6 Essential Skincare Elements During Quarantine

The UK (where I am writing this from) is currently in full lockdown and for some reason this has led to me getting many messages about people complaining of dry, irritated skin. I have this problem a lot but right now people may not want to be spending all their money on skincare so… I have put together what, for me, are the 6 essential elements in a simple routine with affordable to luxury product options for each. So just because you’re stuck inside, doesn’t mean your skin can’t glow!

A GentlE Cleanser
Now it might just be me, but as my skin is dry and sensitive I am a huge fan of a gentle balm cleanser. So many people underestimate how important a good cleanser is. I’ve heard of people spending hundreds if not more on great serums and expensive moisturisers only to be washing their skin with make-up wipes or ignoring cleansing altogether. This is the most important step! For me it’s also important to make sure the ingredients are gentle especially if, like me, you have any sensitivity. So, my top balm cleansers, from affordable to mainstream and luxury are:
Affordable - The Body Shop’s Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter - £11

Mainstream - Drunk Elephant’s Slaai Make-Up Melting Butter Cleanser - £29

Luxury - Allies Of Skin Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser* - £39

2. A Gentle Exfoliator

When your skin is feeling a little dry or sensitive, it’s really easy to assume that exfoliating it is a bad idea, but actually this is a really necessary part of your routine a few times a week or more regularly if you feel you need it. Just make sure you patch test first and try something really gentle. When it comes to exfoliating, you’ll first need to choose whether you go for manual exfoliation (a scrub) or chemical. I have written extensively about this here. I go for chemical mainly as it feels better for my skin. Scrubbing sometimes means you have to be bit rough. Although, having said that, the Paula’s Choice Unscrub is a great way to scrub without ‘scrubbing’. You also need to choose between an AHA and BHA. Again, more about this here. So, my top picks for exfoliators that I like are:

Affordable - Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (30ml) - £10

Mainstream - Paula’s Choice The Unscrub - £26

Luxury - Allies Of Skin Mandelic Pigmentation Corrector Night Serum* - £95

3. Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid has become massive over the past few years. If you didn’t already know this (kinda scary sounding) acid occurs naturally in the skin. It is supposed to hold loads of moisture so when applied, it plumps and hydrates - although it’s always advisable to apply to a damp face or alongside other products so it can suck up all that other moisture and keep it locked into your skin. I like to apply a layer of HA to a damp face after exfoliating and before I apply the next few products. This is a fairly affordable product all round but here are some favourites:

Super affordable - The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum* - £5.99

Super affordable - The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Acid 2% + B5 - £5.90

Affordable - Good Molescules Hyaluronic Acid Serum* - $6

4. Face Oil

I really enjoy a range of face oils. As my skin is sensitive and often needs balancing or brightening or just extra hydration, a face oil is a great way to get some nutrients in there. There are also some oils (like the Bybi one) that work as anti-oxidants, strengthening the skin barrier and defending against damage from things such as blue light. For me this is a must if you want that glow. Here are my picks:

Affordable: Bybi Blueberry Booster* - £12

Mainstream: Angela Langford Bloom & Glow* - £20.50

Mainstream: Scientia Dawn Elixir* - £32

5. Moisturiser

Surely no one out there has a routine that does not include moisturising, right? It’s a key step and usually the one most people do even if they skip everything else. The key is finding the right product for you. This really depends on your skin type, the texture you enjoy and just preference for ingredients. What I can tell you is simply the ones I find amazing for my dry, sensitive skin. If you’re super oily these might not work for you but if you have normal to dry skin I would be surprised if you don’t love them. My picks are:

Affordable: Cerave Moisturising Cream - £8.50

Mainstream: Paula’s Choice Calm Hydrating Moisturiser - £30

Luxury: Drunk Elephant’s Lala Retro Whipped Cream - £50

6. Sunscreen

I’ll say it once I will say it a million more times - WEAR SUNSCREEN. Ok, we might be stuck indoors but if you can see sunlight (even through a window) it can see you. This is such an important step in your skincare routine, especially if you’re using certain oils, serums and exfoliators that open your skin up to more damage if you don’t protect it against the sun. If you don’t do this step then most of the rest of it is pretty pointless. Ok, I’ll stop ranting now. If you’re looking for a good sunscreen, here are my picks:

Affordable: Purito Centella Green Level Unscented SPF* - £14.53

Mainstream: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Shaka Ultra Light Facial Sun Cream - £17.50

Mainstream: Ren Clean Screen Mineral SPF - £32