‘I’m a doctor with 25 years of experience — everyone should focus on three things for youthful skin’

Dr Jonquille Chantrey, founder of ØNE aesthetic studiø, has treated different ages, ethnicities and skin types for 25 years. She said understanding your own skin needs and “keeping the strategy simple enough to follow consistently” are the basis for any effective routine.

The products you pick should also be centred around three things for youthful skin. She explained: “In the morning, I advise my patients to focus on protection, hydration and skin quality. Start with a cleanser appropriate for your skin type, followed by an antioxidant such as vitamin C to help defend against oxidative stress and support luminosity.

“I also incorporate peptides, followed by a hydrating moisturiser rich in appropriate active ingredients to support the skin barrier.

“Then SPF. I recommend skin-specific broad-spectrum sun protection to every patient, every day, because UV exposure is one of the greatest accelerators of visible skin ageing.”

Finding a few products with effective ingredients can be more beneficial than purchasing a 10-step skin care regime just for the sake of it.

One skin care product that is recommended time and again is sunscreen. It is incredibly well-researched as an anti-ageing tool, and it works by protecting the skin from harmful UV rays.

One particular study followed 903 adults under 55 for 4.5 years and found that those using broad-spectrum sunscreen daily experienced 24 per cent less skin ageing than those who only applied it occasionally.

Daily users showed no noticeable increase in skin ageing over the study period, supporting sunscreen’s role in preventing premature ageing caused by sun exposure.

Your nighttime skin care regime will have different requirements, and this is where the doctor “makes the routine much more individual”.

She continued: “After cleansing, choose a targeted serum according to what your skin actually needs, whether that is pigmentation, sagging and loss of firmness, skin smoothness, texture or hydration.

“Refining acids such as salicylic acid can be extremely useful for appropriate skin types, while vitamin A remains one of our most effective ingredients for photoageing when indicated and well tolerated.”

While Dr Chantrey shared her product recommendations, everyone is different and should be mindful of what works for them. She said: “Ultimately, the best skin care routine should not be dictated by your age or the latest trend. It should evolve with you.

“Understand your own skin, choose evidence-based ingredients strategically, protect it consistently and give those choices enough time to work.”