lots of people telling me how good I’m looking, how healthy and glowy my skin looks, and how much happier I am since embarking on my skincare journey.

Beginners skincare guide: basic products that you should add to your skincare routine.

Skincare will look different for everyone – we all have different skin types and we all spend our time in different environments. There are quite a lot of factors that impact the type of products you should use, but we will look into those a little bit later on.

Firstly, I’m going to share the basic skincare products that you should add to your skincare routine if you want to start to consistently look after your skin and see brilliant results.

Cleansers:

Cleansers remove built-up dirt, oils, and make-up from your skin. Cleansing your skin is like wiping the canvas clean and preparing your face for your skincare routine. Many people will recommend that you cleanse twice, especially if you are removing make-up.

Exfoliators:

A good exfoliation session can do wonders for your skin, helping to gently remove dead skin cells to reveal a brighter, smoother complexion. A sugar scrub designed specifically for your face is a great way to ensure you end up with bright, clear skin. A sugar body scrub can also be used on other areas of your skin such as your arms and legs to give you silky soft skin all over your body.

Serums:

Serums are used to target specific skin concerns such as acne, dark spots, brightness, and wrinkles. Serums are extremely light in texture and go a long way when applied to your face. You should use a serum that treats your problem area before applying moisturiser, and after cleansing and patting dry your face.

Moisturisers And Eye Cream:

Everyone needs a good moisturiser. Moisturiser is responsible for hydrating your skin and locking in moisture, which helps to keep your skin looking plump and youthful. The area around your eyes is extremely delicate and should be cared for using a moisturising eye cream or gel. If the eye cream is lighter in texture than your moisturiser, pop it on first, if it is heavier and thicker than your moisturiser, apply it afterwards.

SPF:

Sun protection is extremely important – it’s not just for sunny beach days; it’s actually a daily essential. Many moisturisers contain SPF protection, but if yours doesn’t, remember to add this to your skincare routine. SPF should be applied every day, rain or shine, to protect you from premature aging and skin damage.

Beginners skincare guide: building a skincare routine that works for you.

Now that I’ve covered all the products you’ll need, you’re going to want to understand how to put them all together into a routine. You must use the products in the right order if you want to get the full effect. I know that may sound daunting, but it’s really simple – just follow the rule of texture!

If a product is light in texture, I’ll put it on before any of the heavier products. This is the order in which I apply my skincare products in both the morning and before I go to bed:

Morning Skincare Routine:

Cleanse
Toner (optional)
Serum
Eye Cream
Moisturiser
Sunscreen

Evening Skincare Routine:

Cleanse
Exfoliate (1-2 times a week)
Toner (optional)
Serum/Treatment
Eye Cream
Moisturiser

External factors to look out for that can affect your skin.

Many factors can affect the look and feel of your skin. From the changing of the seasons to you simply moving from one room in your home to another. Typically, the most common factors that affect your skin are heat, the cold, the sun, and the wind. This isn’t only an issue when you’re outdoors! Air conditioning and heating can have negative effects on sensitive skin and can make dry skin worse. I advise that you alter your skincare routine slightly once you know what works and doesn’t work for you so that you are able to better protect your skin when the summer and winter months hit.

Key ingredients to look out for when choosing skincare products.

I could write a whole new post on the key ingredients to look out for when choosing your skincare products, but I’ll try to keep it brief for now! There are a number of fantastic ingredients that you should be on the lookout for, depending on the results you are looking for from your skincare routine. These are just a few of the best ingredients to look for:

Retinol (Vit A)

Retinol is in many over-the-counter and high-street skincare products. It’s a common ingredient that does wonders for your skin but stimulating the production of collagen. Retinol helps to fight signs of aging and speeds up the skin cell turnover, revealing newer, brighter skin.

Shea Butter

Shea butter is a very popular product and ingredient in skincare and this is all for a very good reason. Shea butter has many properties that make it beneficial for skin care, including being a natural source of Vitamin A, providing light SPF protection, aiding the recovery of scars, and providing a protective barrier against cold winters without clogging up pores.

Hyaluronic Acid

This product has a gel like consistency and helps to keep your skin hydrated. This is a naturally occurring substance in the body, with over half of the body’s reserves found in the skin. Hyaluronic acid helps to regulate inflammation levels in the body by signalling damaged areas of the body to provide more blood vessels. This means that hyaluronic acid can reduce the size and pain of wounds, such as acne spots and cuts, faster than some other treatments. It also contains some antibacterial properties.

AHAs

AHAs (Alpha hydroxy acid) are found naturally in foods such as fruits. However, there are plenty of popular AHAs found in skincare, such as glycolic acid, lactic acid and citric acid. These acids help to remove dead skin, encouraging new skin cells to be generated. AHA’s can also help to improve enlarged pores, fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone and even hyperpigmentation.

BHAs

BHAs are often simply referred to as salicylic acid. BHAs (Beta hydroxy acid) is the complete opposite of AHA. BHA’s are primarily used to treat acne and sun damage. It does this by going into the pores and clearing them of any oil that is clogging them. BHA is a good ingredient to use if you have acne-prone skin and blackheads, however, it does make the skin more sensitive to the sun, so remember to use SPF!

Final words on how discovering a good skincare routine has boosted my confidence and overall happiness.

I can’t describe how much discovering and exploring skincare has changed my outlook on life, and myself. I love the fact that I no longer look in the mirror and immediately pick apart every feature on my face that I deem unsightly. If I had known it was so easy to get rid of those spots and dark circles, I would have started to pay more attention to my skincare years ago!

I know this beginner’s skincare guide may not be for everyone – it may be complete common sense for some! But for me, discovering and exploring skincare, being able to learn more about the ingredients and what they can do for me, has really revolutionised the way I feel about myself, mentally and physically. If you’re a skincare novice like me, I hope that this post has provided you with some helpful information and guidance on how to get started on your skincare journey!

As always, if you have any comments or additions that you think should be in this beginner’s skincare guide, let me know in the comments below!

*Collaborative post.