Below are the top 10 skin care products that every woman should own (and use!), and what they are designed to do.

1. Cleanser

You may not realise that cleansing your face is a vital part of your skin-care regimen. Cleansers are designed to dissolve grime, dirt, sweat, stale make-up and excess sebum (oils naturally produced by the skin) from the skin’s surface. 

This helps to unclog pores and prevent skin conditions such as acne.

2. Eye Make-up Remover

While eye cream is a great way to nourish the delicate under-eye area, it’s important to extend your skincare regimen to include an eye makeup remover. 

Ordinary cleansers aren’t usually sufficient to remove stubborn eye make-up. For waterproof mascara or long-wearing eyeliner use Micellar water or an eye make-up remover formulated to remove them.

3. Toner

Toners remove residual cleanser and also restore the pH balance of the skin after washing or cleansing your face. 

Toners have an astringent effect which cools, freshens and refines by adding an extra layer of hydration to your skin, helping even out skin tone and prepare your skin for the moisturising products that will follow. 

For more information on Toners click here

4. Exfoliator

Your skin naturally sheds millions of skin cells every day, but this shedding process can come to a screeching halt due to sun damage, genetics, or various skin disorders. 

The results are not too pretty: dull, dry, or flaky skin; clogged or enlarged pores; blackheads; white bumps (milia); wrinkles; loss of firmness; and uneven skin tone. 

Regular exfoliating equals silky smooth, healthy-looking skin. Using a gentle exfoliator will remove all dry/dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, help speed up cell renewal and is one of the most important steps in a good skincare routine.

5. Face Mask

As most cell regeneration takes place between 11 pm – 5 am the best time to use a mask is in the evening.

Always make sure that your face mask is rinsed off around 2 hours before retiring as this gives your pores a chance to shrink and oil levels to return to normal. They work in synergy to cleanse and revitalise your skin, increase circulation, and release toxins and other waste from skin cells. 

Most facemasks treat a wide variety of skin conditions as well as tighten and tone the skin. 

To learn more about the different types of face masks click here

6. Eye Cream

Eye creams contain ingredients to plump out fine lines, firm the eye area plus reduce puffiness and under-eye shadows. The delicate skin around the eye area is usually the first to show the signs of ageing so you need to be gentle when applying products here. 

Always use your ring fingers to gently pat in your eye cream following the brow and cheekbones. 

7. Serum

Serums are the gems in your skincare regime. These brilliant little skin saviours supercharge your skin with their concentrated formulas. 

Serums are deep penetrating and are designed to be used under your moisturiser. Use a quality serum under your morning and evening moisturiser, using sparingly… as a little goes a long way.

8. Day Cream

During the day, skin is subject to environmental stresses, damaging UV rays, pollution, environmental stresses, and make-up, so creams designed for use during the day are primarily focused on protection and support. 

Use a day cream that contains SPF30+ to prevent burning and photo-ageing, antioxidants to fight free radicals. 

Day creams are usually designed to be worn under your make-up, so they are light, non-greasy formulas that absorb quickly providing a smooth, oil-free canvas for foundation to glide on smoothly.

9. Night Cream

Night creams are often richer, thicker, or heavier than day creams because our skin does most of its repairing, and regenerating while we sleep. 

Because night creams are focused on moisture and recovery, they contain the most powerful, slow-absorbing moisturisers that are designed to penetrate our skin. 

They normally contain the highest concentrations of anti-aging compounds ingredients like retinol, glycolic acid, and hyaluronic acid, which can to do their magic without interference from make-up or sunscreens.

10. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is the easiest way to protect yourself from the sun’s dangerous rays. Women should apply sunscreen under makeup. 

Apply the sunscreen at least 20 to 30 minutes before you go outdoors, whenever you will be exposed for 30 minutes or more. SPF stands for sun protection factor. 

The SPF number tells you how well the product will protect you from UVB, the burning rays of the sun. The higher the SPF number, the greater the amount of protection.