For years I thought good skin required effort. More products, more steps, more treatments. When I got spots I assumed I needed to do more, not less. It took me embarrassingly long to figure out that my husband Ben - who does absolutely nothing to his skin and has always had clear skin - was inadvertently giving me the best skincare advice possible.

Less is more. It genuinely is.

Since simplifying my routine and switching to natural, organic and vegan products where possible, my skin is the best it's ever been. I used to have under-the-skin spots and congestion that I now rarely get. The change wasn't adding more products - it was removing them.

Here are six skincare tips that have actually made a difference for me.

Remove makeup properly - and question whether you need it

Sleeping in makeup is one of the worst things you can do for your skin. Foundation, concealer and tinted moisturiser sit on the surface of your skin all day, clogging pores and preventing your skin from breathing. If you wear heavy coverage regularly and struggle with breakouts, that could be part of the reason. 

I barely wear makeup now - just mascara and a lip gloss, some days. I stopped putting product all over my face and my skin genuinely improved. I used to wear tinted moisturiser and concealer regularly and had persistent under-the-skin spots. Stopping that was one of the biggest changes I made.

If you do wear makeup, removing it properly before bed is non-negotiable. My go-to is Lavera Micellar Cleansing Water - it's gentle, effective, and removes everything without stripping the skin. It's also organic and vegan which matters to me. A few sweeps with a cotton pad and your skin is clean without any harsh rubbing.

Keep your routine minimal

The beauty industry has a vested interest in convincing you that you need a ten-step routine with multiple serums and treatments. In my experience, less genuinely works better - particularly for oily or spot-prone skin.

When I was using lots of products, my skin was worse. When I stripped it back to basics, it improved. My current routine is cleanser, eye gel, moisturiser with SPF, and that's about it. That's it. A simple routine done consistently beats an elaborate one done inconsistently every time. 

If you're dealing with spots and your instinct is to add more products, try removing some instead. It might be counterintuitive but for a lot of people, particularly those with oily skin, overloading the skin with products makes things worse rather than better.

Use SPF every day

Sun protection is the single most evidence-backed thing you can do for your skin long term. UV exposure is the primary cause of premature ageing - fine lines, uneven skin tone, loss of elasticity - and daily SPF prevents it.

You don't need a separate sunscreen on top of your moisturiser. A good daily moisturiser with SPF built in does the job. I use Vitakin Daily Protect SPF 15 moisturiser which gives me hydration and sun protection in one step, keeping my routine simple without skipping something important.

Care for the eye area specifically

The skin around your eyes is thinner and more delicate than the rest of your face and needs specific attention. Standard moisturisers can be too heavy for this area. A lightweight eye gel applied morning and evening makes a real difference to fine lines, puffiness and dark circles over time.

I use Q+A Peptide Seaweed Eye Gel which I've found genuinely effective - it's absorbed quickly, doesn't irritate my eyes, and is vegan and cruelty free. Applying it with your ring finger using a gentle tapping motion rather than rubbing protects the delicate skin from unnecessary pulling.

Moisturise and soothe with natural ingredients

Hydration is essential for all skin types - including oily skin, which can actually overproduce oil when it's dehydrated as a compensatory response. The key is finding a moisturiser that hydrates without feeling heavy or blocking pores.

Aloe vera is one of the best natural ingredients for skin - it's hydrating, soothing, anti-inflammatory, and works well for sensitive or oily skin that doesn't respond well to heavier creams. I use Aloe Pura Aloe Vera Gel regularly, particularly when my skin needs calming or feels reactive. It's light, fast-absorbing, and doubles up as a soothing treatment for any irritation. 

Choosing natural, organic and vegan products where possible means fewer synthetic ingredients and preservatives on your skin, which I believe makes a difference - particularly for those prone to sensitivity or breakouts.

Get enough sleep and manage stress

Skin reflects what's going on internally. Sleep deprivation shows on your face - dullness, dark circles, puffiness, and increased breakouts are all associated with poor sleep. During sleep your skin repairs itself, producing collagen and recovering from the day's environmental exposure. Skimping on sleep undermines everything else you do for your skin. 

Stress has a similar effect. It triggers cortisol production which increases oil production and inflammation - both of which contribute to spots. Managing stress and prioritising sleep aren't just good for your health generally, they're directly reflected in your skin.

For more on building a consistent sleep routine that actually works, sleep hygiene tips for a good night's rest is worth a read.

The products I actually use

To summarise my current simple, natural skincare routine:

• Cleanser: Lavera Micellar Cleansing Water - gentle, organic, vegan
• Eye gel: Q+A Peptide Seaweed Eye Gel - lightweight, effective
• Moisturiser: Vitakin Daily Protect SPF 15 - hydration and sun protection in one
• Soothing treatment: Aloe Pura Aloe Vera Gel - calming and hydrating
• Body scrub: Bang Body Smooth Skin Scrub - for soft, smooth skin after exfoliating 

Simple, vegan, and genuinely effective. No ten-step routine, no heavy coverage makeup sitting on my skin all day, no overloading my face with products that were making things worse. Just a few good products used consistently. I don't even use them all every day, sometimes just one or two. 

The biggest skincare lesson I've learned is that your skin often just needs to be left alone to do what it does naturally. Clean it, protect it, hydrate it, and sleep well. That's most of it. 

Before you go...

If natural beauty is your thing, tips to get beautiful healthy hair naturally at home uses the same approach - simple, natural products over complicated routines.

And for a broader look at healthy living, improve your health with these simple lifestyle changes covers the fundamentals that make the biggest difference.