Skincare Routine: Combination Skin

Dry Skin Skincare Routines Escentual Perspective

Skincare has always been my beauty obsession; there’s nothing I love more than chatting to others about their skincare routines, especially when they have oily or combination skin like mine.

But what causes skin oiliness, I hear you ask. Excess oiliness stems from hormones and genetics, but it’s also caused by your skin being dehydrated (when your complexion lacks hydration, it tries to make up for it by overproducing sebum AKA oil).

With this in mind, I’ll be the first to admit that oily/combination skin isn’t always the easiest thing to deal with. And that means one thing: I’m always on the hunt for new skincare recommendations, so I’ve asked some of Team Escentual to reveal their personal skincare routines for combination skin. Keep reading to discover their skincare cabinets and learn their No. 1 skincare recommendation…

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Darcey: Dry-Dull and Combination Skin Skincare Routine

Combination skin skincare routine

Tell us a little bit about your skin…

“My skin has always been dry and sensitive but it’s suddenly become a combination of dry and oily! I have been suffering from oiliness and spots lately – it’s been a challenge for me to find a routine that works for both. My main concerns outside of that are dullness, uneven texture and tone.”

Walk us through your skincare routine…

Cleanser: I always start with micellar water; Bioderma Sensibio H20 is my go-to.

Toner: One of my favourite French Pharmacy hidden gems is the PAYOT Hydra 24+ Essence. It feels as though you’re splashing your face with fresh water, but the brown and red algae are working hard behind the scenes to improve your skin’s water retention and create a layer of protection against pollution. And its juicy blend of watermelon and fig extract smells delicious!

Retinol: As a retinol beginner, I love the La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum. It’s perfect for those who want to start using retinol but have been scared to because they suffer from sensitive, reactive skin. Retinol is a must-have for ageing skin, but I find that it helps with my tone and texture (and the added shot of glycerin feels super hydrating too.) To increase my retinol use without irritating my dry patches, I also love using the Dermalogica Age Smart Overnight Retinol Repair – it comes with a buffer cream as well as the retinol, so it’s perfect as a beginner retinol or if you have more sensitive skin!

Serum: To combat my combination skin, I love the La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide Serum. As the name suggests, it’s packed with niacinamide to tackle blemishes and redness whilst soothing the skin – I saw improvements in my skin texture after the first few uses.

Day-time Moisturiser: I’m obsessed with the La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 AquaGel. It offers a cool boost of moisture at the start of the day, which the drier areas of my skin laps up. But its skin-quenching pale blue gel texture still feels light and comfortable on my skin when I’m struggling with oily patches. What I love most, though, is that it offers SPF30 broad-spectrum protection.

SPF: Sun protection is a staple all year round but the Avene Tinted Cream SPF50+ is my replacement for heavy foundation during the spring/summer months. It offers lightweight coverage whilst providing broad-spectrum UVA/UVB and Blue Light protection. And, of course, its ability to offer eight hours of hydration is an added bonus.

Lip Balm: My final little luxury is the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm; it’s made from 90% natural ingredients for the ultimate hit of hydration. Its comforting dose of shea butter conditions my lips whilst honey repairs chapped sores. It has a thick nourishing texture that can be used on sore noses or dry patches as well! Plus, the orange-honey smell is amazing.

If you could only recommend one product from your skincare cabinet, what would it be?

“It has to be La Roche-Posay’s AquaGel. Even though I’m not targeting any major signs of ageing just yet, I love that it plumps my skin to help reduce the early signs of ageing and improve my skin’s texture – tackling all of my skin concerns in one go. I always rave about this moisturiser to the team, my friends – or anyone else who will listen!”

Ben: Combination Skin Skincare Routine

Combination skincare routine

Tell us a little bit about your skin…

“My skin is generally pretty good in terms of breakouts and blemishes. I’ve got an oily forehead and dry areas on my cheeks, though, so I use products to target this. And as I’m now unashamedly in Club 30, I use anti-ageing products too.”

Walk us through your skincare routine…

Cleanser: I alternate between the Caudalie Vinoclean Instant Foaming Cleanser, the Lab Series Multi-Action Face Wash and the Clarins Men Face Wash. Caudalie’s is great for everyday use as it’s so gentle and non-drying. I use the Lab Series cleanser when I need a deep cleanse; it’s great for whenever I have any spots. The Clarins cleanser also gently exfoliates and refreshes the skin – and it features an amazingly fresh scent that never fails to wake me up in the morning.

Day-time Moisturiser: On my cheeks and chin, I apply the Lab Series Daily Rescue Gel Cream, which brightens the skin and makes it look as though you’ve had a full eight hours of sleep (I’ll never say no to a face cream that’s capable of that!) I also love the Clarins Men Energising Gel; its lightweight gel texture feels really cooling on the skin. It also features caffeine, which gives my skin a much-needed boost of energy.

Eye Cream: The Caudalie Vinergetic C+ Eye Cream lives in my fridge all year round. The refrigerated cream reduces my eye puffiness and is super energising! Under-eye care is incredibly important to me, so I also keep the Lab Series MAX LS Anti-Age Eye Treatment in my desk drawer at work for when I’m feeling tired/drained and need an extra boost!

Night-time Lotion: The Lab Series Water Lotion is so hydrating and lightweight – the formula attracts water to keep my face hydrated.

Night-time Moisturiser: To prevent ageing, I love the luxurious Lab Series Daily Rescue Repair Serum. I love to mix my own cocktail of hydration, adding some of the Lab Series MAX LS Anti-Age Cream to 2 pumps of the serum. I press this combo over my face and neck.

Treatment: Once a week, I like to use a mask; my two current favourites are the Antipodes Halo Facial Mud Mask and the Lab Series Clay Cleanser And Mask.

If you could only recommend one product from your skincare cabinet, what would it be?

“It has to be the Caudalie Vinoclean Foaming Cleanser – after using it, my skin feels thoroughly cleansed, soft and refreshed.”

Hannah: Oily Combination Skin Skincare Routine

Comination/oily skincare routine

My skin type and concerns…

I have always had oily skin and struggled with breakouts, especially as the weather gets warmer. However, dermatologists have previously told me some of my excess oil production stems from dehydration, so I need products that fight spots, tackle redness and nourish my skin.

My skincare routine…

Cleanser: I have very sensitive eyes and I wear contact lenses, so my fail-safe go-to makeup remover is the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution, just like Darcey. It doesn’t irritate my eyes or skin, making it the perfect first cleanse. I then use the Avene Cleanance Cleansing Gel – the gel texture is great at degreasing unwanted oil build-up without stripping my skin.

Toner: To combat redness, the Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner is incredible. It gently hydrates and soothes my complexion, prepping it for the next step in my skincare routine: serum.

Serum: To add in a layer of hydration, I start with the PAYOT Hydra 24+ Essence (yes, Darcey definitely sold me on this one!) Then, I love to use the Avene Antioxidant Defense Serum to protect against pollution and stress. This serum is great for anyone who wants to start targeting the very first signs of ageing; plus, its silky texture feels really luxurious and smooth.

Treatments: To regulate my skin’s oil production, my go-to is The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. It sinks in effortlessly, working hard to reduce pesky blemishes. If I need some serious spot-zapping, then I turn to the Avene Comedomed Concentrate at this point. Although it’s a moisturiser, I use it as a treatment overnight. When I wake up, my spots appear less angry thanks to this clever lightweight gel – it’s a necessity before a big event.

Moisturiser: Hyaluronic acid is one of my all-time favourite skincare ingredients, so as soon as I discovered that the Antipodes Baptise H2O Water Gel features a large dose of it, I knew I’d fall in love with it. Now, it’s my holy grail moisturiser. It’s incredibly fast absorbing and feels instantly hydrating – I even get compliments on my glow when using it!

SPF: As I don’t usually wear foundation, I love a tinted SPF – and my current pick is the Eucerin Pigment Control Tinted SPF50+. The colour is ever so slightly darker than my fair skin, meaning that it gives me subtle coverage without it looking orange.

Lip Balm: For the past five years, I’ve been in love with the icon that is the Elizabeth Arden The Original Eight Hour Cream – it’s a staple that I simply cannot be without. I hate dry chapped lips, so I slather this cream on every night.

My product recommendation:

I love everything in my routine, but if I can only recommend one, it has to be the Kiehl’s Calendula Toner as my redness has definitely gone down since using it. Plus, it feels like a treat every day as the calendula flowers dissolve on your skin to feel like a spa treatment.

Over to you…

We’d love to know your favourite skincare products or if you will be picking up any of our recommendations! Let us know over on our Instagram

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