Beginners guide to Skincare

Considering the number of skin care products available nowadays, it’s quite understandable that many are confused about how to start their personal routine. Choosing the right type of product and ingredients can be quite intimidating for a newbie, and it gets even worse when you try to get inspiration from beauty influencers, as their routines tend to include dozens of steps.

Maintaining healthy skin does not need to be that complicated, especially when you are just starting out. On the contrary, the simpler your routine is, the more likely you are to stick to it which in the end will give you better results than getting tons of products that you end up using once or twice per week.

So let’s talk about what you need to consider when choosing products for your skin, and which products you’ll actually need.

When choosing the right products for your skin – or rather the right active ingredients – the first and most important step is determining your skin type. If your skin tends to get patchy, itchy, and is prone to redness, you most probably have dry skin. Products for dry skin usually contain more oils and ceramides, that will help your skin restore its protective lipid barrier and retain more water.

If your face tends to get shiny, then you have oily skin. Contrary to popular belief, you DO NOT want to use harsh cleaning agents on oily skin, as that tends to aggravate the skin making it produce even more sebum to protect itself. Rather stick with gentle cleaners designed for this skin type and lightweight formulas that will nourish your skin but won’t add any more oils.

If your skin tends to get shiny around your forehead, nose, and chin but feels dry on your cheeks, then you have what is called combination skin. This used to be hard to manage, but nowadays there are plenty of products available that are designed to provide your dry areas with the nourishment they need, without being too heavy for your T-zone.

If none of the above is true for you, then congratulations – you have normal skin. Normal skin is usually fairly balanced and won’t need much help from you to stay healthy. Still, in order for your skin to stay balanced and glowy, you will want to hydrate and protect it from environmental factors.

Now that you know what product lines to look for, the next step is determining what products you actually need. As mentioned before, there are dozens of different steps that can be included in your routine, but in this guide, we’ll stick to the 3 basic ones.

Cleaning your skin is the most essential step for an even and glowing complexion. It’s advisable to clean your skin both in the morning and the evening using a gentle cleanser and tonic, ideally something hydrating and without harsh cleaning agents, such as the Dibi Milano Face Perfection Nourish Cleansing Milk and the Dibi Milano Face Perfection Essential Revitalizing Toner.

This cream cleanser and tonic duo is formulated for demanding skin and contains both lacto probiotics that strengthen the skin and its natural barrier, as well as plant based hyaluronic acid, which hydrates the skin leaving it smooth and soft. The tonic also has a soothing effect thanks to the panthenol and aloe extract.

After you clean your skin, you will want to apply a moisturiser, as even the most gentle of cleansers will strip some of your skin’s natural oils and moisture, which will leave it unprotected. Environmental factors play a huge role here too, and will dehydrate your skin if you do not protect it.

Here it’s paramount to choose the right product for your skin type, because the formulations of moisturisers range from very light gels to very heavy creams, and each will benefit a certain skin type, but not all.

If you are unsure about your skin type and what type of moisturiser would be most beneficial, then consider booking a free skin consultation, and have a professional examine your skin and explain what it needs to be strong and healthy.

There are many different approaches to skincare, and countless opinions on what products are actually useful, but the one thing on which everyone agrees is: sunscreen is your skin’s best friend! And not only when you’re on vacation.

Sun exposure will damage your skin cells, causing pigmentation, wrinkles, and or even skin cancer – and that can happen when it’s cloudy too! So make sure that you either get a moisturiser with an SPF of 30 or higher or get a product designed for this purpose specifically, such as the Dibi Milano Daily UV Shield.

As mentioned before, the most important part is sticking to your routine, as no product will provide all its benefits if it isn’t used regularly. So try to keep it simple, as that will make it easier to stick to your regimen on a daily basis.

However, there are a few steps that can be added without taking too much time out of your day. Exfoliating, for example, is a great thing to do for a brighter complexion which should only be done 2-3 times a week. The same is true for various masks – be it for hydration, exfoliation, or nourishment. Masks are highly concentrated and can therefore be used every couple of days.

If you have specific skin conditions that you want to address (such as dehydrated skin, breakouts, or some fine lines) you could also add a serum into your routine. These are applied before the moisturiser and are a great way to target specific issues, as they tend to contain active ingredients in much higher concentrations than face creams.

The easiest and best way to treat specific issues you might have with your skin is going for a facial treatment every 4-6 weeks, depending on your skin’s needs. A professional can then inspect your skin in depth and treat the cause of your acne, dry skin, redness, lines or other issues you might have.

So start your routine with these three basic steps, stay consistent and add more when you feel comfortable, or just stick with this simple regimen – your skin will thank you either way.