Normal skin: a simple routine that keeps it that way

Only about one in fourteen people who take our skin test come out with normal skin. If that's you, congratulations, and a gentle warning: most of the internet's skincare advice is written for problems you don't have.

This is the shortest routine guide we've written, and it's short on purpose.

Are you sure it's normal?

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and put nothing on it for half an hour. Normal skin feels comfortable: no tightness, no flakes, maybe a light sheen on the nose by the afternoon but not across the cheeks. If you feel tight, you may be dry or dehydrated; if your whole face is shiny, you're oily or combination. Our skin type guide walks through it properly.

Normal skin also changes with the seasons. Plenty of people are normal in the monsoon and a little dry in January, and that's fine. It just means swapping one product, not starting over.

Why three steps are enough

A cleanser takes off the day: sunscreen, dust, sweat. A gentle one like the COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser does it without stripping. A light moisturiser keeps the outer layer supple; Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser is about as uncomplicated as moisturisers get. And sunscreen protects what you've got. Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence feels like almost nothing on the skin, which is exactly what you want from something you wear every day.

At night, if you wore sunscreen, take it off with a cleansing oil first. A lot of "my normal skin suddenly broke out" turns out to be sunscreen that never fully came off.

If you want to add something

Pick one goal and one product for it.

For a little extra glow and evener tone, a niacinamide serum in the morning: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide is gentle. For the long game, from your mid-twenties, a beginner retinol two nights a week: The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane. The anti-aging guide explains how to build it up.

Add one, wait four weeks, then decide if you want the next. Never three new things in one week.

Seasonal swaps

From mid-November, when the air dries out, swap the light moisturiser at night for something richer like CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. Go back to the light one when the humidity returns. If you're outdoors a lot in summer, reapply sunscreen at lunch. That's the whole seasonal plan.

Small tricks that help

• Sunscreen goes on your neck and ears too. Normal skin there ages just like anywhere else.
• Keep one routine for months. Skin does best when it isn't constantly surprised.
• Patch test new products on your jawline for a few days, even if your skin is easy-going.
• Use lukewarm water. Very hot showers can dry out even the most balanced face.
• If you wear makeup, take it off every night, however late it is.

When to see a dermatologist

Normal skin can still get a rash, a new patch or a changing mole. See a doctor for anything that itches, spreads, bleeds or changes shape, and for a spot that doesn't heal in a few weeks.

We sell the products named here, so weigh our picks with that in mind. If you'd like to understand where each step fits, our routine order guide is a good next read.