Everyone’s skin is different. What your skin needs year to year, and even season to season, will change. Either have a dermatologist help you figure out your skin type or spend a bit of time observing your skin to understand it yourself. Then you want to design a foundation routine – a series of steps that should at minimum include a cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen and double cleanse system for the evening – that suits your skin and keeps it balanced in its happy place. Should your skin ever react badly to any supplementary products, the climate or the environment, this is the routine you return to until it settles down again.

Get active

No, not literally getting active, although a consistent and moderate amount of exercise will definitely help you with this endeavour.

Now that you know your skin language and have a foundation skincare routine, you want to figure out which actives your skin likes. There are a plethora of active ingredients to reduce or delay the signs of ageing, but not everyone can use each option. Here are some of your best anti-ageing fighters:

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1. Retinol

Surely you’ve heard this buzzword over the past year or so – it’s become the queen bee of skincare everywhere. Not only does retinol increase the rate of skin cell turnover, which helps your skin to continuously regenerate, it also encourages collagen production. This means it is keeping your skin plump and preventing dead skin cells from lingering and clogging your pores, which can cause acne or excessive sebum production.

However, this ingredient can sometimes be too strong for certain skin types, so it’s best to do a patch test first and introduce it to your routine slowly. Start with just once or twice a week and consider applying it on top of your moisturiser first before letting it get closer to your skin.

2. Hyaluronic acid

No matter your age, keeping your skin hydrated is key to healthy and happy skin. You should definitely be drinking water throughout the day to stay hydrated, but don’t rely on drinking alone. Your entire body needs water to function, from your heart to your brain, and your skin is pretty low on your system’s priority list when it’s distributing water to where it’s needed.

The solution? Apply a hyaluronic acid serum day and night to cleansed skin, which will keep dryness, peeling, wrinkles, acne and much more at bay. Make sure to lock in that hydration by applying a moisturiser right after.

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3. Peptides

Your skin already has peptides – they are the building blocks of collagen, which we lose as we age. And peptides are made up of amino acids that create protein when formulated in a certain way.

A peptide skincare product acts as a signal for your body to create more collagen, helping reduce wrinkles and loss of firmness. It also revitalises your skin. If you incorporate it into your routine, it works best when used in combination with products that have antioxidant and replenishing properties.

4. Vitamin C

Another skincare darling, this active ingredient and antioxidant protects your skin from free radicals as well as brightens it. Not whiten, but brighten; this means it reduces hyperpigmentation and evens out your skin tone. And the best way to get the most out of your vitamin C is to use it in during the day and pair it with an adequate sunscreen, which brings us to …

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Don’t even think about it, sun

There are two types of ultraviolet light the sun emits: UVB, which causes burning, and UVA, which causes ageing. So regardless of whether your skincare routine has actives or not, you should be using SPF during the day (and double cleansing it off at night).

Now, a sunscreen and a topical vitamin C are both good apart, but they create a new level of awesome when combined. On their own, sunscreens are definitely effective for sun protection, but when layered over a vitamin C, the combination boosts each product, making them both perform even better.

Top three skincare tips:

● When introducing new products or ingredients, take it slow and work them into your foundation skincare routine one at a time. That way, if any of them cause a reaction or irritation, you’ll be able to figure out which is the culprit.

● Your skin absorbs ingredients better when it’s damp, so don’t wait till your skin is dry after cleansing to apply your skincare. Follow cleansing with your serum and/or moisturiser immediately.

● Be gentle. You’re not kneading bread when you apply your products. Smooth them on to your face thoroughly but delicately, and in upwards motions to avoid dragging your skin down. Gravity is already doing that. There’s also no need to rub and rub until the products are “absorbed”. Just make sure they are evenly distributed and let them sink in in its own time. If you keep rubbing it in, it might just be your hands absorbing the products, not your face.

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