New Term, New Routine: Student Skincare for the Uninitiated

If you're a new student looking to up your skincare game now you're living away from home, we've got some top tips to feel nourished and revitalised - despite the late nights!

Starting university is an exciting new chapter filled with independence, new friendships, and plenty of late nights. Between studying, social events, and navigating a busy schedule, it’s easy to let self-care fall by the wayside. But one thing you shouldn’t neglect is your skincare routine. With all the stress, environmental changes, and lifestyle shifts that come with university life, your skin may need extra attention.

Whether you’re dealing with breakouts, dryness, or simply looking to maintain a healthy glow, embracing a solid skincare routine is key to feeling confident and refreshed, no matter how hectic things get. Here's why it's more important than ever to make skincare a priority as you start your university journey.

What factors affect your skin when you start university?

There are a few things that can wreak havoc on your skin once you start your journey into higher education - these include

Inconsistent sleep schedule
Late night study sessions and early morning classes (not to mention taking in the nightlife of your new location) can disrupt the skin’s natural repair process. This can lead to dull skin, dark circles, and breakouts, as sleep is crucial for skin regeneration.

Stress and anxiety
Cortisol, the stress hormone, can lead to numerous skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and the pressures of exams, deadlines, and being away from home can leave you feeling anxious - and a good skincare routine can help you feel better inside and out.

Poor diet
Let’s face it, there is some truth in the old adage that students only eat beans and instant noodles. Money, time, and a lack of cooking knowledge might mean your diet suffers a bit in the first few months of uni. Processed foods that are high in saturated fat and sugar can cause greasy skin and acne.

Dehydration
Living on coffee and energy drinks is a surefire way to dehydrate the skin and leave it feeling dry and unhealthy. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to drink water, so you can combat some of the effects of dehydrated skin with a good skincare routine.

Hormones
Last, but not least, we have hormones. You might think that leaving your teens behind means no more hormonal changes causing havoc to your skin and mood, but alas there are some hormonal changes that occur during your late teens and early twenties - as if life wasn’t hard enough!

What products do you need for a new skincare regime?

Now that you’re starting to carve out your own path in the world, away from the comforts of home, you might not know where to start when it comes to choosing the right products. It might be that you’re used to using whatever products your parents bought in the weekly shop; or perhaps you just used the classic soap and water combo.

If you’re brand new to skincare, we’d recommend starting with a simple routine of twice daily face wash/cleanser and moisturiser. Face washes are a great way to cleanse the skin of impurities and reignite that fresh face feeling.

Moisturisers, on the other hand, help to lock in hydration, keeping your skin soft, smooth, and protected throughout the day. To build on this foundation, you might want to introduce a sunscreen with SPF in the morning to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, which can lead to premature ageing and sun damage.

As your routine becomes more established, you could consider adding treatments like exfoliants or serums tailored to your skin's specific needs, whether that’s addressing acne, dullness, sensitivity. Always remember, consistency is key, and starting simple allows your skin to adjust without overwhelming it.

How can you keep up with your routine?

The biggest battle will be remembering to actually do the skincare steps, especially with the mental overload of university life. We’ve got some useful suggestions to help you keep up with it:

Start simple like we mentioned; opt for a couple of products initially, then branch out to a more personalised routine as you get the hang of it.

Leave your products out so you can see them, which might sound a bit weird but if they’re in front of you, you’re less likely to forget.

Set an alarm on your phone to remind you.

Embrace the self-care aspect of skincare; use it as an opportunity to take a bit of time out away from the noise to give your skin and mind some TLC.

Track your progress with some before and after pictures to help keep you motivated.

Perfection isn’t important, consistency is! It doesn’t matter if you forget things now and again, but the best way towards healthy skin is to keep up your routine as much as you can.