'I'm a beauty editor. Here's what you need to ditch in your skincare routine, and what to try instead.'

So many products! So many recommendations! Much confusion!

I get it. Gosh, I get it. The skincare world can be mighty noisy and overwhelming. And look, as someone who tries and recommends beauty products for a living, I'm partly to blame! (Sorry.) 

But truly, no one needs eleven serums. Or an overly complex skincare routine. You just need to use a trusted team of products that are going to do the job well.

And while I'm constantly switching and swapping between skincare products, if there's one thing I've realised as I fumble through my early 30s, it's just how much my routine has changed over the past few years. And there's one main reason for it: My chief skin concerns have shifted.

This means I've made a few important changes to my routine, in order to effectively tackle things like fine lines, dark spots, and dullness – the whole gang.

Below, you'll find 6 of the products I've ditched – and the ones I've replaced them with. 

Ditch: Stripping cleansers.
Try: Cream cleanser.

Confession: I don't cleanse my face in the morning. I just splash it with water, before applying my serums, moisturisers, etc. And as someone prone to irritation and sensitivity, my skin is way better for it.

This means I only cleanse my face at night, and will always opt for a gentle formula that is creamy or milky. If I'm wearing a heap of makeup, I'll double cleanse and use some kind of oil-based formula beforehand.

As I've gotten older, I've realised the importance of protecting my skin barrier – which helps keep in water and keeps irritants and pollutants out. I've learnt you don't have to absolutely scrub and strip the heck out of your skin with harsh cleansers because there are so many gentle yet effective products that will help keep your pores clean while nourishing and supporting your skin's moisture barrier. 

Ditch: Skimping on moisturiser.
Try: A day and night cream.

As someone in their early 30s with perpetually dry skin, my moisturisers and I are CLOSE. But while I've tried a good whack of them in my time, what I've found is that when it comes to protecting and supporting healthy skin, moisturisers are not all created equal.

I like to look for something that's going to support some of my main ageing skin concerns (hey fine lines!), while nourishing and hydrating my skin. My favourite picks? Trilogy's new moisturisers: Trilogy Vital Moisturising Cream ($48.55) and Trilogy Rosapene Night Cream ($52.85).

Image: Supplied.

I use these gems together in my everyday routine because they're formulated to boost your skin's natural collagen production (huge tick from me), while hydrating and plumping your skin (yes, pls). They work their magic by using a unique natural active anti-ageing ingredient called VanilleActiv2, which is sustainably sourced from Tongan vanilla beans (supporting the community that grows them). 

If you haven't heard of VanilleActiv2 before, that's because it's an ingredient unique to Trilogy – it's basically a fatty-acid-rich lipid that keeps in moisture, protects the skin barrier, and soothes the skin when dry or flaky.

When it comes to where these products sit in my routine, I used the Vital Moisturising Cream in the morning after applying serum. It has a beautiful, luxurious feeling, and I love how it plays nicely with other ingredients in my routine (important!). It also sits delightfully under makeup and preps the skin beautifully – because there's truly nothing worse than when everything starts piling or sliding off your face.

It's also suitable for all skin types (even sensitive skin girls like me!) and provides lasting moisture throughout the day. It contains one per cent VanilleActiv2 (the vanilla bean ingredient I was talking about before), as well as Rosapene – Trilogy's own antioxidant boosted rosehip oil that works to brighten and revitalise your skin. 

Image: Supplied.

At night, I'll switch to the Trilogy Rosapene Night Cream, which also includes one per cent VanilleActiv2, as well as nourishing goodies like squalane and shea butter to smooth and hydrate your skin as you sleep. Come morning, I wake up with skin that feels soft, radiant and healthy. My skin always feels so comfy, hydrated and happy.

So, if you're in your 30s and beyond and aren't already using a moisturiser that helps support your skin's natural collagen production while nourishing and protecting your barrier – hop to it! You'll notice a serious difference in your skin, trust me.

Ditch: Face scrubs.
Try: Chemical exfoliants.

Once upon a time I would use very harsh scrubs on my face and wonder why my skin was so irritated and inflamed. Ha! It took me years to realise that this was wildly unnecessary and there's a much better way to help slough off dead cells for brighter, healthier-looking skin. 

Enter: Chemical exfoliants.

While the products I use in this step change OFTEN, the type of chemical exfoliants I use never really change.

I usually opt for an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) like lactic acid, in the evening – because it truly does help to exfoliate my skin and improve the texture and tone, all without upsetting my sensitive skin and my all-important skin barrier. How good!

Ditch: Foundation with minimal SPF.
Try: SPF 50+.

If you're still relying on the measly SPF 15+ in your foundation to protect your skin from sun damage, you're going to have a bad time. Because it's not nearly enough to protect your skin.

While I enjoy trying lots of different stuff on my face, there's one thing that remains consistent in my daily routine: my sunscreen application. I'm always consistent with my sun protection. Not only can sun protection protect your skin from cancer, but using broad-spectrum sunscreen also helps halt the signs of premature skin ageing, such as fine lines and wrinkles.

And honestly, it's pretty easy. These days there's now a whole heap of fancy skin-loving formulas out there that make wearing sunscreen every day actually very pleasant. So, there's really no excuse.

Have you tried Trilogy's day and night moisturiser? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Shop Trilogy's Vital Moisturising Cream and Rosapene Night Cream at Chemist Warehouse or online.

Trilogy's Vital Moisturising Cream and Rosapene Night Cream boost natural collagen production, based on the ingredient manufacturer's in-vitro tests using human 3D skin model (EpiDermFT). 

Feature Image: Supplied.