Washing your face is always the first step in your skincare routine. A basic rule of thumb when applying the right layers of skin care is to follow the order of consistency of the products. This means that your lightweight liquids will be the products you start with, and your thicker, thicker creams will be the ones you end up with the ones you end up with. So which product goes above what, you might ask? An easy-to-follow rule of thumb is to apply products with the thinnest consistency to the thickest, or from liquid to cream.
In the morning, start by splashing your face with warm water or, if necessary, wash yourself with a gentle facial cleanser designed for your skin type. Most people choose not to use toners, in part because there is a persistent assumption that most toners are aggressive and irritate the skin. Fortunately, that is no longer the case. While they don't physically “shrink” pores, the new generation of toners can serve multiple purposes, such as acting as a delivery system for antioxidants, vitamin B derivatives, and even toning acids.
In addition, each type of toner is designed for a different skin problem, so it's important to use the right type for your skin problem. However, if you've lived your entire life without using a toner and your skin looks healthy, Dr. Rogers says you don't need to start using one. That said, if you have a tonic that you like to use, there's nothing wrong with continuing to use it. Annie Chiu, a board-certified dermatologist, it's vital to apply eye cream at least every night, if not twice a day, starting at age 20.
Improving the quality of the skin in this area from the start ensures that the eyelid skin does not easily lose its laxity and its smooth appearance later on. According to Dr. Diane De Fiori, a dermatologist at the Rosacea Treatment Clinic, prescription medications and spot treatments for acne should be applied as close to the skin as possible to maximize their benefits. Since acne spot treatments differ in terms of active ingredients, check the product packaging or consult your dermatologist for the best way to apply it.
According to aesthetician and acne specialist Ashley Wiley, prescription benzoyl peroxide is a common ingredient for treating acne blemishes, lasting one to three hours. Remember that acne spot treatments can dry out the skin, so always apply them only to areas where you need them. Yes, everyone needs a moisturizer, even if you have oily skin. Most experts recommend that the best time to apply a moisturizer is when your skin is still moist, so the sooner you apply the serum and treatment, the sooner you can retain much needed moisture with the moisturizer. If you're using a treatment for acne blemishes, you may want to skip those areas when applying the moisturizer to ensure that the ingredients it contains don't interfere with the active ingredients in the treatment.
Sunscreen should be the last step in your daily skincare routine if you use a physical or mineral sunscreen, which works by physically blocking UV rays. This step becomes complicated when you use a chemical sunscreen. Rogers recommends using a physical sunscreen with zinc and applying it after the moisturizer. As for people who like to use chemical sunscreens, try to find a formula that offers hydrating benefits so that they can meet their daily hydration needs while protecting their skin. To remove grime, dirt, oil, and day makeup, some experts recommend removing your makeup first with a specific makeup remover before washing your face with a mild cleanser.
Better yet, try dual cleansing, which involves first using a cleansing oil to dissolve makeup and then washing your face again with your regular cleanser. If you use a tonic, apply it as you would in the morning. In addition to treating crow's feet and dark circles, eye creams can also serve to protect the delicate eye area from other skin care products. Some people use the same moisturizer day and night.
However, moisturizers or night creams are generally thicker and heavier and are designed to be absorbed over the course of several hours. So whether you want the loosest and most effective skincare routine or you need to know how to combine your arsenal of more than 10 products, keep reading for all the details. And don't miss out on the many tips to make skincare your thing and the best products for your exact skin type (from oily to sensitive, dry and acne-prone). That's all.
The three most important skincare products are just a cleanser, a moisturizer and a sun protection factor. It's not glamorous, but good skin doesn't have to be (ask your dermatologist or any member of the Cosmo beauty team)., it's always better). The more products you put on, the greater your risk of irritation, allergic reactions and breakouts, notes Dr. You can start a skincare routine at any age.
In fact, the sooner you start, the better, says dermatologist Jessie Cheung, MD. You're never too young to start protecting your skin, she says. If you're a beginner, start with the previous routine (cleanser, moisturizer, SPF the holy trinity, IMO) and add products slowly based on your skin's needs. Please, for the love of the beauty gods, remove your makeup and wash your face before applying the products.
Face toners used to be terrible alcohol-based liquids that burned the face. However, today's (good) toners are (full of gentle, hydrating ingredients) for dry and sensitive skin, or (filled with chemical exfoliants) for treat acne and bumps. When it comes to applying layered serums, keep in mind the rule of thinning to thick, says Dr. Thicker serums can prevent the absorption of thinner formulations, she notes.
So, you'll want to start with your watery, vitamin C serums and then apply rich, creamy formulas. Although, once again, serums are completely optional, they're usually a good first step in improving your skincare routine and improving skin health. The ideal is to apply localized treatments at night (whether for acne, scars or dark spots), because that's when the body tries harder to repair itself, says Dr. But if your nighttime routine already includes acids or retinoids, try treating them locally in the morning, so as not to irritate your skin too much at once.
Idriss recommends using a spot treatment with hydroquinone (a fast-acting skin whitening ingredient that can be very irritating) or niacinamide (also known as vitamin B), which gently lightens marks and scars over time. Niacinamide can be used daily (most formulas don't cause irritation), but hydroquinone should be used once every three days to be safe (no irritation after two weeks? Change it to one every other day).Gohara is committed to tried and true benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, but not together, unless you want to irritate your skin. Benzoyl peroxide kills acne-causing bacteria (use for classic whiteheads), while salicylic acid dissolves oil and skin cells (use for poorly clogged pores and inflamed bumps). You should put on a pimple patch (which, for your information, are hydrocolloid stickers that help protect the pimple, absorb excess fluid or oil around it, and potentially help treat acne depending on whether it has added active ingredients such as salicylic acid) before the moisturizer, just as you would with other localized treatments.
I usually put on a pimple patch and then carefully spread the moisturizer on my face to avoid moving the patch. Okay, yes, I know I said that oils are the last, but technically, sunscreen (with SPF 30+) is the absolute last step and the one that is required. Listen, the best sunscreen is the one you're going to use every day, Dr. Lal says, but your skin will look and feel better with two different products. Moisturizers formulated with sunscreen may be more sensitizing and won't have as many moisturizing benefits, he says.
So it's better than nothing, but it's not ideal. The Best Brightening Serums for Glowing Skin Do modern collagen serums really work? Beth Gillette is the beauty editor of Cosmopolitan and has been writing about skincare for more than five years. Try formulas with peptides for wrinkles (we like Estée Lauder's Olay Wrinkle Repair wrinkle correction serum with vitamin B3 and collagen peptides), salicylic acid for oily skin (we love The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque), and licorice or aloe to soothe redness (such as First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum or E.Chloe Metzger was Cosmopolitan's assistant beauty director, with nearly 10 years of experience researching, writing and editing skincare stories ranging from cystic acne treatments to skincare routines. Designed for intense hydration and cell renewal, this cream is perfect for finishing off your evening skincare routine.
For this reason, you should apply all the oils to your face and lips at the end of your skincare routine. Okay, let's take a collective abdominal breath, because I'm about to break down the right skincare routine once and for all, with the help of a handful of expert dermatologists. She's an authority on every skincare category, but she's an expert when it comes to the right order of your skincare routine, thanks to her entire life discovering the right steps for her own sensitive skin. Chloe Metzger is the assistant beauty director at Cosmopolitan and oversees the editorial content and growth strategy of the digital hair, makeup and skin space, and she also obsessively writes about the best hair products for every hair type (here's a curly girl; whattup) and the skincare routines that really work (follow her on Instagram for backstage photos of life in that magazine).
