MANILA, Philippines—Many of us dream of a well-stocked medicine cabinet filled with bottles and jars of creams and serums that promise to clarify, hydrate, rejuvenate and smoothen our skin.

Unfortunately, most of the time, piling on different formulas can worsen the condition of our skin.

Countless women, myself included, fall for attractive packaging and exotic-sounding ingredients. But our skin doesn’t need all that much to keep it looking great. If your regimen consists of more than five steps, you may be putting too many products on your face.

Each step must be easy, quick and basic. Also, its purpose shouldn’t overlap or interfere with the other steps. When it comes to our skin, it is good to have a minimalist approach.

Philippine Dermatological Society member Dr. Ellaine Eusebio-Galvez says that, before establishing a daily regimen, “You must first know your skin type.”

It sounds so simple, but many of us go through product after product without taking our skin type into consideration. Apparently, there are four skin types: dry, oily, combination and sensitive skin.

You can identify your skin type by washing your face and observing it after three hours. If your skin feels tight and flaky, then you have dry skin. If you notice that your nose, forehead and cheeks are oily (and you generally have visible pores), you have oily skin.

If there is oil on your t-zone—nose, forehead and chin—and not your cheeks, you have combination skin. And if you are prone to redness and irritation, especially after trying on new skin-care products, then you have sensitive skin.

But if your skin is giving you mixed signals you can’t decipher, better consult a dermatologist.

Once you know your skin type, you can then streamline your regimen and apply only the products that will benefit your skin. Dr. Eusebio-Galvez recommends that your daily skin-care regimen should consist of only three steps.

CLEANSE. A cleanser should be able to remove dirt, oil and makeup without drying skin. Choosing the right one will depend on your skin type:

“For dry skin, look for urea, which is a key part of the natural moisture factor (NMF), or glycerin aloe extract or allantoin (both humectants that are proven to moisturize dry skin),” says Dr. Eusebio-Galvez.

Sensitive skin can benefit from arbutin (found naturally in cranberry, blueberry, bearberry leaves), thermal spring water (which helps treat sunburns and dry skin), gluconolactone (a highly moisturizing, non-irritating, natural anti-oxidant), and polyhydroxy acid (which prevents photo-aging).

For oily and combination skin, a power-packed cleanser with ingredients like glycolic, lactic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin C and retinol works best, especially when the ph value of the product is the same as our skin’s, which is 5.5.

MOISTURIZE. The right moisturizer for your skin shouldn’t feel greasy or heavy, or worse, cause breakouts!

“The best moisturizers have urea in them, which helps enable our skin to absorb and retain moisture. Also, ingredients like alpha hydroxy acid and glycolic acid help prevent acne and protect skin from photo damage (which entails blotchiness and fine wrinkles),” says Dr. Eusebio-Galvez.

Again, choosing the product based on your skin type is recommended. For oily skin, using a toner with keratolytics (which soften the top layer of the skin), alpha and beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid and retinol (which stimulates collagen production) after moisturizing can leave skin supple. For sensitive skin, a moisturizer designed for babies can prevent allergic reactions.

PROTECT. A leisurely stroll on a sunny day may seem harmless, but without sunscreen, we are exposed to dangerous UV rays that make our skin vulnerable to premature aging. Over time, this can lead to thick, leathery, wrinkly skin, or worse, skin cancer.

“For everyday use, find a sunblock with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 15, and for outdoor activities, especially during summer, the minimum SPF should be 30,” suggests Dr. Eusebio-Galvez. For UVA and UVB protection, look for ingredients like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, salicylates and cinnamates.

For more information or appointments, call Galvez Clinics Skin and Cosmetic Surgery Center at 8439310/8454697 for Pasay Road branch and 6335058 for Metrowalk branch.