Simone Gannon: The essential skincare starter-pack
Simone Gannon. Pic: Emily Quinn
Cleansing your skin correctly is the first step of any good skincare routine.
An effective cleanse sweeps away dead skin cells, removes oil build-up, helps to prevent breakouts, and deeply cleans and balances the skin.
An oil or balm cleanser will gently break down all makeup and sunscreen without leaving your skin feeling tight or dry.
One of my favourite balm cleansers is Melt The Day Away Cleansing Balm from Ella and Jo. Effective, luxurious and affordable.
- €38 from ellaandjo.ie
Cleansing is so important we do it twice.
After using an oil or balm cleanser, it's time to move on to your second cleanse using a cream or milk-based cleanser.
This lighter cleanser will remove any traces of oil and gently clean and hydrate your skin, preparing it for your serums and moisturiser.
The Ordinary Glycolipid Cleanser is my most used cream cleanser right now as it's light, gentle and leaves my skin feeling calm and balanced.
- €13.40 from cloud10beauty.com
If you have a specific under-eye issue that bothers you, such as dark circles or fine lines, then an eye cream is a must.
Yes, moisturiser and other face creams can be applied to this area, but they're often too potent for the delicate skin under the eye, and in some cases, they can cause milia (a build-up of keratin which looks like tiny white, hard spots).
Choose a light, hydrating eye cream that tackles dark circles simultaneously, like this beautiful one from Caudalíe (it has a lovely cooling applicator, too).
- €34.50 from spacenk.com
Antioxidants are fantastic for the skin and have a myriad of benefits.
Used every morning, they can help to brighten and protect the skin, reduce inflammation, balance oil and encourage healing and repair.
While many affordable and excellent antioxidant serums are available, this is a step in your routine that is worthy of investment.
Clinically proven, SkinCeuticals Antioxidants are a game changer when used consistently.
Expensive but worth every euro for the difference you will see in your skin.
- €185 from Meaghers Pharmacy
An excellent hydrating serum doesn't just hydrate.
It plumps, soothes, adds major glow, improves elasticity and helps to retain moisture levels in the skin throughout the day.
Used morning and evening on damp skin (for better absorption), it will make your skin look and feel better instantly and over time.
There are many great hydrating serums on the market, including Vichy LiftActiv Supreme.
A light, non-sticky, fast-absorbing serum that is a pleasure to use (with an excellent dropper applicator).
- €41 from Boots
A good moisturiser is a crucial component in every routine, but not for the reason you might think.
Moisturiser doesn't actually moisturise, as it's too thick to penetrate the skin.
It acts as an excellent (and very important) sealant, however — locking in all the moisture you've added to your skin with your serums.
A much-loved favourite moisturiser of mine is Avéne Hydrance Light Emulsion.
It sits beautifully on top of other skincare and plays nicely under makeup, too (it's a particularly excellent option for sensitive skin).
- €20.40 from Boots.
The most important part of any skincare routine and arguably the best thing you can do for your skin is wearing sunscreen daily.
There is no point in spending time and money on a skincare routine if you're not applying sunscreen as the last step.
Daily sunscreen protects your skin from harsh UV rays, which can lead to skin cancer, premature ageing, skin laxity and hyperpigmentation.
A great daily sunscreen should be light, not sticky, fast-absorbing and great under makeup — and Supergoop Play SPF50 ticks all of these boxes.
- €23 from spacenk.com.
Not an essential but a wonderful addition to any skincare routine if you have the time.
As an avid user of eye gels, I can attest to their hydrating, line smoothing abilities (plus using them feels like the epitome of a self-care moment).
This giant tub from Pixi Beauty is excellent at hydrating and depuffing the under-eye area (it's great value, too).
- €29 for a tub of 30 pairs. Available from Boots.
- Product prices are subject to change and may differ across retailers.
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