What Should You be Doing to Look After Your Skin?

Our skin has to put up with a lot of stresses during our daily lives. Sweat, dirt, make up and pollutants to name but a few. It provides protection between our bodies and the outside world and works hard to keep us in good health. Perhaps the most important part of the skin is the outer most layer, the epidermis. Without this skin barrier, harmful components can enter the body and cause serious harm.

Why the Basics Matter Most in a Hot Climate

This is why it's crucial to ensure our skin is in tip top condition by keeping it clean and well cared for. Properly cleansing skin of dirt and impurities that build up throughout the day is key to an effective skin care routine. In the UAE, that job is harder than most places: heat and humidity keep skin sweating for much of the year, while air conditioning indoors dries it out again, so your barrier is constantly being pulled in two directions. Once the cleansing step is completed, you can then add skin beneficial ingredients in the form of serums and moisturisers to further strengthen, enhance and protect the skin.

This will help to keep your skin clear, healthy, and radiant. Without cleansing and proper skin care, your skin will be more prone to breakouts, dehydration, and premature aging.

How to Cleanse the Skin Effectively

• Use a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser that does not contain alcohol
• Wet your face with lukewarm water and use your fingertips to apply cleanser. You can use a washcloth to gently massage the cleanser onto the skin in a circular motion
• Resist the temptation to scrub your skin - scrubbing can irritate and cause redness
• Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft, clean towel
• At this point you can apply active serums, a moisturiser and even skin beneficial oils such as Squalane oil
• Be gentle when applying any cream around your eyes so you do not pull too hard on this delicate skin
• Wash your face once in the morning and once at night, as well as after sweating heavily. Perspiration, especially when wearing a hat or a mask can irritate the skin
• After cleansing, you can add serums and moisturisers with skin beneficial active ingredients such as vitamin C and peptides and of course retinol at night
• Always use a broad spectrum 50+ sunscreen every day to protect your skin from UV damage. Don't forget to reapply every two hours if you're outside

Building on Clean Skin: Serums and Moisturiser

Cleansing only gets you halfway there. Once your skin is clean and dry, it's far more receptive to active ingredients, which is why layering order matters. Thinner, water-based serums should go on first so they can absorb properly, followed by a moisturiser to seal that hydration in. Vitamin C in the morning helps brighten skin and adds a layer of antioxidant protection against environmental stress and sun exposure, while peptides support the skin's natural firmness and elasticity over time. Retinol is best kept for the evening, since it can make skin more sensitive to sunlight, and it pairs well with a rich moisturiser afterwards to offset any dryness while you sleep.

Never Skip SPF

Of every step in a skincare routine, sunscreen does the most to protect the progress the rest of your routine is trying to build. UV exposure is intense and near-constant here, even on cloudy or overcast days, so a broad-spectrum SPF 50 should be the very last step every morning, not an occasional extra. The Ultra Light Solar Defence SPF 50 PA++++ Facial Sunscreen is formulated to feel light rather than greasy, which makes it easier to reapply through the day without your skin feeling clogged.

A Simple Daily Checklist

Cleanse morning and night, apply your active serums to clean skin, lock everything in with a moisturiser, and finish with SPF every single morning. Keep the routine simple and repeatable rather than trying to do everything at once — consistency, not complexity, is what actually looks after your skin.