How to start a skincare routine

How to start a new skincare routine and introduce single products

Have you discovered many interesting products and want to jump headfirst into them? Curb your enthusiasm. Introduce products into your skincare routine gradually and judiciously. 

1. Establish a basic routine. The 3 most basic steps in skincare: cleansing, moisturising and sun protection. Get your skin used to these 3 products, which will form the core of your skincare routine.
2. Once your skin is used to following the basic routine, you can add more products. Such as products for the double cleansing phase, or toners, serums. Always add them gradually - incorporate 1 product at a time. Monitor how your skin reacts to it. If everything seems fine, you can (e.g. after a few days) add another one.

What happens if I start using several new products on my skin at the same time?

If you start using too many new products at once, you risk 2 major drawbacks:

You don't know who is the bad guy

All it takes is one product that doesn't suit you, and you're looking at breakouts or irritated skin. If you've incorporated multiple products into your routine at once, you have no way of knowing how each product gets along with your skin (not). And therefore which one makes your skin irritated. 

If this condition persists and your skin does not adjust, preferably stop using all of the new products altogether. Then gradually start adding them back into your routine one by one and see how they affect your skin.

By introducing each product to your skin one at a time, you'll clearly know which one your skin loves or hates.

Shock for the skin

While all new products may suit your skin, it may still not always work out well. Imagine being given 10 new tasks at work at once, not one of which you have any experience with. You'll definitely be more stressed and panicked than if you only get one new task every week or two - so you'll have plenty of time to get used to and adapt to it before the next one lands on your desk.

That's why with a new routine, you may see a slight worsening in your skin at first before it gets used to the new products. However, if the problems persist for longer (even a few weeks), it's likely that one of the products doesn't suit you.

This doesn't mean you'll get breakouts with every new routine. It also depends a lot on your skin type, the number of new products and their ingredients. Especially serums with actives or stronger ingredients in the formula should be introduced separately. On the other hand, you can probably include a gentle cream and a cleanser together. 

How to choose other products to add to your routine

With the gradual introduction of new products, you will soon know which products and substances suit your skin best and which ones to avoid.

Before you rush headlong into trying a range of new products that have been "recommended on the internet" or simply caught your eye, stop and think whether they're doing more harm than good in your routine. Check out the following list:

1. Does the product solve my skin problem? We often get swept up in the impulse or belief that we need something when we really don't. Find out if the product solves the problems you see in your skin and want to address. And if it's really suitable for your skin type.
2. Is there an active ingredient in the formula that I already have in my routine? This doesn't mean that no ingredient should appear twice in your product ingredients. However, if it's present in a higher concentration or you have "a lot" of it in your routine, an excess can cause mischief. For example, if you already have a serum in your routine with niacinamide, retinol or acid as the main ingredient, you don't need additional products with the same main ingredient. 
3. Can I use the product with the rest of my routine without restrictions? While some ingredients are worth using together because they can support their effects (like SPF and vitamin C), others don't get along and shouldn't be used in the same routine. For example, you should not use vitamin C in the same routine as retinoids or acids. If you do want to include them in your routine, you must use them separately (one of the products in the morning routine, the other in the evening). Therefore, before including a new product, consider whether and where there is a place for it in your routine.

Skincare is a science and you don't want to think too much about product combinations? Choose one of our ready-made skincare routines.