Face Care

There are 5 main skin types: normal, oily, dry, combination and sensitive. People can have a combination of two or more skin types.

If you have ‘normal’ skin, e.g. it is soft to the touch with no oily patches or dryness, lucky you! This is the easiest skin type to look after. Your skin probably already looks lovely without too much effort on your part, but there’s still a few things you can do to make sure it stays looking and feeling beautiful for longer.

Simply follow the skin care basics:

1) Cleansing the face using a gentle facial cleanser and toner

2) Apply a light moisturiser or lotion that’s SPF15 or above

3) Choose a slightly richer night cream and perhaps a facial serum or eye cream to maintain your healthy, hydrated skin

Oily skin is easy to spot (literally) and you will know if you have it. With this type of skin, you want products that remove excess oil without making your skin dry in the process.

It almost goes without saying that you should avoid cleansers and toners that contain a lot of oils. Instead, opt for a gentle balancing face cleanser or one that helps to prevent breakouts. It’s also worth noting that over-cleansing and exfoliating oily skin may seem like its removing oil, but it can actually make your skin produce more oil – and we know you don’t want that!

Make sure you still moisturise daily, however counter-intuitive that sounds. But what is the best moisturiser for oily skin? Here at Holland & Barrett we stock organic face cream that’s been made specifically for oily skin.

Dry skin on the face can be a real pain, especially in the winter months when skin reacts to the low humidity from cold air outside and artificial heating indoors. It can cause skin to become flaky, itchy, and feel tight.

Choose a gentle cleanser or face wash with no harsh ingredients like acids, retinoids and alcohol, as they can dry out skin even further.

Essential oils can be beneficial for dry skin too – not necessarily to use every day, but as a special treat. Some of the best facial oils include Argan oil, rosehip oil, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil and almond oil, and can provide dry skin with some serious moisture.

Some of the best moisturisers for dry skin:

- Hemp oil face cream

- Coconut oil face cream

- Collagen-enriched face cream

- Shea butter face cream

- Turmeric face cream

And don’t forget, drinking lots of water can help keep dry skin hydrated too.

Sensitive skin is quite similar to dry skin, in that it can get irritated easily, feel tight and suffer from inflammation. However, it is caused by different reasons, including pH-imbalances, inhibited enzyme activity, hormonal changes, lack of sleep, and ineffective skin barrier functioning.

To help sensitive skin feel good, always wear SPF 15+ face creams. For your facial moisturiser, go for ingredients like glycerine, coenzyme Q10, biotin and aloe vera.

Sensitive skin often prefers gentle, natural skin care products. Vitamin E facial oil could provide relief and much-needed moisturisation for sensitive skin too.

We like to stock cruelty-free products with natural ingredients as forward-thinking solutions to everyday skin issues. Use them to combat signs of aging, uneven skin tones, dull skin and so much more.

There are also a lot of vegan skin care options for you to choose from.