Normal Skin

You inherit your skin type although it remains the same throughout your lifetime, skin type can be affected by many factors. Normal skin isn’t really a skin type but rather an average. People with normal skin tend to have a number and size of oil-producing glands that is in between that which oily and dry skin types possess. Often people with normal skin tend to have enough of a skin thickness that prevents excessive water loss and hence are less prone to experiencing dry or flakey skin. They also produce enough oil to keep the skin moisturised but not so much that pores become clogged, enlarged or experience regular break-outs. Normal skin can, however, behave more like oily skin if triggered by hormonal or stressful events. Everybody’s skin also tends to get drier as we age and in response to environmental factors like harsh weather conditions or chemicals. Normal skin is no exception to this rule.

The focus of any skincare routine for normal skin should be to maintain its properties and reduce stressors which tip it towards dryness or breaking out. If you have normal skin, you can more easily focus on additional skin goals such as texture, radiance or wrinkle-reduction as you will already have a good foundation in terms of oil regulation and hydration. The fundamentals of cleansing, resurfacing, hydrating and protecting your skin remain the same.

“Normal skin is defined as well-balanced skin which contains the optimal amount of sebum and moisture. This skin type tends to have fine pores, an even tone and is neither too oily or too dry. Both sensitivity and outbreaks are rare in normal skin but this can be triggered by internal and external stressors.”

THE SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR NORMAL SKIN

Before you do anything, read our previous post on how understand your skin type and make sure that you have correctly identified your skin type. Next up decide whether you have any key skin concerns as well as skincare goals such as loss of firmness, sun spots or lines and wrinkles. This will help you to create a skincare routine that is completely based around your concerns and goals. The most important thing to remember when putting together a skincare routine for normal skin is that this skin type is the end goal for most skincare routines. Hence, the aim of your skincare routine should be to maintain the desirable properties of normal skin such as being well balanced and having small pores. Your routine should avoid doing anything that causes normal skin to swing towards behaving like oily or dry skin (ie by clogging pores or stripping skin of its moisture). Your skincare routine should be based on cleansing, hydrating and protecting normal skin whilst add-ons are focused on addressing skin concerns or goals.

Daily Skincare Routine

Mornings

1. Cleanse your skin with a hydrating but oil-free cleanser like that can either be a wash, gel, milk or cream.
2. Tone with a hydrating toner or one that contains glycolic acid if you are concerned about texture or wrinkles.
3. Serum (Extra) is a good add-on if you want to boost the appearance of normal skin. In the mornings use a Vitamin C serum which is both a powerful anti-oxidant, can help stimulate collagen production and helps brighten skin. Its good if you are concerened about skin ageing, wish to brighten and even out skin tone or have signs of sun damage.
4. Moisturise with a hydrating moisturiser with a light-weight formula that can also act as a primer for your makeup if you wear any.  If you don’t want to use a serum, look for a moisturiser that also contains Vitamins B5 and C.
5. Protect your skin from UV damage with at least SPF 30. Use a lightweight formula that can sit on top of your moisturiser and don’t forget to top up if you’re working outside.

Evenings

1. Double Cleanse in the evenings to effectively remove makeup in order to keep your pores clean. Use a good cleansing oil and finish with your morning cleanser. Double cleansing will prepare your skin for the night time skincare products and optimise your skin’s regenration which occurs at night.
2. Tone with the same product you used in the morning unless its a very active product, in which cas eyou ay wish to use a hydrating toner at night to avoid irritation.
3. Serum (Extra) at night should be confined to Retinol. Retinol serum is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, even out, brighten and smooth skin over time.
4. Moisturise with the same moisturiser that you used in the morning. If you don’t want to use a serum, opt for a hydrating night cream instead containing active ingredients like exfoliating acids and Retinol if skin texture and wrinkles are a skin concern. To finish, apply a hydrating under eye cream containing Retinol if you suffer from dark under eye circles or wish to reduce the appearance of smile lines.

Best Skincare Ingredients For Normal Skin

• Dullness and rough texture: use chemical exfoliants containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid (sugar cane) or maleic acid (apples). More gentle exfoliation can be achieved with fruit enzymes like Papain (Papaya) or Bromelain (Pineapples).
• Sun damage, fine lines & wrinkles: Retinol is the most important anti-wrinkle skincare ingredient. It is clinically effective at reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles but needs to be used regularly for at least 8-12 weeks. Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant and helps to brighten skin by evening out skin tone.

Weekly Skincare Routine

Once a week set aside a little time to pamper your skin:

• Exfoliate with a resurfacing chemical acid or enzyme exfoliator.
• Multi-mask to target dullness, skin ageing and sun damage for softer and more radiant skin. Start with an enzyme or acid mask to resurface your skin then finish off with a hydrating mask to nourish and moisturise your skin.

Professional Treatments

With a good skincare routine like this, your skin will feel noticeably softer and look fresh and glowing.  If you want to speed up these results or build on them, then we recommend a bespoke professional skin treatment every 2-3 months. At City Skin Clinic, we offer a wide variety of bespoke skin treatments for normal skin in London. Our chemical peels, advanced clinical facial and collagen induction therapy are all entirely designed around your specific skin concerns, skin type and goals.

OUR TOP SKINCARE & MAKEUP PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NORMAL SKIN

There is a vast wealth of information and products available for normal skin. At the moment, the following skincare products have impressed us when it comes to caring for normal skin:

Cleansing: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil for the first cleanse in the evening as it cleans deep into pores and effectively removes makeup. For both day and evening use, we really like Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser.

Toning: if you want an active toner which will give smoother and brighter skin, try PIXI Glow Tonic (contains 5% glycolic acid) or The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution.

Serums: Our favourite Vitamin C serums are Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum and Medik8 C E-Tetra Pro Collagen Vitamin C Serum.

Moisturising: Simple Kind to Skin Protecting Light Moisturiser SPF15 is a really good hydrating moisturiser which feels light and has a sheer finish. You should still apply SPF on top as SPF15 still doesn’t really cut the mustard.

Exfoliation: Glo-therapeutics Gentle Enzyme Exfoliant contains enzymes from 5 different fruits and is a good gentle exfoliant.

Masking: For dull skin, try an initial resurfacing product like Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel or REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. After your resurfacing mask, hydrate and sooth your skin with AVÈNE soothing and hydration mask.