Glowing, highlighted skin has been, well, the highlight of every makeup look for a long time now, but skimming through international – and local: we’re looking at you Bina Khan - beauty trends in the last couple of weeks made a lightbulb go off in our heads.

Now, any makeup artist worth their salt will tell you that with great makeup looks comes the greater responsibility of caring for your skin, and time has proven them right over and over.

The good news in 2021 is this: we have so many products we can use to better our skin texture and appearance now, that are not completely inaccessible. And we don’t just mean that they’re available with an e-tailer near you, we mean local brands are introducing their versions at lower prices, and that some e-tailers will often offer bundles and deals that are super helpful in the budgeting department.

Digging for gold – double
cleansing

Honestly, this is the one thing you could do alone every night of the month and see amazing results. Now the trick to double cleansing is massage in oil, wipe off, and then wash with something that foams.

You don’t have to be fancy about your products here though we do recommend going for skin-friendly organic oils.

Recommendation: Neco’s Youth Potion Apricot Kernel Oil / Conatural Organic Rosehip Oil

Shedding your skin – exfoliation

Put down that apricot seed scrub right now and listen to us: what you need is a chemical exfoliator, not a physical one to literally scrub your skin off with.

Your chemical exfoliant will melt away dead skin cells, leaving skin a whole lot brighter than when you last saw it, and a lot smoother too.

If you’ve got skin that tolerates most skincare ingredients well, pick an AHA/BHA formula. For more sensitive skin types, go for a lactic acid formula in a slightly milder concentration to begin with.

Recommendations: The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution/ The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA

Constant clearing – toners and essences

Toners aren’t just for a quick freshening up, or ‘closing pores’. If you follow your cleansing routine with a toner, on alternate days try one with glycolic acid, which works to swipe away impurities as you apply it, and exfoliates your skin gently while you rest.

Follow up with moisturizer in the p.m. and SPF in the a.m., please!