It's actually very simple to take good care of your skin! All you need is a simple but effective daily regimen which you can, and do, adhere to. Just ten minutes a day spent cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing your facial skin will create and maintain a perfectly smooth complexion which glows with good health.

Everybody's skin is 100% unique, including yours. So to find the routine that perfectly meets your own skin's needs and requirements may take a little time, trial and error. These first steps in finding out what different products can do for your skin, and what your facial skin needs, will help you devise a successful, custom skin care regimen that satisfies all the requirements of your own, unique skin.

To begin, decide what skin 'type' you have been blessed with. Do you suffer from flaky patches, redness, irritation or notice premature wrinkles? Then your skin type is 'dry'. Or, alternatively, if you suffer with acne, spots or pimple outbreaks, or notice your skin becomes shiny through the day, your skin type is 'oily'. However, like most people, you probably notice some shininess and greasy spots on your nose, chin and forehead, but dry or flaky skin elsewhere. If this is you, your skin type is 'combination', which need a slightly more carefully customised care schedule.

When you buy skincare products, choose on the basis of your skin type, not the brand or bottle. You will need a set of four basic products - Cleanser, Exfoliator, Moisturiser and one or more Intensive Treatments or Masques - chosen from ranges designed specifically for your skin type.

You should be cleansing your skin twice a day, morning and bedtime. It's a good idea to cleanse thoroughly before re-applying makeup too, for example before going out for the evening. The cleanser removes dirt and grease, and is important to keep your pores clear. When choosing a product avoid cleansers that contain alcohol, as this can cause dryness. Choose a gentle product which is robust enough to remove grease, dirt and makeup, but without destroying the natural oils in your skin that keep it healthy and happy.

Follow cleansing with moisturisation. Even oily skin should be moisturised regularly, and providing you choose the right product for your skin type this will not increase the oiliness of your skin. Moisturisers are designed to banish or reduce irritations, and tackle dryness and redness so that your skin develops and retains a smooth texture. Look for non-comedogenic moisturising products to protect you against spots and blemishes - a water-based product is the best choice for most skins.

Exfoliation should take place one to three times per week to promote new skin growth and health. Exfoliants gently remove dead surface cells on the skin, revealing new, fresh skin cells beneath. Your facial skin is delicate, so select an exfoliant specifically designed for facial use - never a body scrub product!

For your intensive treatment or masque, choose a purchased product or make one yourself. Identify a product targeted at your most important skin problem. Whether you want to cure acne, dryness, reduce wrinkles or simply boost your skin nutrition, there are products available to do the job in a way that will be perfect for your skin. Use masques weekly or whenever you think your skin could use a boost.