The best morning skincare routine for your skin type, according to a dermatologist
A dermatologist weighs in on the products you need and what order to apply them
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.No matter what your budget is, everyone’s goal for their skincare routine is the same: effective products that work. That goes for all skin types, whether you’re trying to balance excess oil production or soothe patches of dryness. However, it can often feel overly complicated to find products that work for your skin type, budget and lifestyle, especially given there are thousands of brands to shop from.
That’s exactly why we’ve created a guide to perfecting your morning skincare routine, so you can start your day right. With the help of Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist at Self London, along with our team of shopping experts who have tested the top products on the market for quality, lasting effect and value for money, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve categorised Dr Mahto’s top tips and product recommendations into the four main skin types; oily dry, combination and sensitive, diving into everything from the skincare staples of any good morning routine, to what order to apply your products - cleansers, serums, actives, moisturisers, SPF, you name it.
Best skincare routine for oily skin
Aside from excess shine, oily skin is commonly prone to acne too because your sebaceous glands produce an oil called sebum, which clogs pores and leads to the formation of spots. Therefore, many products for oily skin are often created to treat blemishes and we’ve included some in our top picks.
The La Roche-Posay Effaclar purifying foaming gel (£24, Lookfantastic.com) was our top pick for oily and acne-prone skin in our guide to the best cleansers, thanks to its gentle formula and smoothing texture. “Lathering the product on wet skin, we enjoyed the smell and texture. After washing, we felt sparklingly refreshed, and our skin felt smooth,” noted our writer.
Following this, Dr Mahto recommends applying targeted treatments, such as acne spot treatment, allowing it to penetrate the skin before moisturising. “Use a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser to hydrate and nourish the skin without clogging pores, focusing on areas prone to dryness. If you’re oily/acne-prone you can skip this step as sunscreen is normally moisturising enough.”
Our writer loved the Murad clarifying water gel (£46, Marksandpencer.com) in our skincare for acne guide: “The texture of this is lovely – it’s a lightweight gel that’s instantly refreshing and hydrating but dries down to a matte finish. It kept our usually oily T-zone free from shine, and greatly improved textured areas on our cheeks.”
Lastly, there is no better investment for your skin than wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen. It not only protects from sunburn and hyperpigmentation but skin cancer and accelerated ageing, too. Dr Mahto recommends the Eucerin oil-control sunscreen SPF50 (£19, Lookfantastic.com) as the most suitable for acne-prone skin. It’s a gel texture that provides a mattifying finish to keep shine at bay.
Best skincare routine for dry skin
Signs of dry skin can include tightness, flaking, and a visible lack of elasticity. Within your skincare routine, you’ll want to look for soothing formulas and richer textures, with ingredients such as glycerin, squalane, vitamin E and niacinamide.
Our beauty writer found the Caudalie vinoclean instant foaming cleanser (£18, Lookfantastic.com) was the best way to start the day in our guide to the best cleansers. With a soft, foamy texture, they found it “a refreshing way to start the day, and it left skin feeling comfortable and soft”.
Dr Mahto recommends following this with a hydrating serum to treat dryness, especially those with ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin: “These serums help replenish moisture and improve skin hydration levels.” The Glossier super bounce hyaluronic acid + vitamin b5 serum (£32, Glossier.com) came out on top in our review of the best hyaluronic acid serums. Our tester said: “ With its soft milky formula, this serum feels luxurious when applied to the skin and is combined with vitamin B5 for lasting moisture.”
Look for creamy, rich textures in your moisturiser to prevent water loss and prevent dry patches from returning. Our tester loved The Ordinary natural moisturizing factors + phytoceramides (£20, Lookfantastic.com) in our guide to the best moisturisers for dry skin. “With use, we noticed a plumping effect – which helps improve the appearance of tightness and fine lines – and the moisturiser feels comforting for skin prone to irritation, too,” they wrote.
Taking the top spot for best SPF for dry skin is the Aēsop protective facial lotion SPF25 (£45, Lookfantastic.com). It’s so good in fact our reviewer often uses it in place of a morning moisturiser as it “feels more like a rich face cream”.
Best skincare routine for combination skin
Combination skin is extremely common and typically presents as an oily T-zone but drier cheeks, meaning your skin is in need of balancing products that won’t aggravate it either.
We love the Byoma creamy jelly cleanser (£10.99, Cultbeauty.co.uk) not just for its budget-friendly price tag, but also the gentle formula that makes light work of removing makeup and leaves skin silky soft. “This cleanser had the most lightweight, yet effective wash of all those we tried,” our reviewer said in our guide to the best cleansers.
Our favourite moisturiser for combination skin is No7 protect and perfect intense advanced day cream (£24.95, Boots.com) that ticked every box for our reviewer: “Not only does its texture feel just right – not too light but not too rich that it makes your skin look sweaty all day – it also contains SPF 15, making it an ideal cream to use if you’re spending time outside.”
If you hate wearing sunscreen, then the Glossier invisible shield (£25, Glossier.com) deserves a spot on your shelf. In our review of the best daily sun cream, our tester was left impressed with its lightweight texture. They said that it’s “an incredibly lightweight water-like gel” that “instantly sinks into the skin with no signs or feeling of residue”.
Best skincare routine for sensitive skin
Another common bugbear is sensitivity, which can range from redness and irritation from fragrance or alcohol, or as a self-induced result of over-exfoliating. As a result, sensitive skin needs extra special care to keep it free from inflammation. “Always remember to patch-test new products and introduce them gradually into your skincare routine to avoid irritation,” advises Dr Mahto. Keep things simple with a cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen for your daily routine.
Winning the title of best facial cleanser for sensitive skin from our experts was the Liz Earle cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser (£18, Lookfantastic.com), thanks to a cocktail of skin-soothing ingredients such as rosemary, chamomile and eucalyptus which our reviewer described as “calming and cooling.”
Follow cleansing with the Aveeno face calm and restore oat gel moisturiser (£11.59, Boots.com), especially if you’re in need of extra hydration. In our guide to the best moisturisers for sensitive skin, our beauty writer was impressed with how it left their skin feeling nourished and hydrated with just a small amount.
Finally, finish things off with a layer of sun cream before you head out the door. We’d recommend the Ultra Violette clean screen sensitive skinscreen SPF30 (£32, Spacenk.com). “Suitable for anyone with acne-prone, sensitive or even combination skin, we loved how it instantly absorbed into the skin, with no greasy residue, and it even worked well under make-up,” said our reviewer.
Voucher codes
For the latest offers on make-up and more, try the links below:
If you’re looking for more skincare recommendations, read our review of the best daily sunscreens for your face, from sensitive to non-greasy formulas