'I’m a Beauty Editor, and these are my skincare rituals I can't go a day without.'

As a beauty editor, I'm forever geeking out over the science-y side of skincare. The ingredients! The studies! The expert opinions! Gah. Love the stuff. Gimme.   

While it's all fun and cool, the truth is you can never beat the basics of skincare. No, really! You can't.

Most people just want to know what you do day in and day out FOR REAL. Y'know, the really necessary stuff that makes up your routine, and what your skin *actually* needs for it to be happy, healthy and cute.

While skincare needs are super different for everyone, there are a few core things that I genuinely believe all skin will benefit from.

Lemme just be clear – since incorporating these products and practices into my daily routine, I truly believe my skin is better for it (lookin' at you, sun protection).

Here are five of the non-negotiable rituals my skin truthfully can't be without. 

Let's go, friends!

Protecting my lips.

If you've got the wear-moisturiser-on-your-face-everyday thing down pat to lock in hydration and say bye to dry skin, go you! But are you looking after your lips too? While it might be easy to forget, it's also smart to be looking after them too to ensure they’re soft and hydrated (not dry and chapped, no thank you ma'am). It’s also great to have SPF slathered on them every day too.

Because lips can get damaged by the elements, too – yes, even in the winter! Our lips have a thinner top layer of skin (epidermis), and less melanin than the rest of our skin, meaning UV can penetrate deeper. Meaning? Our lips are particularly sensitive to sun damage, not to mention the wind and cold. So, a lip balm that acts as a protective barrier is crucial if you want to protect your lips.

The good news is that protecting your lips is pretty simple. 

My must-have for long-lasting hydration that actually gives me super fast results (I’m talkin’ within 24 hours) is Blistex Intensive Repair pot. I usually have one in my bedroom. One in my bathroom cupboard. One in my handbag. One in my car. 

Addicted? Maybe. Protected? Absolutely. 

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The reason I constantly reach for Blistex Intensive Repair pot over other formulas (and I try ALOTTA other formulas) is that it's a serious overachiever. It covers all bases. 

The blend of moisturisers in its formula (it has Do Good ingredients like menthol and eucalyptus) wraps my 'lil ol' lips in an instant cooling coat of moisture that basically rescues my dry, cracked lips all day, every day.

My favourite part? It has that signature Blistex tingle (you know the one), so you can feel that it's actually working.

Not only does it keep my lips moisturised and hydrated (particularly in the cooler weather), it also goes that little step further and offers sun protection being that it's SPF 15. Meaning, it protects my lips from the sun, wind and cold... the whole shebang.

I usually apply it after my skincare routine (and before my makeup), so it's on and doing its thing before I pop my cute head out into the elements for the day. 

Sunscreen. Every. Single. Day.

Imagine if I did a whole listicle of daily skin stuff and DIDN'T include sun protection. As if. 

Everyone knows that you need a hardworking sunscreen in your routine, and that it needs applying every single day. Right? RIGHT? (Say yes).

This step is my non-negotiable. And to be honest – it's not too hard to keep yourself in check when it comes to sun protection, as there's so many options available to us now that feel (and smell) like a luxe morning moisturiser you'll actually like. They've come a SUPER long way from the thick, gross stuff we all remember applying at the beach.

There are now a heap of fancy skin-loving formulas on the market that make wearing sunscreen every day actually very easy. Plus, these days we all know that not protecting your skin from UV exposure is a very silly thing to do.

So, I have a number of cute formulas I use in rotation and I smear the stuff all over my face. Every. Dingin'. Morning.

Cleansing my face at night.

For the love of hyaluronic acid, I would NEVER be without at gentle cleanse at night. Do you know how much gross stuff is chilling on your face at the end of the day? Approximately too much.

Sure, you can have one thousand trendy serums and mask, but if you don't do this, then you're wasting your money. 

Every evening I'll reach for a gentle cleanser and wash all the dirt, grime, makeup and sunscreen from my face – cause this is the stuff that leads to congestion and breakouts and all those other kind of pesky skin concerns.

Using a hyaluronic acid serum.

My skin. She's dry. So, a hyaluronic acid serum is a *must* for me. In case you weren't aware of how amazing hyaluronic acid is for your skin, lemme drop this little nugget here for you: hyaluronic acid can hold up to 500x its weight is water. So, yeah – it's a powerful ingredient that can do very wonderful things for your skin, especially when it comes to ageing. 

That's because most visible signs of ageing can be attributed to dehydration, which can exacerbate fine lines and make your skin look dull and tired. When you have hydrated skin, these signs of ageing are less visible and skin looks plump and healthier – and hyaluronic acid plays a really crucial role in this. 

While I use different ingredients and serum interchangeably, hyaluronic acid is part of my everyday skincare ritual and I use it morning and night.

After cleansing my skin with a gentle cleanser, I'll reach for a hyaluronic acid serum and apply this to my entire face. I even bring it right up underneath my eyes to help reduce the appearance of dark circles.

Moisturising my face.

Did I mention I have really dry, annoying skin? Did I? To give my face the best possible chance of not looking like a flake, I always, always, always use a nourishing moisturiser in my morning and night routine. This keeps my skin feeling plump, hydrated and healthy – because there's nothing worse than your skin feeling tight, dry and irritated.

When it comes to specific formulas, moisturisers aren't something I tend to spend a lot of money on, because fancy doesn't necessarily mean better quality. 

I rotate between brands, but generally I like to reach for a multi-tasking product with antioxidants like niacinamide, resveratrol and ferulic acid to soothe any signs of inflammation (my skin is an overachiever in this area) and help support skin barrier function (important). 

I'll slather moisturiser on my dome both morning and night, usually after I let my hyaluronic acid serum sink in and do its thing. When I use it in the morning, I give it a few minutes before going over the top with sunscreen.

What's your daily skincare routine like? Share with us in the comment section below.

Remember: whatever the season brings, there is a Blistex to protect your lips. Grab from Chemist Warehouse, your local supermarket or pharmacy.

Feature image: Instagram @blistexaustralia/Supplied.