Back to the books: the freshers’ week skin edit

Freshers’ Week is here, the colleges are filling up again, and September has that unmistakable back-to-school feeling. Whether you’re heading to UCC, MTU or starting another year at college, new routines, late nights, nights out, and perhaps a little less sleep than usual can all show up on your skin.

And even if your college days are well behind you, there’s something about this time of year that makes us want to get organised and reset. So, in the spirit of going back to the books, here are a few affordable skincare additions worth studying.

First up is Cetaphil’s Gentle Exfoliating SA range, which is particularly interesting if rough, bumpy or congested skin is your concern.

The Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser (€15/236ml) is a 2-in-1 face and body wash with a triple-acid blend of salicylic acid, mandelic acid, and gluconolactone. Rather than relying on a physical scrub, these chemical exfoliants help remove dead skin cells and refine texture while maintaining hydration.

There’s also the Gentle Exfoliating SA Lotion (€15/236ml), again suitable for both face and body. It uses the same triple-acid blend and is clinically proven to leave skin feeling softer and smoother after one use. A particularly useful one if you’re dealing with roughness or little bumps on the arms and body.

If Freshers’ Week has brought a little more shine than you bargained for, La Roche-Posay has launched its new Effaclar Supramolecular Oil & Pores Correct range.

The new Effaclar Supramolecular Oil & Pores Correct Moisturiser (€20/40ml) combines salicylic acid and niacinamide using patented Supramolecular SA.B3 technology. Salicylic acid helps exfoliate and unclog pores, while niacinamide helps soothe the skin.

The lightweight, non-comedogenic gel is formulated for oily and combination skin, promising up to 48 hours of matte hydration and up to 45% less oil at 12 hours. Crucially, the idea is to control oil without simply stripping the skin dry.

And then there’s the inevitable Freshers’ Week spot usually arriving just in time for a night out!

Hero Cosmetics Invisible Mighty Patches are a brilliantly simple addition to your bathroom cabinet. Pop one directly onto a blemish and leave it to work while you sleep. The discreet transparent patches help absorb impurities while also creating a barrier over the spot particularly useful if, like me, you’re tempted to pick.

There are body patches available too because breakouts aren’t restricted to our faces.

So, whether you’re a fresher, returning to college or simply embracing that September reset, consider this your back-to-the-books skincare syllabus: cleanse, gently exfoliate, hydrate, manage excess oil, and please, stop picking your spots.

Class dismissed!