Daily skincare routine: What is the correct order?
Updated: Jan 14
Whether you do a 3-step morning routine or have time for a 10-step nighttime routine, the order you apply your products matters.
Keep it simple: cleanser, moisturizer, sunblock.
We’ve listed the order to apply your skincare products and the steps you can skip.
Step 1: Cleanser
In the morning and evening, cleanse your face with a cleanser that best suits your skin type before applying your skincare products. Clean skin is essential for ingredients to absorb correctly.
Step 2: Toner
Toners have soothing, moisturizing components that soothe dry skin or exfoliants to help with acne and pimples. Toners are optional. They prime your face for other components to absorb later. Alcohol-based toners leave you stinging and are incredibly harmful.
A toner containing BHA (beta hydroxy acid, such as salicylic acid) or AHA (alpha hydroxy acids), will unclog pores, slow breakouts, and over time, remove blackheads. For dry skin, try AHAs, and if you have oily skin, stick to BHAs.
Step 3: Serums
Use morning and evening. Serums are concentrated doses of nutrients, hydration, and antioxidants that improve the health of your skin. They are an important part of your skincare routine.
Vitamin C serum in your A.M. skincare routine will protect your skin from irritation and environmental harm throughout the day while brightening skin and lightening dark patches. For your P.M. skincare regimen, choose a serum containing hyaluronic acid, which draws water from the atmosphere into your skin to relax and keep it hydrated while you sleep.
Step 4: Eye Cream
Because eye creams are lighter and thinner than face moisturizers, use them first before applying creams and oils in the morning and evening. Since your under-eye region is the most delicate area, be sure to dab your under-eye cream gently.
Step 5: Spot Treatment
Applying spot treatments, whether for zits, scars, etc., at night is ideal because that’s when your body thoroughly restores itself. If you use acne-fighting toner and want a retinol, consider spot-treating in the morning instead to avoid irritating your face with too much at once.
Step 6: Moisturizer
Moisturizer should be applied morning and night in your skincare routine. Whether your skin is oily or prone to breakouts, it’s the only thing that’ll maintain your skin barrier—making your face seem like it has a healthy and happy glow. For your A.M., get a formula with a sunscreen of at least SPF 30. At night, your skin enters repair mode to heal damage and enhance regeneration. So, your night moisturizer should contain hyaluronic acid, lipids, and proteins.
Step 7: Retinol in the evening
Retinoids penetrate into your skin to speed up cell turnover, helping your body to produce fresher, smoother, less wrinkled skin over time. Because retinoids stimulate collagen formation and cellular exfoliation, they will also remove dark spots, and smooth scars, cleanse pores, reduce breakouts, and brighten skin. If you’re currently using a retinoid night cream, skip this step, as it may exacerbate irritation.
Step 8: Face Oil
Face oils work to seal in all of the ingredients and moisture you just applied to your face, preventing them from evaporating as rapidly. Fats do not hydrate your skin effectively, but when you layer them over products, they can boost your routine efficiency while leaving skin soft and smooth.
Step 9: Sunscreen
Sunscreen should come last in your skincare routine to protect your face and function as armour against the outside world.
At Secret Faces, we carry two lines of professional skincare. A consultation with Darlene will be beneficial in deciding the best routine and product line for your skin.
