The Ultimate 6-Step Skincare Routine For Healthy & Glowing Skin

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The world of beauty and skincare is constantly evolving, and with companies launching new products every few months, pairing it with excessive marketing with too many promises of healthy and glowing skin, it is only making it more and more confusing for the consumer. A good skincare routine, in my opinion, focuses more on quality and consistency rather than the number of products one chooses — it needs to be simple and basic, but powerful. The first step is always to understand and analyse your skin type and figure out a skincare routine that works for you.

There are mainly four main skin types: oily, dry, combination and normal. Oily skin tends to produce more sebum, dry skin feels stretched and dehydrated, combination skin is a mix of both and normal is somewhere in the middle of oily and dry. It's also important to understand if your skin is sensitive because if it is, then you should generally avoid using harsh products that may damage your skin barrier than do good. 

All of the information you're about to read is a mixture of all the conversations I've had with multiple dermatologists over the years and my personal interest in skincare, which has made me read and research so much about the topic. Here's how you can create a solid skincare routine for yourself and the skincare steps you should follow in order to get the best results. Remember to keep track of how your skin is responding to any product you add to this basic skincare routine, as everyone's skin is different. 

Step 1: Cleansing

The first and foremost step in your skincare routine will be cleansing your face before you go ahead and apply the concoction of moisturisers and serums. The type of cleanser you choose also depends on your skin type. If you have oily skin, then I'd suggest going with a foaming cleanser, but if you have dry skin, then go for something more creamy that'll keep your skin hydrated. If you have acne-prone skin, you can consider face wash with actives like salicylic acid, which will help you fight acne and remove dead skin.

When cleansing at night, I'd suggest double cleansing. A double cleanse helps you get a deeper cleanse and after a long day of being out it's important to make sure you don’t sleep with any of the dirt and makeup. To double cleanse you'll have to use an oil-based cleanser first that will help break down any build-up or product and then follow up with a usual face cleanser. You can also use a cleansing balm if you use makeup regularly. 

Pro-Tip: Check out the best face cleansers for oily skin here and dry skin here.

Best Oil Cleanser (For Double Cleansing)

DHC Cleansing Oil

DHC Cleansing Oil

1990

Best For Oily Skin

Suganda Centella Green Tea Facewash

Suganda Centella Green Tea Facewash

700
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Best For Dry Skin

CeraVe Hydrating Non-Foaming Daily Facial Cleanser

CeraVe Hydrating Non-Foaming Daily Facial Cleanser

315


Step 2: Toner

A toner is optional. It's main job is to restore your skin's pH level and remove any last traces of dirt so that what you apply next on your skin is able to penetrate better into your skin. If you choose to add a toner, I'd suggest choosing one for a specific skin concern — to boost hydration, gentle exfoliation, soothing inflammation. A lot of toners have alcohol, which tends to dry out skin, so make sure you read the ingredients list before shopping. 

Best Overall

Plum 3% Niacinamide Alcohol-Free Toner

Plum 3% Niacinamide Alcohol-Free Toner

420
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Best For Hydration

Versed Baby Cheeks All In One Hydrating Milk

Versed Baby Cheeks All In One Hydrating Milk

1750
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Best For Exfoliation

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

1250
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Step 3: Serum

A serum is basically a potent solution that can help you achieve results faster for certain concerns you might have. Today, the most basic skincare routines include a serum, and you can find one that suits your needs, whether it's treating acne, hyperpigmentation, dullness, or just hydration. If you're using multiple serums then I'd suggest layering the the most lightweight first and then applying the heavier ones. It's also important for you to wait for the serum to absorb into the skin before applying the next, this actually applies to all the products that follow. 

If you're new and are looking for serums to add to your routine, I'd suggest hyaluronic acid serum, vitamin c serum or niacinamide serum to begin with during the day. For your night skincare, you could consider adding peptides or retinol. Be careful with retinol though, you must incorporate this in your skincare slowly and gradually, and usually after the age of 25.

Pro-Tip: Check out the best serums for acne-prone skin, for dry skin and for glowing skin.

Best For Glow

Suganda Advanced 10% Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum

Suganda Advanced 10% Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum

1000
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Best For Acne-Prone Skin

Minimalist 2% Salicylic Acid Face Serum

Minimalist 2% Salicylic Acid Face Serum

549
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Best For Hydration

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

850
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Best Anti-Ageing

Deconstruct Retinol & Peptide Serum- 0.2% Retinol + 1% Peptides

Deconstruct Retinol & Peptide Serum- 0.2% Retinol + 1% Peptides

799
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Use this one for nighttime skincare routine.

Step 4: Moisturiser

This is a super important step no matter what skin type you have. Properly moisturised skin means a healthy skin barrier, which means that your skin has the ability to resolve most skincare concerns on its own. When looking for a moisturiser (or any skincare really) make sure the ingredients are spot on, and avoid any fragrance or alcohol that can cause irritation or dryness. If you have oily skin then go for a gel-based moisturiser that will absorb quickly, for dry skin go for cream- or lotion-based moisturisers, and people with normal skin types can opt for either. Another thing to make sure is that your moisturiser is non-comedogenic, which means it doesn’t clog your pores.

In moisturisers, you can look for actives such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide — these are some of the ingredients dominating the market right now that will be able to provide you with optimum hydration. 

Pro-Tip: Check out the best moisturisers in the market right now.

Best Overall

In My Defence

In My Defence

3500

Best For Oily Skin

Clinique Moisture Surge 100h Auto-replenishing Hydrator (Moisturizer)

Clinique Moisture Surge 100h Auto-replenishing Hydrator (Moisturizer)

950
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Best For Dry Skin

Barrier Plus Peptide Ceramide Moisturizer

Barrier Plus Peptide Ceramide Moisturizer

699

Step 5: Eye Cream

Many people have questions regarding when to apply eye cream, well it's mostly after your moisturiser. I say mostly because it also depends on the type of eye cream you have. If you have an eye cream that is heavy and rich, then you apply it after your moisturiser but if it's a lightweight formula, then it's okay to apply it before the moisturiser too.

An eye cream can be applied twice a day in your AM and PM routine for the best results. I'd suggest keeping this step optional though as the research on its benefits is not very strong. Some people see a huge difference and some don't see much, so it really depends on the experience you have with it. My own dermatologist suggested trying it out and then deciding if I want to continue using it, as it's not an essential skincare routine step. The only thing it does is provide an extra boost of hydration, which helps slightly, considering that the eye area has even more sensitive skin compared to the rest of our face.

Pro-Tip: If you wish to try it out, here are the best eye creams in the market right now.

Best For Depuffing

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG

850
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Best For Boosting Hydration

Innisfree Perfect 9 Repair Intensive Eye Cream

Innisfree Perfect 9 Repair Intensive Eye Cream

3000
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Step 6: Sunscreen

During the day, sunscreen is a non-negotiable, no matter whether you're staying inside your home or stepping out. Even the most basic skincare routine will have SPF. The newer formulations in the market have made it much easier to apply and reapply sunscreen, and we're thankful for that. Sunscreens are associated with just so many benefits that it would be a sin not to apply. For the Indian weather, it's best to use SPF 50 or more and PA++++ protection for optimum sun protection. 

Pro-Tip: If you'd like to know more about chemical and physical sunscreens, then keep reading here.

Best Physical Sunscreen

SunScoop Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 - All Skin Types

SunScoop Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 - All Skin Types

745
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Check out the best physical sunscreens here.

Best Chemical Susncreen

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics (SPF50+ PA++++)

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics (SPF50+ PA++++)

1700
Check out more Korean sunscreens here.

Best Tinted Sunscreen

Deconstruct Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 55+ And PA++++

Deconstruct Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 55+ And PA++++

549
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Skincare junkie and enthusiast of hype culture, with 2 years of experience writing about food, fashion, lifestyle, culture & more.