Affiliate Links
how to take care of normal skin routine

If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.

That’s how I feel about normal skin.

You ladies have won the skincare jackpot. Your skin never pumps out too much oil. You don’t know what dryness and blemishes are. Wrinkles haven’t creeped up on your face yet.

Everything’s working as it should. So does that mean you don’t need a skincare routine?

Well, no. Here’s the deal: your skin is an organ. Like your heart. You wouldn’t go and take pills for heart disease when your heart’s healthy, right?

But, you can’t even binge on fast foods every night, smoke 3 packets of cigarettes a day, never move your body and expect not to get a heart attack. Prevention is better than cure.

It’s the same for your skin: you don’t need all those powerful actives that zip blemishes, fade away dark spots and treat wrinkles BUT you do need a gentle skincare routine that helps prevent sun damage and protect it from harsh weather and anything else that could damage it.

Your skincare mantra is KISS: keep it simple, stupid.

What Products Does Normal Skin Need?

I get it. You keep hearing about all these amazing skincare ingredients and think you’re missing out if you don’t exfoliate with two types of acids, use the highest concentration of retinoids you can get your hands on, and incorporate at least a skin-lightener into your skincare routine.

But these are skincare medicines: if you’ve got nothing to treat, there’s no point using them. Especially because they could seriously ruin the balance and dry out your skin.

Normal skin is lucky: it does every job – yes, including exfoliating and moisturising – on its own so you don’t need to jump in and give it a helping hand just cos acids are having a moment and Allure tells you a moisturiser is a must.

The only products normal skin truly needs are:

  • Cleanser: I don’t really need to explain this one, do I?
  • Antioxidant serum: It helps prevent premature wrinkles
  • Sunscreen: It prevents sun damage, including wrinkles, sagging and dark spots

These are the foundation of any good skincare routine. You can build on it if your skin at some point tells you it needs a bit more help. Otherwise, chill. If ain’t broken, why risk breaking it?

Related: My Fave Antioxidant Serums

cerave hydrating cleanser

The Best Skincare Routine For Normal Skin

Now we’ve got the basic steps sorted, it’s time to break them down:

1. Cleanser

Not washing your skin is just gross. But washing with the wrong type of cleanser could seriously dry out your skin and even give you pimples.

The key is to choose a gentle cleanser that removes dirt and makeup without stripping your skin of the moisturising oils it naturally produces. 

I’m partial to milk cleansers for normal skin because they’re neither too stripping nor too emollient. But if you prefer a foaming formula, pick a gentle one that produces very little lather. The less it foams, the gentler it is.

Best Picks:

Related: How To Pick The Right Cleanser For Your Skin Type

2. Antioxidant Serum

Antioxidants are your skin’s BFF: they patrol the body looking for free radicals to kill before they can destroy your collagen, elastin and everything else they meet on their path.

Every brand has its darling, but the truth is, there’s no super antioxidant that’s better than all the rest. Just like your body doesn’t only need kale, your skin doesn’t only need vitamin C.

A combination of antioxidants is the way to go. My fave is vitamin C + vitamin E + ferulic acid (CEF). Studies show they enhance one another’s effectiveness and boost sun protection.

I personally use CEF in the morning and another serum full of different antioxidants in the evening. The more you use, the slower your skin will age. Don’t skimp on this!

P.S. If you do decide you need a moisturiser or essence after all, pick one that’s full of antioxidants. That way, you can avoid using two serums.

Best Picks:

Related: Which Antioxidant Should You Use?

3. Sunscreen

Your skin may not have a care in the world right now but that won’t last long if you skip sunscreen.

The sun is responsible for 90% of premature aging. You know, wrinkles, dark spots and sagging. Imagine how much damage you can avoid just by slathering sunscreen on every single day.

Yep, even in winter. Even if it rains. UVA rays, the sneaky ones that give you wrinkles, are present from the moment the sun comes up to the moment the sun goes down, get through clouds and glass and can even be reflected on snow.

Pile that sunscreen on, ladies!

Best Picks:

  • EltaMD UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46 ($33.00): available at Dermstore and Walmart
  • MDSolarSciences Mineral Creme Broad Spectrum SPF 50 UVA-UVB Sunscreen ($30.00): available at at Dermstore and Sephora.
  • Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection SPF 50 Sunscreen + WetForce For Sensitive Skin & Children ($42.00): available at  Nordstrom and Ulta

What About Moisturiser?

Wait, what?! A skincare routine WITHOUT moisturiser?!

Hear me out: the basic job of a moisturiser is to add moisture back into the skin and strengthen its protective barrier so it never gets dry and flaky. And if it’s already dry and flay, to nurse it back to health.

If your have normal skin, your skin’s protective barrier is intact and working properly. Water isn’t evaporating out of your skin.

If your skin doesn’t feel tight and uncomfortable at any point during the day and it’s not flaking, you don’t need a moisturiser. A hydrating serum or moisturising sunscreen is more than enough for you.

The only exception? Well, if you live somewhere cold and your skin’s constantly under the attack of unrelenting cold winds and low temperatures, you may want to add a moisturiser to give your natural skin’s defences a boost and prevent dryness.

Best picks:

Related: Does Everyone Needs A Moisturiser?

What About Exfoliation?

Did you know your skin exfoliates on its own? That’s why your skin is soft and glowy when you’re a teen. But when you get older, your skin starts slacking on the job and needs the helping hand of an exfoliant.

If your skin’s normal, chances are it’s still doing the exfoliating job well on its own. You’ll know when this isn’t the case anymore: when your skin starts struggling, it gets rougher and dull.

Until then, you DON’T have to do anything. If you really, really, really insist on exfoliating anyway, a gentle washcloth or a lactic acid exfoliant a couple of times a week are more than enough.

If you’re around 30s and want to up your anti aging game, you can go with a small concentration of glycolic acid twice a week. It’ll boost collagen and reduce fine lines too.

Best picks:

Related: What’s The Best Type Of Exfoliation For Your Skin Type?

What About Retinol?

Yes, retinol is one of the very few things that can reduce wrinkles. You don’t want to wait until you have deep wrinkles to use it.  But I don’t believe in using it too soon either.

I’d say your late 20s/early 30s are a good time to start using it. Again, look at your skin. If it’s still young and not showing even the tiniest of fine lines, you can hold back. But as you get older and you start noticing your skin doesn’t snap back as quickly when you smile or frown or, worse, you’ve already have a hint of fine lines, add it to your skincare routine pronto.

FYI, retinol can be irritating and drying when you first start using it. The trick is to start with a small concentration (1% is HUGE for retinol – yes, really) twice a week and build up both dose and frequency from there.

Best picks:

  • La Roche Posay Redermic Anti-Aging Dermatological Treatment ($56.99): 0.1% retinol. Available at Dermstore and Feel Unique.
  • Paula’s Choice Resist 1% Retinol Booster ($52.00): 1% retinol. Available at Feel Unique and Paula’s Choice.
  • Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum With Retinol ($34.00): 0.03% retinol. Available at Paula’s Choice.

Related: What Strength Of Retinol Do You Need?

How To Choose Skincare Products For Normal Skin

Now you know what skincare products you need, how do you pick the right ones off the shelves? I mean, everything seems to be made for oily, dry or sensitive skin. Where the heck is the section for normal skin?!

Well, there isn’t one. But there are a couple of criteria you can follow to help you make your choice easier:

  1. Skin type: Yes, yes, it’s normal. But does it tend to get a little dry when the weather’s freezing cold? Then you may want to go with products for dry skin. Do you get the odd zit every now and then? Products for oily skin may be better for you. Your skin doesn’t mishbehave? Check point 2.
  2. Personal preference: Normal skin is lucky. You can choose products based on the texture you prefer. If you like super light lotions, go with gel. If you enjoy something richer, go with that. It’s up to you.

Avoid Irritants

One more thing: whatever product you pick, make sure it doesn’t contain any irritants that could wreak havoc on your skin. The worst culprits are:

  • Alcohol denat
  • Essential oils
  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone
  • Mint and peppermint
  • Sodium lauryl sulfate
  • Witch hazel

For the complete list, download your FREE “Skincare Ingredients To Avoid” cheatsheet below:

The Bottom Line

When it comes to normal skin, less is more. Unless your skin is telling you it needs an extra helping hand, keep your routine as simple as possible. Focus on maintaining the balance and don’t be tempted to try the latest fad: they may push your skin over the edge and wreak havoc!

About Gio

Hi, I'm Gio. I'm a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever - every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what's worth the splurge and what's best left on the shelf - using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.