Why Skincare Alone Isn’t Enough. But Treatments Won’t Work Without It
There’s a moment I see again and again in my treatment room in Bristol.
A client lies down for a facial or microneedling consultation and says something along the lines of:
“I’m hoping this will finally fix my skin. I’ve tried everything at home.”
And just as often, someone else tells me:
“I don’t really do skincare, I just get regular facials.”
Both come from the same place: wanting better skin, without wasting time, money or effort.
The truth is more nuanced and far more reassuring.
Skincare alone can create change. Treatments do create results. But real, long-term skin health comes from understanding what each one actually does and how they work together.
Do I need skincare if I get facials or microneedling?
Short answer: Yes. Absolutely.
Longer answer: treatments work on your skin, but skincare works with it, every single day.
A facial, chemical peel or microneedling session stimulates processes that simply can’t be switched on at home: collagen production, controlled injury, cellular turnover. These are powerful tools.
But here’s the part that often gets missed:
Your skin spends maybe one hour a month with me in the clinic.
It spends the other 700+ hours responding to what you cleanse with, what you apply, how you protect it, and how consistently you do that.
Without a supportive skincare routine:
the skin barrier struggles to recover
inflammation lingers longer than it should
results fade faster
sensitivity increases
This is why two people can have the same microneedling treatment and wildly different outcomes.
Skincare isn’t a “nice extra” if you’re investing in treatments, it’s the thing that allows those treatments to actually deliver.
Are treatments better than skincare?
This is where skincare often gets unfairly written off.
Skincare doesn’t just maintain, it can absolutely create visible change when used correctly.
Well-formulated products can:
strengthen the skin barrier
improve texture and tone
calm redness and breakouts
support pigment regulation
slow premature ageing
What skincare can’t do is reach the deeper layers where collagen is formed or trigger regeneration in the same way professional treatments do.
Think of it like this:
Skincare sets the conditions for good skin.
Treatments push the reset button when your skin needs more.
One without the other is either slow, frustrating progress or results that never quite stick.
Why this matters (especially if you live in Bristol)
Bristol skin has its own challenges.
We deal with:
damp winters and dry indoor heating
fluctuating temperatures
pollution from city traffic
strong UV when the sun does appear
All of this impacts the skin barrier.
That’s why I see so many clients locally with:
sensitised skin
redness that doesn’t quite settle
dehydration alongside breakouts
skin that reacts to “too much” skincare
In these cases, piling on treatments or endlessly switching products rarely helps.
What works is a steady routine at home, paired with treatments chosen for timing, not trends.
How skincare and treatments should actually work together
The best results happen when:
Skincare prepares the skin — healthy barrier, controlled inflammation, consistent SPF
Treatments stimulate change — collagen, resurfacing, deeper correction
Skincare then supports healing — hydration, repair, protection
This is why I often recommend fewer products, not more.
And why I’d rather delay a treatment than push skin that isn’t ready.
Skin that feels calm, resilient and boring at home is skin that responds beautifully in clinic.
The bottom line
If you’re choosing between skincare or treatments, you’re asking the wrong question.
It’s not about which is better.
It’s about using both, intentionally.
Skincare gives your skin the daily support it needs to function well.
Treatments give it the stimulation it can’t create on its own.
Together, they’re not just about better skin now, but skin that continues to improve over time.
If you’re unsure what your skin actually needs, this is exactly what consultations are for especially if you’re based in Bristol and dealing with all the environmental factors that come with city living. Book a free pre treatment consultation with me.
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Yes.
Facials work on your skin occasionally, but skincare works with your skin every day. Without a consistent home routine, facial results fade faster and the skin struggles to heal and stay balanced. -
Yes — even more so.
Microneedling relies on the skin being healthy enough to heal and regenerate. Skincare supports barrier repair, reduces inflammation, and helps you get better collagen results between sessions. -
They do different jobs.
Skincare improves and stabilises the surface of the skin, while treatments stimulate deeper processes skincare can’t reach. One isn’t better, they’re most effective when used together. -
Absolutely.
Well-chosen skincare can improve texture, tone, breakouts, redness and dehydration. Many people see visible change without treatments, it just happens more gradually. -
No.
Treatments can’t replace daily cleansing, hydration, protection and barrier support. Without skincare, results don’t last and sensitivity is more likely. -
Because their home care is different.
Skin that’s well looked after at home heals faster, reacts less and responds better to treatments like facials, peels and microneedling.