I certainly did not have a simplified skincare routine on my 2024 bingo card, simply because I really love curating a beauty regimen. I used to take the approach of squeezing in any serum, treatment, or ingredient that sounded good. And suddenly I had amassed a mini Sephora in my bathroom and a 22-step bedtime routine.
While this extensive ritual served me for a period – as both a radical act of self-care and a meaningful way to research loads of products simultaneously – the process became quite cumbersome. On a singular day, I might apply an exfoliating toner, oil-reducing clarifying serum, moisturiser for acne-prone skin and a retinol – all in an effort to prevent breakouts and alleviate my oiliness. Reactive is how I’d describe my skin’s state after all of this – more prone to blemishes, super oily, and honestly a little tender to touch.
It never really occurred to me that all the treatments I was giving my skin only exacerbated the very concerns I was hoping to treat. But one day, after hearing a skin expert wax on about the importance of skin-barrier repair for the umpteenth time, I had the aha moment that maybe I wasn’t giving my skin the protection and care it so deserved by using so many harsh ingredients. And so I sought to limit myself to only the essentials.
To pare my routine down, I revisited a nugget of advice a dermatologist once told me – your skincare regimen only requires four things: a cleanser, a serum, a face cream and SPF. I couldn’t help but add in a toner or essence, too, as a way to practice the K-beauty philosophy. The results were shocking. Within a week, my skin felt plumper, bouncier and softer. Since practising this streamlined routine, I rarely have blemishes and don’t get nearly as oily as I used to. But why? “By minimising the use of potentially irritating or drying products, your skin may have balanced its natural oils, leading to improved hydration levels and a softer skin texture,” California-based board-certified dermatologist Divya Shokeen, MD, FAAD, explains. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, MD, agrees, emphasising that “allowing skin sufficient time and space to receive products and recover from their impact” can lead to healthier skin.
Ahead, a look at my simplified five-step skin care routine. If you’re considering a similar approach, here’s a little food for thought from Dr Shokeen: “A streamlined routine promotes better adherence to essential steps that give you the biggest improvement, leading to consistent care and improved skin health over time.”
Step one: cleanser
The French approach to cleansing – or rather, not cleansing – kickstarted my simplified regimen. Turns out not washing my face in the morning was a helpful way to keep my skin soft and balanced. I found a healthy sweeping of micellar water across my skin in the AM useful then did a double cleanse at night to remove all traces of make-up.
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water
£14.40
Boots
Bioderma’s micellar water quickly and effectively lifts dirt, oil, and impurities from the skin. It’s become my go-to in place of a morning face wash and is incredibly useful for removing mascara traces. Just douse a cotton round, wipe, and go. No H2O necessary.
La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil
£13.50
La Roche-Posay
I didn’t like cleansing oils until I tried this one by La Roche-Posay. It’s almost like an oil-meets-gel texture that lathers into a soft foam. Plus, it’s enriched with the brand’s prebiotic thermal spring water, niacinamide and shea butter so as not to strip skin of its essential oils.
Step two: toner
Toners and essences are essential to any Korean skincare routine. Alicia Yoon, Korean skincare expert and founder of Peach & Lily, previously explained that the former is designed to balance skin’s pH, while the latter boosts hydration levels. Both help skin absorb any skincare products that follow and promote plump, luminous skin. That said, I have been testing an array of hydrating toners and am sure to use one of the below morning and night.
Lancome Absolue L’Extrait Elixir Lotion
£151
Harrods
I’ve only recently started trying Lancôme’s Absolue L’Extrait Elixir, but I’ve been so pleased with its wear so far. Powered by rose damascena water and a mircro-ferment derived from the flower (dubbed Absolue Blackbiosis), this face mist is formulated to soothe stressed skin and refine the look of pores.
Ilia The Base Face Milk
£58
Space Nk
The Base Face Milk is one of my absolute favourite Ilia launches ever. My skin seriously loves this stuff. Not only is it lightweight, it’s also full of good-for-skin ingredients – hyaluronic acid, prickly pear-flower extract and squalane included. I like to use this when my skin is on the drier side and requires a little extra moisture before face cream.
Step three: morning serum
Vitamin C is one of the most acclaimed skin-brightening, antioxidant ingredients out there – the “gold standard” as Alabama-based board-certified dermatologist Corey L Hartman puts it. So, true to his advice, I prioritise incorporating it into my morning regimen. Consistent with my hydration agenda, I also like to incorporate a hyaluronic acid serum. Each morning I’ll use one or the other.
Skinceuticals
Silymarin CF
£165
Look Fantastic
As an oily-skin girl, SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF is perfect for me. It uses L-ascorbic acid, silymarin, ferulic acid, and salicylic acid to reduce excess oil production, refine pores and protect against free-radical damage.
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
£43
Look Fantastic
The draw to Drunk Elephant’s B-Hydra is that it pairs hyaluronic acid, the ingredient known to hold a thousand times its weight in water, with vitamin B5, glycerin and even ceramides – creating a nourishing, skin barrier-strengthening blend perfect for daily wear.
Step four: night serum
At night, I need the best night cream for my needs and so basically swap my morning serums for my night serums. This is when I incorporate the best retinol creams or any exfoliating treatment my skin might need. I’ve found it useful to do these treatments at night to sandwich between a toner and a generous dollop of moisturiser.
Ole Henriksen Dewtopia 20% Acid Night Treatment
£52
Cult Beauty
Thank you, Issa Rae, for putting me on to Ole Henriksen’s Dewtopia. As the Emmy-nominated star says, this limits my breakouts like no other, thanks to potent concentrations of AHAs and PHAs. I like to apply this on my forehead and cheeks only, where I tend to get blemishes. (Remember: you do not have to use every product all over your face!)
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 Serum
£49
Cult Beauty
I like my retinols nonirritating and customisable, which is why I’ve been relying on Medik8’s Crystal Retinal 3 Serum. Encapsulated retinaldehyde leads the formula, working in tandem with glycerin and hyaluronic acid to improve fine lines, skin tone, and texture. This powerful antiageing ingredient is not to be dismissed.
Step five: moisturiser
If I were stranded on a desert island with only one product, it would be moisturiser. The below lock in hydration and, thanks to intelligent formulations, offer multi-purpose benefits like softening skin texture and smoothing wrinkles. My moisturiser is essential to seal in all the goodness from the toners and serums that preceded it.
DR.JART+ Cicapair
Cooling Gel Cream
£38
Look Fantastic
While I do not have sensitive skin, I’ve been loving Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair moisturiser. Through centella asiatica and allantoin this can alleviate redness and soothe stressed complexions. What I like most is the jelly texture that gives me that enviable glass-skin look.
Irene Forte Hibiscus Night Cream
£165
Face The Future
I prefer a really rich PM moisturiser, and Irene Forte’s Hibiscus Night Cream is just the ticket. The elixir features peptides, ceramides, shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and omega-rich oils – all things that reinforce skin’s moisture barrier and deliver smoother, bouncier skin come morning.
Step six: sunscreen
I’m not particularly fussy about sunscreen. I just look for something with an SPF level of at least 50 and a creamy, cast-free white finish. Oh, and because I’m wearing it in the AM, it needs to sink into skin and sit well under make-up.
Chanel UV Essentiel Complete UV Protection Broad Spectrum SPF50
£50
Chanel
Dare I say Chanel’s UV Essentiel is the most underrated facial sunscreen? The girls in the Vogue office can be heard gabbing about it all day long. It has a mid-cream texture that imparts a subtle glow – not to mention it’s safe for sensitive skin.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Face Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF50
£16
Boots
No matter how many innovative sunscreens I try, I keep coming back to this La Roche-Posay formula. Anthelios Ultra Light is so milky it almost feels like a serum – and leaves skin with a natural matte finish that feels comfortable all day long.