Whether you have a three- or nine-step routine, one thing anyone can do to improve their skin care is apply products in the correct order. No matter your skin concerns, you'll want to start with a clean, even base, then use concentrated, potent ingredients, and finish by locking in moisture—and of course, daytime SPF. Here are the steps to a good skin care regimen:
The ultimate 9-step skincare routine
1. Wash your face. In the morning and evening, rinse your face with water and rub a small amount of gentle cleanser between clean palms. Massage your face wash all over using gentle pressure. Rinse your hands and rub your face with water to rinse your face until you remove the cleanser and dirt. Gently pat your face dry with a soft towel. If you wear makeup, you may need to cleanse twice a night. First, remove your makeup with a cleansing oil or micellar water. Try leaving the eye makeup remover on for a few minutes to allow the makeup to remove more easily and to avoid rubbing your eyes. Follow up with a gentle cleansing of the entire face.
2. Apply toner. If you use a toner, apply it after cleansing your face and before everything else. Pour a few drops of toner into the palm of your hand or a cotton pad and gently wipe it across your face. If the toner is an exfoliator — meaning it removes dead skin cells with ingredients like glycolic acid — only use it at night. Moisturizing formulations can be used twice a day. Don't use exfoliating toners and retinoids or other exfoliants at the same time.
3. Apply the serum. Mornings are a great time to use a serum that contains antioxidants—like our brightening vitamin C serum—because they protect your skin from the free radicals you may encounter throughout the day. Night is the time to use a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid, which prevents your skin from drying out at night, especially if you're using anti-aging or acne treatments that can irritate and dry out skin. Serums can also contain exfoliants such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) or lactic acid. Whatever you use, always remember: Water-based serums should go under your moisturizer; An oil-based serum should be used after a moisturizer.
4. Apply eye cream. You can apply a regular moisturizer to your under eye area, but if you decide to use a special eye cream, you usually want to layer it under your moisturizer, because eye creams tend to be thinner than face moisturizers. Try applying an eye cream with a metal roller-ball applicator and store it in the fridge to counter puffiness in the morning. Using a moisturizing eye cream at night can lead to fluid retention, which can make your eyes look puffy in the morning.
5. Use a spot treatment. It's a good idea to use acne spot treatments at night, when your body is in repair mode. Be careful not to layer acne-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acids with retinol, which can cause irritation. Instead, make sure you do your best to keep your skin calm and moisturized.
Also read: 5 tips for healthy skin from Mayo Clinic staff with an explainer video
6. Moisturizing. The moisturizer moisturizes the skin and seals in all the other layers of product you've applied. Look for a lightweight lotion for the morning, preferably with an SPF of 30 or higher. In the evening, you can use a thicker night cream. Those with dry skin may wish to use the cream morning and night.
7. Apply a retinoid. Retinoids (Vitamin A derivatives including retinol) can reduce dark spots, breakouts, and fine lines by increasing the rate at which skin cells turn over, but they can also be irritating, especially for sensitive skin. If you use retinoids, know that they degrade in the sun, so they should only be used at night. They also make your skin very sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen is a must.
8. Apply facial oil. If you use a facial oil, make sure to apply it after your other skin care products as nothing else will be able to penetrate the oil.
9. Apply sunscreen. This may be the last step, but almost any dermatologist will tell you that sun protection is the most important part of any skincare regimen. Protecting your skin from UV rays can prevent skin cancer and signs of aging. If your moisturizer does not contain SPF, you still need to apply sunscreen. For chemical sunscreens, wait 20 minutes before going outside for the sunscreen to be effective. Look for a broad-spectrum SPF, which means your sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
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