Dry skin
Dryness is caused by a lack of oil in the skin, rather than dehydration caused by a lack of water, although the two often occur together. It’s characterised by tightness, small pores and possible flaking or irritation. Choose a moisturiser specifically designed for dry skin, such as Nuxe Organic Glow rich moisturising cream. Hyaluronic acid will help restore hydration too – try Alpha-H Hyaluronic 8 super serum. When it comes to cleansers, avoid anything foaming or stripping; nourishing balms such as Pure Ultimate Cleanse rose cleansing balm, part of M&S’s vegan skincare range, are perfect.

Acne-prone skin
As many of us know, it’s a myth that acne is purely the blight of teenagers. Acne can be caused by several factors, ranging from hormonal breakouts to the newer phenomenon of ‘maskne’, where micro-tears, caused by face masks rubbing against the skin, allow bacteria, dirt and oil to clog up pores. A brilliant skincare ingredient for combatting acne is salicylic acid (also great for oily skin) – find it in Origins Super Spot Remover blemish treatment gel, which quickly calms and heals spots. Consider adding an exfoliant, such as Pixi glow tonic, to your daily routine too, as this will help unclog pores, and don’t forego moisturiser in the hope this will ‘dry out’ spots, as you’ll just end up with skin that’s acne-prone and dehydrated. A simple, non-greasy formula such as Pure Super Hydrate day cream is a good bet.

Oily skin
We all need some oil (called sebum) to keep our skin healthy, but occasionally the amount of sebum produced is excessive, causing enlarged pores and unwanted shiny patches. While you can’t ‘cure’ oily skin, you can manage it with the right routine. Don’t over-cleanse your skin or use harsh products that will exacerbate oil production. Try REN Clean Skincare Evercalm gentle cleansing gel, followed by the brand’s ClearCalm 3 replenishing gel cream (oily skin can still be dehydrated, so it’s important to moisturise). Clay masks are also excellent at slurping up excess oil – try Emma Hardie’s purifying detox clay mask.

Combination skin
If you’re identifying with more than one of the categories above, then you probably have combination skin. Typically, this involves an oily T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) while other parts of the face, such as the cheeks, are drier. A good strategy for combination skin is to use lightweight products, such as Formula Glow protection day cream, all over the face, and then add more intensely nourishing products just to the dry patches. Although everyone is different, combination skin is generally able to tolerate more intense skincare ingredients such as retinol, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles, brightens dark circles and reduces dullness. Find it in Murad retinol youth renewal serum.