Walk into any pharmacy and the sheer number of products can make looking after your skin feel like a project. It isn’t. Most people’s skin does best with less than they think a few consistent basics, and professional advice only when there’s something specific worth sorting out.
There’s no universal routine
The routine that transformed a friend’s skin might do nothing for yours, or irritate it. Your skin is shaped by its type, its sensitivities, your environment, your lifestyle, what you’ve used before and what you’re using now. That’s why we start by looking at your skin rather than reaching for a standard plan – our Registered Nurses can assess it and talk through what’s actually worth doing, which is sometimes very little.
Simple and consistent beats complicated
A solid routine can be as short as cleanse, moisturise, sun protection. The most common mistake we see isn’t using too little – it’s using too much: three new actives at once, so that when skin flares, there’s no way to tell which product caused it. More isn’t better. Introduce one thing at a time and give it space to show you what it’s doing.
Hydration and the barrier
Moisturiser supports hydration and helps the skin barrier do its job. Which one suits you depends on your skin, your sensitivities and what else you’re using – a rich cream that rescues dry skin can congest oil-prone skin, so it’s less about the “best” moisturiser than the right one for you.
Sun protection is the one that actually earns its place
If you do one thing for your skin, make it this. UV drives premature ageing and skin cancer risk, and it’s the single biggest factor most people can control. Broad-spectrum sunscreen daily, plus shade, clothing and not baking in peak sun. Living in Melbourne is no excuse to skip it, UV damage accumulates on cloudy days too.
And because we’re a skin and dental clinic, one thing we’re well placed to notice: if we ever see a spot, mole or lesion during a visit that looks like it needs a doctor’s eye, we’ll tell you and point you to one. Skin checks for cancer aren’t something our nurses diagnose but knowing when to send you to someone who does is part of looking after you.
Your skin reflects the rest of your life too
Sleep, diet and general health show up in your skin, and no serum fully compensates for what’s going on underneath. If a skin concern might be tied to nutrition, a supplement or an underlying health issue, the right answer may be a GP or allied health professional, not another product.
What about retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid?
These get talked about like magic, and they’re useful ingredients but whether one suits you depends on the formulation, your skin, what’s already in your routine and how you tolerate it. Plenty of people are using an active that’s fighting the other three in their cabinet. If you’re not sure, a consultation to review what you own can save you money and irritation before you buy anything else.
Do you even need professional treatments?
Often, no. For a lot of people, good home skincare is the whole answer, and we’ll happily tell you so. Others choose to explore in-clinic treatments for specific cosmetic concerns relating to the appearance of their skin and if that’s you, the honest options on the table might be skincare, an in-clinic treatment, simply monitoring something, a referral, or no treatment at all. Each treatment carries its own benefits, limits, risks and recovery, and those are worth understanding before you commit to anything.
Give it time
Skin doesn’t change overnight, and anyone promising it will is selling you something. Responses vary from person to person, so we’d rather set a realistic timeframe with you than have you judge a good routine as a failure at two weeks.
If you’d like a hand
If you’re overwhelmed by the options, or just want to know whether what you’re doing is working, you’re welcome to book a skin consultation at Facial Harmony Skin & Dental in Box Hill. Our Registered Nurses will look at your skin, review what you’re using, and help you understand your options – and booking one doesn’t commit you to treatment. Sometimes the most useful thing we do is simplify what you’ve already got.