Exams passed, offers made, and everything packed in the back of the car? You’re officially a university student. But, with the hectic summer (and frankly, the last year) finally coming together, we reckon you deserve to take some extra time looking after you – and that means looking after your skin too.

To help you out, our ultimate uni skincare checklist has everything we wish we’d known when we made the leap from secondary school to uni – from student-focussed skincare tips to some amazing products to help boost your glow and look after your skin a little more each day…

The ultimate uni skincare checklist

As you move onto this exciting new chapter, it can be easy to let your skincare fall to the wayside a little. But, with just a couple simple changes, you can look bright-eyed and refreshed, even at your first 9am lecture after fresher’s week…

Cleanse

If you know anything about us, it’s that we constantly mention the absolute importance of cleansing. We go on about it a lot; but, for good reason. Preparing your skin in the morning for the day ahead, and clearing away the grime of life before bed, is arguably the most important thing you can do to look after your skin.

Cleansing removes sweat, dirt, oils, makeup and other products that can clog your pores and affect the natural balance of your skin. Using the right cleanser can help to brighten your complexion, exfoliate to help remove dead skin cells, or add extra moisture for fresh, glowing skin.

At Sculpted, we’ve made double cleansing super easy with our innovative DuoCleanse collection. Combining a gentle all-round cleanser with a more targeted second formula, our cleansing range allows you to tailor your skincare to your needs. For example, our DuoCleanse Cleanse & Clarify is a two-step system that targets blemishes and congestion. Formulated with 2% Salicylic Acid, it helps to remove dirt and debris, reducing future breakouts and calming existing spots.

As a young adult, looking after the basics is essential. Your skin may be naturally more susceptible to changes with topsy turvy hormone levels, and cleansing is a positive first step to looking after your skin for the years to come.

Treat

Treating your skin sounds complicated, but it’s actually really simple. All you need to do is look for ingredients that help with your specific skin concerns. For example, if you have dry skin, you should look for products with Hyaluronic Acid to attract more moisture for the skin.

To look refreshed and ready for early morning lectures or long days in the library, you want to keep an eye out for Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps to protect your skin from sun damage, brighten the appearance of dark spots, and supports collagen production to keep your skin feeling smooth and plump.

Serums, like our HydraBright Illuminating Serum, are packed full of active ingredients to support your skin and enhance your natural glow. When it comes to uni skincare, this antioxidant rich, brightening serum is a no-brainer.

Pro tip: Caffeine isn’t just for your morning coffee. Our Brighten Up Energising Eye Cream cools and soothes your under-eyes, and delivers a targeted Caffeine boost to reduce puffiness. Perfect for well-rested skin after a night out with friends, or a long study session…

Moisturise

Think of it like studying for exams… attending lectures gives you the knowledge, but revising afterwards helps lock it in. Moisturising works the same way – you’ve done the hard work with serums and targeted treatments, now you need a good moisturiser to help lock in those benefits for longer.

Moisturisers are thicker than most other skincare products, and work more on the upper levels of your skin. They are designed to help protect your skin barrier and retain the moisture you’ve worked to attract. 

Just look at our very own CloudCream™. Enriched with Ceramides, our formula nourishes, protects, strengthens and soothes the skin barrier for a healthy, glowing complexion. 

Pro tip: even if you have oily skin, you should always take the time to moisturise. Designed to sit lightly on the skin but still provide a deeply hydrating boost, CloudCream™ was formulated with oily skin in mind.  

SPF

No skincare routine is ever complete without SPF. This skincare hero is essential to protect from harmful UV rays when you’re outside. But, it’s also super important for days spent in front of a laptop, or under the library lights. 

You’ve probably heard of blue light in relation to sleep. This light wavelength is commonly emitted by phones and screens, as well as artificial and LED lighting, and can affect the production of melatonin (which is a chemical that helps make us sleepy).

But, did you know that blue light also affects the skin? Research suggests that blue light can accelerate the ageing process in your skin, and cause hyperpigmentation. 

Our go-to? Beauty Base Protect. Enriched with SPF 50, this multitasking formula works double duty as your makeup primer and daily sun protection. Simply apply 2-3 pumps after skincare to prep and protect your skin. 

Tips for glowing skin for students

So how did we pick the items in our ultimate uni skincare checklist? Well, this simple, all-round routine is inspired by some of the skincare tips we wished we knew as students…

Learn how your skin behaves

Understanding your skin is essential to building a uni skincare routine that works. There’s absolutely no point in using a product that doesn’t help your skin, so you should spend some time figuring out what skin type you have and how your skin behaves.

This is unique to everyone, and may even change over the years. Just like first-year you and third-year you aren’t the same person, your skin’s needs can change over time too. So, don’t be afraid to try out new products or ingredients if your routine isn’t working. 

For more information on how to find your skin type, check out our guide to What are the Different Skin Types and How to Identify Yours?

Consider lifestyle changes that will affect your skin

When you’re trying to understand your skin, remember that lifestyle changes will affect how it behaves. Moving to a new city, changes in your diet, late nights, early mornings, the stress of getting assignments done, and even whether your uni has hard or soft water will all affect what your skin looks and feels like.

Give yourself a little grace period once you’ve moved to uni to allow your skin (and yourself) to settle before throwing a lot of new products at your skin.

Stick to simple and consistent routines

But, once you have landed on the right uni skincare routine for you, make sure you’re consistent.

Consistency is key to a refreshed, radiant glow. So, you should try and work your skincare routine into your new schedule in a way that works for you. This could mean waking up a little earlier before lectures, or even habit stacking and completing your skincare routine in the evening when you’re winding down or revising.

However you decide to manage it, your consistency will pay off. Even if you’re busy, taking 5-10 minutes every morning can help you feel ready for everything from a full day of lectures to smashing through your assignments.

Take your makeup off

Ready for a bit of tough love? We don’t care how tired you are, take your makeup off before you go to bed. Whether you’ve had a long day in the library, or are getting in in the wee hours after a night out with friends, take five minutes to clean your face and take your makeup off. 

Trust us, your skin will thank you for it.

Leaving your makeup on can clog your pores by trapping dirt and oil on the skin, potentially causing breakouts and stopping your skin from properly regenerating and healing overnight. 

We’ve even got just the thing to make taking your makeup off a breeze: our Fresh Faced Makeup Remover. The gentle, no-fuss formula removes your makeup without stripping your skin of moisture, leaving your skin feeling clean and refreshed.

Uni skincare on a budget

As a student, we understand that you may be working on a tighter budget; but there are ways to keep up with your uni skincare routine…

• Finish what you have: make sure you use every last bit of your products before starting a new one. This saves you money in the long run by reducing waste; which is great for your purse and the planet.

• Keep it simple: a few high-quality, tailored products is always better than throwing money at the latest trending products. Our uni skincare routine is designed to help you make the most of a few simple skincare staples for a pared back way to enhance your glow.

• Look after the fundamentals: glowing skin doesn’t just come from using the right products. To care for your skin, don’t forget the basics: drink enough water, get enough sleep, and eat a healthy, balanced diet.

• Make use of student discounts: want to make the most of your uni skincare? Look for student discounts to help your money go further. As a little treat, we have a 15??% Student Discount, and don’t forget to join the Sculpted Beauty Club for access to exclusive discounts and benefits…

• Bundle up and save: if you like the look of our recommendations, you can save 25-30% when you shop our skincare bundles. 

• Buy refills: not only is this better for the planet, it’s also better for your wallet as refills cost less than repurchasing a new product. We sell refills for most of our skincare products and you can save even more if you shop our Skincare Routine Refill bundle. 

• The ReSculpted Initiative: got your Sculpted faves, but aren’t sure what to do with the empties? Recycle five empties with ReSculpted Returns to get £20 of points added to your Sculpted Rewards account.

Feel fresh for Freshers’ and beyond with Sculpted by Aimee

Skincare for students is easy with Sculpted by Aimee. We’ve looked at the science, so you can concentrate on enhancing your glow for a radiant complexion. Explore our makeup and skincare collection today, or check out some amazing bundles to save up to 30% on your favourite products – perfect for a university moving day present!

Want to read more? We think you’ll also love… What is SPF & Why is it Important? | The Ultimate Guide to Glowing Skin | Benefits Of Adding Double Cleansing To Your Skincare Routine