A good skincare regime for combination skin can be very simple and easy to maintain.  You should wash your face gently but thoroughly twice a day using a mild but effective cleanser.   If you wash your face less than twice a day then excessive oil and dirt can clog your pores in the greasier areas of your face and this will lead to breakouts.  On the other hand, if you wash your face more than twice a day moisture from your skin will be depleted and this can lead to skin drying out in the drier areas of your face and irritation and redness occurring.  

After cleansing you should apply a gentle toner or astringent, which is formulated for combination skin, on the greasier areas of your face.  On the drier areas of your face you should apply a moisture rich lotion or cream to keep the skin supply and nourished, such as Dermalogica’s Skin Smoothing Cream which is a medium weight cream that is free of artificial fragrance and colour.  It contains antioxidant vitamins together with soothing botanicals to maintain skin’s moisture balance, and it improves skin texture, helping to restore tone and suppleness.

Products containing Vitamin A, Retinols and Alpha Hydroxy Acids help to promote balance in the skin.  Vitamin A  nourishes the skin, counteracts inflammation and protects cell membranes and structures within the cells from damage caused by free radicals.  Retinols work on a molecular level and repair and rejuvenate the skin.  AHAs slough away dead skin cells so that new skin can appear.  Incorporating a gentle exfoliator into your skincare regime will also have the same effect - if dead skin cells aren’t sloughed away regularly skin can look dull and lifeless.    

The most essential factor in having good skin is having a healthy lifestyle.  Having a nutritious, healthy diet and drinking plenty of water so your body is well hydrated are vital to be healthy both inside and out.  Cut out the junk from your diet, hydrate your body, avoid smoking, limit your alcohol intake and get plenty of sleep and you’ll find that, together with a good skincare regime for your combination skin, your skin will be healthy, smooth and well balanced!

Who hasn’t tried to get through the day having had far too little sleep the night before?  To help yourself to face the day ahead when you've not had enough sleep, there are quick ways to revive and invigorate yourself and to appear less exhaused!  Try these tips and you’ll feel perkier and look good:-

Splash cold water on your face!  Coolness constricts blood vessels, meaning the skin benefits from a smoother, more toned look.  Do this after washing your face in the morning and not only will your face feel refreshed and toned but it will also perk you up!  If you’re out and about, carry an atomizer filled with water with you which you can use to spritz your face throughout the day.  

Moisturise your skin using a rich, occlusive moisturiser.  This will lock hydration into your skin. With a good moisturiser your skin will be softer, more supple and any wrinkles will appear less obvious.

If your skin is still looking a bit lifeless, pour some milk into a bowl and add a few ice cubes.  Dip a face flannel into the mixture and wring it out well.  Put the flannel over your face for a few minutes and then rinse. The PH of the milk together with the coldness makes for a calming and brightening of the skin.  It’s probably not a good idea to drink the milk afterwards though!!

If you have an oily T zone and dry skin elsewhere, you are likely to possess combination skin. In case you didn't know, the 'T zone' is your nose, forehead and chin area.

Once you've identified it, the best way to deal with this type of skin is to make sure that you choose non-comedogenic products (also known as non-occlusive). This means products that don't encourage acne and oiliness because they are, well... oil free.

But care must be taken. Just because a product is non-comedogenic it may not produce the same pore unclogging results for every skin type. Why? Because the skin's natural oils can determine the effect a product has on the skin.

If your skin is oily, then a non-comedogenic product is very likely to help keep your pores clear. But dry skin has a different requirement, because it produces less oil.

Sufferers of oily skin, shouldn't be reluctant to use a moisturiser because this can cause irritation. Instead try an ultra lightweight product such as Dermalogica Oil Control Lotion. Oil control lotion helps to regulate oil production on the surface of the skin, it also has mattifying properties (reducing shine).