I think I have quite nice skin.
You know when someone annoying asks you that dumb question: “What’s your favourite part of your body?” – I always say my skin. It may be an annoying question but I have nice skin so I’m not going to be shy in pointing it out 😇.
I’m not showing off, there’s plenty that I hate about myself just like any other self respecting woman, but I like my skin.
It’s still soft, still feels healthy and elastic, and I rarely get spots or dry skin – and this despite having 2 kids!
Part of it is probably genetic (thanks Mum and Dad!), but I feel like I found the perfect skin hydration routine early on in my life which has definitely been a factor.
I’ve tried improving it over the years but the truth is, nothing has worked better for me, so I thought I would share my skin hydration routine with you.
Everyone’s skin is different, but if you are still searching for the perfect routine, you may as well start here – you never know, it might work out as well for you as it has for me.
Step by Step
I’ll take you through what I do step by step, and I’ll tell you the products I use too. I’m not advertising them, you might find something else works better for you you.
It hopefully goes without saying that staying hydrated by drinking enough water is also key, as is getting enough sleep, but you don’t need a blog post to tell you to drink more water and get more sleep.
With that said, here we go.
Cleansing
This first step is super important.
You can’t hydrate your skin properly if it is still covered in bits of old make up, sweat, and the day’s dirt. Yes, you have a dirty face, sorry. It’s not your fault, the air is full of dirt particles, it’s just something we have to deal with.
So we cleanse. My secret, is that I double cleanse, and I take my time. So many women rush through the cleanse to get to the fun bit, but it’s a huge mistake!
However, we need to make sure we use a gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip away our skin’s natural moisture. Be kind to your skin barrier, ladies.
If your face feels tight after you cleanse it’s a sign that the product you are using is too harsh, so try something else. I use La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Cleanser. Even after the double cleanse it leaves my skin feeling good. No dryness, no tightness, just a blank canvas ready to be hydrated.
Hydrating Toner
Now it’s time to give your skin a drink.
A good hydrating toner or essence helps rebalance your skin’s hydration levels and preps it to absorb the next products better. It sort of plumps the skin up a little bit but doesn’t get in the way of the products you are yet to use.
My go to is Klairs Supple Preparation Toner. It’s unscented so won’t irritate sensitive skin, and although it’s designed for severely dehydrated skin, anyone can use it.
I would recommend using something that is specially formulated like this even if you don’t fancy Klairs, because if it is aimed at people with very dry skin, then it should work wonders on people with regular or even good skin, right? That was my thinking anyway, and it’s been brilliant for me.
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
They love talking about hy-a-lu-ron-ic acid in TV adverts, don’t they? It makes the product sound all fancy and scientific.
It also happens to be highly effective at drawing moisture into the skin and keeping it there. It’s like a moisture magnet, so this goes on next to lock in the moisture that is already there and draw in the moisture that is still to come.
For me, as a busy Mum, this is probably the most important step because it helps plump those fine lines and turns me from a haggard sleep deprived zombie back into something that looks like a human being.
I like to apply the hyaluronic acid serum a little more firmly to help it into the skin, and I always apply it quickly after the toner so the skin is still slightly damp.
My product of choice here is The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.
Moisturiser
Now we are going to lock in all that that good stuff we have just applied with a moisturiser.
Moisture is water, and water evaporates, right? So we need to create a sealing layer that keeps the moisture in our skin and doesn’t let it evaporate into the air, leaving our skin as bare as the desert floor.
I keep it nice and simple here, using CeraVe Moisturising Lotion in the morning and Weleda Skin Food at night, as it’s richer. Night time is when the skin repairs itself, but it also dries out more during the night, and a richer product retains the moisture for longer which counteracts that. It would be too heavy for the day time, though, it could make your skin feel greasy.
That’s it. Skin hydration routine complete!
Sun Cream
Unless it is a bright sunny day…
If you’re going to be out in the sun you will need sun cream on your face too, to protect your skin. Sun damage is the number one cause of dry, dehydrated skin, uneven skin tone and especially premature wrinkles. Protect yourselves from this evil at all costs!
The quick science lesson here is that the sun’s UV rays break down the collagen in your skin and dry it out over time. We don’t want that, so we need sun protection.
I go for a SP50 regardless of how hot it is, and I use Eucerin Hydro Protect SPF 50. I like this product a lot because it’s very light and not greasy at all. It does the job without ruining all the hard work I put into my skin hydration and skin care routine.
Sun cream is not just for your holidays and garden tanning sessions, girls.
Why Skin Hydration is so Important
If your man is like mine, he will accuse you of being high maintenance, or wasting time and money on pointless expensive snake oil remedies.
Your man, like mine, is dead wrong.
Men might look alright rugged and weather beaten, but women sure as heck don’t! Men don’t have to worry about this stuff, so they write it off as ‘rubbish’, but skin hydration is the foundation of healthy skin.
When your skin is properly hydrated:
- Fine lines and wrinkles look softer
- Your skin tone looks brighter and more even
- Makeup sits better (no dry patches!)
- Your skin feels comfortable and less tight or itchy
- Your natural glow comes through, even without highlighter
This is especially important as we get older, because after around age 30 our skin naturally starts losing moisture faster. If you’re a Mum suffering late nights or frequent wake ups this exacerbates the problem.
Skin hydration isn’t about being high maintenance, it’s about giving your skin the basics so it can stay strong, healthy, and radiant.