Skincare routine for Indian skin: a simple daily plan

1.There is no single Indian skin type

Indian skin covers every skin type and a wide range of tones, so no one routine suits everybody. What many people share is strong sun, a tendency to dark spots after acne or irritation, and weather that swings from humid to dry. Start from your own skin type, then adjust for those.

• How to know your skin typeA one-hour test you can do at home.Read the guide

2.The daily routine

In the morning, wash gently, moisturise and apply broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. At night, wash off the day's sunscreen, makeup and grime, then moisturise. Dermatologists advise washing when you wake, before bed and after sweating, and gently: scrubbing irritates skin and makes every problem worse.

Morning

Gentle cleanser, moisturiser, broad-spectrum sunscreen

Night

Gentle cleanser, moisturiser, and one active if you use one

After sweating

Wash your face gently

• Sunscreen for Indian skinHow to choose it, how much to use and when to reapply.Read the guide

3.Adjusting for your skin type

Use products that match your skin's needs. Oily skin suits light, oil-free layers. Dry skin needs a creamier cleanser and a richer moisturiser. Combination skin does best with a light base and a little extra on dry areas. Sensitive skin needs fewer products, without fragrance, and a patch test before anything new.

• Oily skin routineMorning and night steps for oily skin.Read the guide
• Dry skin routineMorning and night steps for dry skin.Read the guide
• Combination skin routineTreating the T-zone and cheeks differently.Read the guide
• Sensitive skin routineA minimal routine and how to patch-test.Read the guide

4.Dark spots, tan and acne

For people with darker skin, acne often comes with dark spots, and anything that irritates the skin can leave one too. So treat gently: do not pick, avoid products that sting and wear sunscreen daily, since treating dark spots starts with sunscreen. Add one targeted active rather than several.

• Pigmentation and dark spotsThe kinds of dark spots and a simple routine.Read the guide
• How to remove tan from your faceWhat fades a tan, and what makes it worse.Read the guide
• Acne-prone skin routineA gentle routine for breakouts.Read the guide
• Skincare ingredients guideWhich active suits which concern.Read the guide

5.Adjusting for Indian weather and cities

Change the texture with the season rather than the whole routine. Use lighter gels in humid months and richer creams in dry winters. Keep sunscreen in every season, because UV reaches your skin through cloud. In polluted cities, make sure the night cleanse is thorough without scrubbing.

• Monsoon skincareA routine for humid weather.Read the guide
• Winter skincareRicher care for dry winters.Read the guide
• Skincare in polluted citiesEvening cleansing and barrier care.Read the guide

6.Get a routine for your own skin

Saundarya AI is an AI skin analysis and grooming app that reads a single selfie and returns a personalised report: face shape, skin type, detected skin concerns with the visual evidence behind them, a morning and night skincare routine, product picks at three budgets, and an 8-week improvement plan.

Generic advice is a starting point. A scan reads your skin type, tone and main concerns on your own face, shows the visual evidence and a confidence score, and builds a morning and night routine around it. The first full analysis is free.

This is general cosmetic guidance, not medical advice. See a dermatologist for skin that is painful, spreading, scarring or not improving after 8-12 weeks.