BY JAN ANGELO ONG

If you’re having a hard time choosing just a handful of products from your entire skincare routine, then it’s time to reassess and go back to the basics.

It’s a common problem for skincare lovers to get buried in the burden of choosing the right products — whether it’s just a handful to bring while traveling, or when on a budget and choosing which product/s to prioritize. But more often than not, we fall into a hype trap, and end up buying the products for their popularity, instead of investing on the essentials. This causes a lot of wasted money, and more importantly, wasted skincare.

So to get your skincare routine back on track and well-structured, here are the bare essentials that should be the backbone of your skincare routine.

Gentle Cleanser

A simple, straight-to-the-point gentle cleanser free of strong, irritating ingredients is always great to keep in a skincare routine because it’s great for just about any skin situation; whether your skin is sensitive from hot weather, dry from the cold weather, dehydrated, or oily, a gentle cleanser makes sure to thoroughly clean your skin without being intrusive of anything else, be it overdrying, oversensitizing, or even overcleansing your skin. Definitely keep one in handy so you have something for the most important part of your skincare routine.

Prescribed Treatment

If there’s anything that can prove how effective your skincare routine is, it’s this — especially if it’s prescribed by your dermatologist. In fact, medication or treatments prescribed by your dermatologist are given for a reason; to treat your skin concern as quickly and as effectively as possible, as proven by science and research, and not marketing. So never replace a prescribed treatment with any beauty product you might find out in the market, no matter how much of a cult-favorite it might be.

Skin treatments differ per person’s skin concern — those suffering from acne might be prescribed an anti-acne cream or gel, while mature skin may be prescribed a retinol cream. People with minor skin concerns such as skin-brightening and lightening dark spots can also incorporate exfoliation and other lightening treatments in this step. And while some treatments leave your skin worse off in the beginning, this is why you have the next essential, which is…

Moisturizer

There’s a reason why this is common in everyone’s skincare routine — and that reason is simply because it’s important to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize no matter what your skin type may be! Giving the skin enough moisture means to keep it hydrated, which is vital for any treatment to actually be absorbed by the skin, and therefore making it very important in achieving your skincare goals. There are plenty of products out there that moisturize skin depending on the the skin type: oil-free moisturizers for acne prone, emulsion or gel moisturizers for oily, and cream moisturizers for dry skin. With so much available in the market, there’s just no excuse not to have a moisturizer handy!

Sunscreen

It’s more or less a universal rule for anyone truly into skincare: if the sun is up, whatever the weather, whether you’re indoors or outdoors, you must wear sunblock. This is non-negotiable; putting on sunscreen daily has been scientifically proven to improve the appearance of skin both short-term and long-term, protecting skin from sun damage (which could lead to sun spots and hyperpigmentation) and minimizing signs of aging that may form in the future. Aside from that, skin that is UV-protected will keep your skincare treatments on for a longer period of time, giving them more time to take effect on your skin. So definitely make it a habit to always have sunscreen within reach, whatever the occasion might be — your skin will thank you later.

Do you have these essentials in your skincare routine? Shop them now on ZALORA!