5 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Skincare Routine

Achieving flawless and healthy skin isn’t just about the products you use, it’s also about how you boost and maintain their results. With a few intentional upgrades and insider tricks, even the simplest skincare routine can be made to work harder to deliver noticeably smoother, brighter and healthier skin.

After years working inside the beauty industry, here are the simple skincare upgrades I’ve found make all the difference…

1. Double cleanse in the evening

Simple and game-changing, yet still one of skincare’s best-kept secrets for maintaining flawless skin. While most standard cleansers (foam, gel and cream products) are highly proficient at removing daily impurities, the vast majority are water-based formulas and are not designed to effectively dissolve the likes of sebum, heavy make-up and sunscreen. So, using a water-based cleanser alone means that oil-based residue is constantly left on your skin.

For a truly thorough cleanse, use an oil-based cleanser (to dissolve oil-based products like make-up and sunscreen) followed by a water-based cleanser (to remove sweat, dirt and other impurities). This two-step approach ensures a deeper cleanse to prevent clogged pores and breakouts, enhances skincare absorption, and also helps your second cleanser to effectively deliver the added benefits it offers such as hydration, pH balance, or a radiance boost.

*Ensure both cleansers suit your skin type when choosing

2. Incorporate facial massage into your routine

This one wins every time when it comes to minimum input for maximum output! Using just a few facial massage techniques as you apply your skincare noticeably improves both the immediate and long-term appearance of your skin.

Facial massage boosts circulation for enhanced skin glow, encourages lymphatic drainage to remove toxins and reduce visible puffiness, improves the absorption of active ingredients, and reduces facial tension which contributes to the formation of fine lines. Regular, targeted massage (particularly along the jawline, cheekbones, and brow line) can also enhance visible contouring and stimulate collagen production which leads to firmer-looking skin.

My favourite facial massage tools are: Beauty Pie Depuffing Face and Eye Roller and Sephora Collection Rose Quartz Gua Sha Tool

3. Use a targeted face mask weekly

Using a weekly face mask that serves both your skin type and concerns is a quick, low-maintenance way to either enhance the results of your daily skincare routine or, for most of us, fill the gaps you may have created during a busy week. Consider it either a boost or a re-set, combined with a much-needed moment of self-care.

Skipped that double cleanse a few times this week? Reach for a clarifying face mask. Been a little light on the moisturiser? A hydration-heavy option is what you need. Skin looking as lacklustre as your energy levels? Opt for a radiance-boosting mask.

My favourites are: Biodance Bio Collagen-Real Deep Mask (when my skin feels dry), Pixi Glow Brightening Infusion Sheet Mask (when my skin looks dull), and Caudalie Pore Minimizing Instant Detox Mask (when my pores look enlarged).

4. Apply eye patches before make-up application

Any make-up artist worth their salt will tell you that preparation is the most important part of your make-up routine. So, if you’ve had enough of your concealer creasing under your eyes after just a few hours, then eye patches are your new best friend.

By delivering intense hydration, reducing puffiness and smoothing the delicate skin around the eyes, eye patches create a flawless base for concealer by remedying the dry patches and fine lines that make-up clings to as well as reducing the pesky dark shadow that always manages to creep through even the most pigmented concealers. From now on, consider them an imperative tool for both the smooth application and longevity of your under-eye make-up.

TOP TIP: Keep them on while you apply your eyeshadow to catch any fallout!

My favourites are: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Eye Patches, Beauty of Joseon Revive Under Eye Patches, and Peace Out Puffy Eyes Under-Eye Patches

5. Have regular professional treatments

This one may seem like a tall order, but even if you manage to throw in a professional treatment a few times per year, the results can be hugely beneficial to your everyday skincare routine.

Whether it’s a deep-cleanse facial, a skin-resurfacing treatment or LED light therapy, professional skincare treatments are an invaluable way to quickly revive neglected skin, treat stubborn skin concerns, enhance the results already achieved by your daily routine, and ensure easier daily maintenance of your skin.

My favourites are: Dermaplaning (when my skin feels dull), HydraFacial (when my skin is looking particularly congested), and Microdermabrasion (when my skin texture feels uneven).

More on professional treatments coming soon.

DISCLAIMERS:

While I’m not a dermatologist, I’ve spent much of my career immersed in the beauty industry, particularly skincare. As a former beauty trends editor, I scoured the global market to identify and test some of the most innovative formulas out there. I later worked on the brand team at one of the UK’s fastest-growing skincare companies, helping bring to market some of today’s most advanced skincare technologies.

This post is not sponsored, and none of the links are affiliate links. All product recommendations and opinions are entirely my own.