Skincare
Explore skincare products for face and body: serums, hydrating oils, creams and targeted care. We explain how the forms differ, which actives suit sensitive skin and how to build a routine you can keep up daily.Read more →
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Choosing skincare products that suit your skin
Skincare works on the outside of your body. Your skin has a barrier: a layer of cells and fats that holds water in and keeps irritants out. Almost every product does one of three jobs. It cleans, it hydrates, or it delivers an active ingredient that changes how your skin looks over weeks. Once you know which job a product does, choosing gets a lot simpler.
The form matters more than a long ingredient list
Texture decides how much product stays on your skin and for how long. A serum is thin and water-based, so it carries actives such as vitamin C or niacinamide into the upper skin layers. A cream sits on top and slows water loss. A face oil contains no water at all, so it works as a final sealing step. That is why an oil rarely replaces a moisturiser. Our face serums are the layer where the active work happens.
- Cleanser: removes oil, SPF and make-up. Twice a day is enough for most skin.
- Serum: the thin layer that carries the actives.
- Cream or lotion: keeps water inside the skin barrier.
- Oil: a last step for dry or tight skin.
- SPF: the morning step with the clearest long-term payoff.
Actives ask for patience, not enthusiasm. Retinol, a form of vitamin A, speeds up skin renewal and often causes flaking in the first weeks. Since 1 November 2025, EU rules cap retinol in face products at 0.3% retinol equivalent, so strength is no longer what sets products apart. Formulation and how often you use it are. Vitamin C fits the morning, retinol the evening. Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid are the calmest places to start if your skin stings easily. Our range of products for the face holds both mild and stronger options.
How we choose the skincare we stock
We look at three things: the form, the concentration, and whether the combination in the jar makes sense. A serum with one well-dosed active and a short ingredient list beats a formula with twelve trendy extras at token levels. We buy directly from the brands, with no intermediaries, so what reaches you is authentic. Every product passes our compliance team before it goes live, we test products ourselves, and independent labs spot-check batches. When a product only suits one skin type, we say so instead of calling it universal. Read how we select brands and products.
What to expect, honestly
Skin renews itself in roughly four weeks, so give a new product four to eight weeks of steady use before you judge it. Introduce one product at a time. If two arrive together and your skin reacts, you will not know which one caused it. Dry skin usually wants richer creams and a sealing step, which is where our hydrating face oils fit. Oily and blemish-prone skin tends to do better with light gels and fewer layers. Sensitive skin benefits from short ingredient lists and fragrance-free formulas. The results are real but gradual: smoother texture and a more even tone, built by repetition rather than by one strong product.
Frequently asked questions
What does a basic skincare routine actually need?
Three steps carry most of the result: a cleanser, a moisturiser and a sunscreen in the morning. Everything else is optional and targeted. Serums, oils, masks and eye products are useful when you have a specific reason for them, such as dryness, dullness or a rough texture. If your routine has ten steps and your skin feels irritated, removing products usually helps more than adding another one.
In what order should I apply my products?
Work from thin to thick, so each layer can still reach the skin. Cleanse first, then apply water-based products such as toners and serums, then your cream, and finally an oil if you use one. In the morning, sunscreen goes on last, before make-up. The reason is simple: a rich cream or an oil forms a film, and a watery serum applied on top of that film mostly sits there instead of absorbing.
Should I choose a serum, a cream or a face oil?
They are not interchangeable, because their base decides what they can do. Many people use two of the three: a serum for the active ingredient and a cream or oil to hold moisture in.
| Form | Base | Best at | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | Water | Delivering actives | All skin types |
| Cream | Water and fats | Holding water in | Normal to dry skin |
| Gel | Water | Light hydration | Oily, blemish-prone skin |
| Face oil | Oils only | Sealing the last layer | Dry, tight skin |
Which sunscreen should I pick, and how much do I use?
UK guidance points at two numbers on the pack: the SPF for UVB and the star rating for UVA. Most people apply far less than the amount the label is tested with, which lowers the protection they actually get. A moisturiser with SPF is thinner and may carry no UVA rating, so it is a light-exposure option rather than a replacement for sunscreen.
| On the pack | NHS advice |
|---|---|
| SPF | At least 30 |
| UVA stars | 4 or more, up to 5 |
| Amount, whole body | About 6 to 8 teaspoons |
| Reapply | After water, sweat or towel drying |
How long before I see results from a new product?
Hydration you can feel within days, because a cream or oil works on the surface. Changes in texture and tone take longer, since skin renews itself in roughly four weeks. Give an active product four to eight weeks of consistent use before you decide. With retinol, skin can look worse before it looks better: breakouts and flaking in the first two to eight weeks are common, and improvement usually shows from around week six.
Can I use retinol and vitamin C in the same routine?
Yes, but split them across the day rather than layering them. Vitamin C fits the morning, before sunscreen. Retinol fits the evening, because it makes skin more sensitive to sunlight. Keep exfoliating acids off the nights you use retinol, at least until your skin has settled. Stacking three actives at once is the most common reason people conclude that their skin is too sensitive for actives at all.
How strong should a retinol product be?
Strength matters less than frequency and formulation. In the EU, face products may contain a maximum of 0.3% retinol equivalent, and packs must carry the statement that the product contains vitamin A and that you should consider your daily intake. Start with two evenings a week, on dry skin, after cleansing. Build up only when your skin stays calm. Encapsulated retinol, where the ingredient is wrapped in a protective shell, is usually gentler at the same percentage.
Which skincare is better avoided during pregnancy?
Products with vitamin A derivatives, such as retinol, retinyl acetate and retinyl palmitate, are the ones usually set aside during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This is about total vitamin A exposure from food, supplements and cosmetics together, which is exactly why EU labels now ask you to consider your daily intake. Cleansers, moisturisers, sunscreen and niacinamide are the calm choices in that period. Check with your midwife, GP or pharmacist about your own routine.
Is a dermaroller at home worth trying?
It can be, within limits. Home devices use very short needles and mainly help products absorb slightly better, which is a smaller effect than clinic treatments with longer needles. Hygiene decides most of the outcome: clean the device before and after each use, never share it, and replace the head as the maker advises. Skip active ingredients like retinol and acids straight afterwards. You can find rollers for home use and, if you prefer to work from the inside, supplements for skin, hair and nails.
