With so many products, ingredients, and routines competing for attention in skincare, one of the most common questions we hear isn't about a specific product, it's simply: "Where do I even start?" This guide walks you through the same thinking we'd use with you directly to help you land on a routine that actually fits your skin, your climate, and your priorities.
Step 1: Identify Your Primary Skin Concern
Before choosing products, get clear on what you're actually trying to address. Common starting points include chronic dryness and tightness, particularly common given the UAE's climate, sensitivity and reactivity, including conditions like eczema or general irritation, dullness and uneven tone, often related to sun exposure and environmental stress, and early signs of aging, fine lines, loss of firmness, or textural changes.
Most people have one dominant concern, even if several are present to some degree, and starting there keeps your routine focused rather than trying to address everything at once.
Step 2: Consider Your Cleansing Needs
If you're dealing with dryness, sensitivity, or general barrier concerns, a gentle, non-stripping cleanser is your foundation. Our tallow soap works well here, formulated to cleanse without removing the natural oils your skin needs to stay balanced.
If you're also dealing with congestion, dullness, or excess oil alongside dryness (common in combination skin types in this climate), our rhassoul clay soap offers a deeper clean a few times a week without the stripping effect of harsher, commercial alternatives.
Step 3: Decide on Your Barrier Support Approach
For most people in the UAE, given the climate's impact on skin hydration, some form of facial oil or serum is worth incorporating into an evening routine. Al Iksir, our signature serum, is built specifically around barrier repair and antioxidant support, making it a strong foundational choice regardless of your specific starting concern, since barrier health underlies nearly every other visible skin issue.
Step 4: Address Specific Problem Areas
If you're dealing with particularly dry or cracked hands, heels, or elbows, our balms provide the concentrated, occlusive support these areas need beyond what a standard facial routine addresses. If you want a natural, healthy-looking glow without traditional cosmetics, our Glow Balm offers a skin-nourishing alternative to conventional highlighter.
Step 5: Build Consistency Before Adding Complexity
A common mistake is trying to layer in too many products at once. We generally recommend starting with two core steps, a gentle cleanser and a barrier-supporting serum, and using them consistently for two to three weeks before adding anything additional. This lets you actually gauge what's working before the picture gets complicated by too many variables introduced simultaneously.
A Sample Starting Routine
For dry, sensitive, or climate-stressed skin: Tallow soap cleanse, followed by Al Iksir applied to damp skin each evening, with Soothe Balm as needed for any particularly irritated or dry patches.
For combination or oily skin dealing with congestion: Rhassoul clay soap two to three times a week (tallow soap on other days), Al Iksir in the evening, applied sparingly.
For anyone focused on natural, everyday glow: The above routine as a base, with Glow Balm added for a subtle, skin-friendly radiance on the high points of the face.
When to Reach Out Directly
Quizzes and general guides can only take you so far, if you're dealing with a specific, persistent concern that doesn't seem to fit neatly into these categories, we genuinely welcome direct questions via WhatsApp. Skincare isn't one-size-fits-all, and we'd rather help you find the right combination directly than have you guess based on a general framework alone.
The Underlying Philosophy
Regardless of where you start, our approach centers on fewer, more effective products built around ingredients your skin actually recognizes and can use, rather than an overwhelming, ever-expanding routine. Start simple, stay consistent, and adjust based on how your own skin responds, that's the real foundation of any routine that lasts.