The Ultimate Step-by-Step Skin Care Routine

It’s not enough to have good skin-care products. For your products to be most effective, you also need to apply them in the correct order. Establishing a proper skin care routine order is important in understanding your skin care concerns and how to best deal with them when using the proper skin care products. Your routine will depend on your skin type, the ingredients and formulations of your products, and the time of day. Aside from the order of application, some experts believe it’s also important to consider the time it takes for your skin to absorb your products.

Daytime Skin Care Routine: A Step-by-Step Guide

The morning routine is all about protection from the sun, pollution etc.

STEP 1: CLEANSER

In the morning, start by splashing your face with warm water and wash with a gentle face cleanser designed for your skin type.

• Oily skin: A foaming or gel cleanser will ensure adequate removal of excess dirt and oil from your skin. Look for ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid which can help regulate and remove excess oil.  You can use Simple Anti-Bac Kind Defense Cleansing Wash or Nior Dreamy Glow Brightening Cleansing Foam, these contains Niacinamide which can help you with the oil cleaning.

• Acne-prone skin: A gentle foaming cleanser with acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide or sulfur is your best bet. You can go for Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash which contains salicylic acid & it’s dermatologically recommended for acne prone skin.

• Dry skin: Look for a formula with hydrating ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and botanical oils. For example- Boots Cucumber Facial Wash, Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser and so on.

• Sensitive skin: Try an ultra-gentle cleanser that trap impurities and lift them away without drying your skin in the process. Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Cleanser & Simple Hydrating Light Moisturizer are soap free, fragrance free and it cleanses without drying your skin. So, if you have sensitive skin, you can give it a try.

STEP 2: TONER

Toners were created to help return the skin’s pH after it became too basic from harsh soaps. Each type of toner is intended for a different skin issue, so it’s important to use the right kind for your skin concern.

If you have acne-prone skin, look for a toner with hydroxy acids, including salicylic acid and lactic acid, which increase cell turnover (Neutrogena Hydro Boost Clear Lotion, DermDoc 2% salicylic Acid Face Toner)

For dry or sensitive skin, seek out a hydrating toner made without parching alcohol and with ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to soothe (Guerniss Anti Melasma Toner).

For combination skin, look for gentle exfoliants, hydration boosters and antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and green tea, which can combat free radicals and prevent skin damage (The Body Shop Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution).

For oily skin, look for astringents, such as alcohols or witch hazel, that tighten pores (Guerniss VC Daily Facial Toner)

STEP 3:  SERUM

Serums are super-concentrated, nutrient-dense treatments that address specific concerns, so it’s better to keep them as close to the skin as possible.

Dermatologists recommend antioxidant serums, which provide a variety of benefits—from blunting your skin’s inflammatory response to neutralizing damage from UV rays and environmental pollutants. An antioxidant serum, which will prevent the formation of free radicals and lessen signs of aging over time. And the gold-standard antioxidant serum is vitamin C (Guerniss VC Serum N85, POSTQUAM Facial Biological Serum with Hyaluronic Acid, TALIKA Hydrating Serum, TALIKA Hydrating Serum, Nior Dreamy Glow Brightening Serum).

STEP 4: SPOT TREATMENT

Spot treatments differ from moisturizers, serums, and essences, they’re designed to only be used on problem areas, as needed. Dark spot treatments are an exception to the rule, as they can often be used daily to supplement your regular skincare routine. When you do use a spot treatment, you’ll want to apply it to freshly-cleansed skin, ideally before any of your other treatments like moisturizers or sunscreen (Guerniss Anti Melasma Whitening Serum, WARDA Skin Glow Boost Vitamin C Facial Moisturiser).

STEP 5: MOISTURIZER

Even though your body has its own natural lubricating system consisting of glands that secrete oil (or sebum) to maintain a protective coating against harsh outside conditions and infections, most of us do need extra hydration after the havoc that sun, weather and harsh chemicals wreak on our skin.

Here’s how to pick a moisturizer formula, based on your skin type:

• Dry skin: A rich cream packed with emollients, humectants, ceramides and occlusives is key to quenching dryness (Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Replenishing HydraGel Complex, Boots Cucumber Moisturising Cream, DR EVE RYOUTH Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Hydrabright Day Moisturiser).

• Oily or acne-prone skin: Look for light lotions or gel-based formulas labeled “non-comedogenic” or “oil-free. (Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Pink Grapefruit Face Lightweight Moisturizer)

• Sensitive skin: Seek out formulas that are hypoallergenic and free of potential irritants, like fragrance and alcohol. (Simple Vital Vitamin Cream SPF 15)

Step 6: SUNSCREEN

Synthetic sunscreens have to be absorbed into the skin to be effective, so applying after your moisturizer will delay and hinder that. However, if you apply your Synthetic sunscreen before your moisturizer, your moisturizer will not work as well either because the skin is coated with synthetic sunscreen (Missha All Around Safe Block Sun Milk Ex Essence SPF 50+, Missha All Around Safe Block Sun Cotton SPF 50+, Missha All Around Safe Block Aqua Sun SPF 50+)

Some SPF formulas include both synthetic and mineral ingredients. If you have sensitive skin, dermatologists generally recommend mineral and pure zinc-oxide sunscreens for sensitive skin (though many mineral sunscreens have not caused irritation in GH Beauty Lab tests); for those with oily skin, look for non-comedogenic, oil-free gel formulas (Cerave Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50). If you have dry skin, avoid spray or gel sunscreens with alcohol. People with darker skin tones may prefer synthetic sunscreens to avoid the white cast of some physical formulas, though brands have begun to produce mineral formulations without the chalky appearance.

Night Time Skin Care Routine: A Step-by-Step Guide

Your nighttime routine is the perfect time to make sure your skin is getting as many nutrients and active ingredients as possible, since your skin regenerates and repairs itself while you snooze.

STEP 1: CLEANSER

First, remove the day’s makeup and dirt. Try double cleansing, which involves using a cleansing oil first to dissolve your makeup and then washing your face again with your regular cleanser. You can use Boots Rose Facial Wash which can remove both the makeup & dirt. You can use face wash or cleanser containing vitamin C as a night cleanser (Guerniss Paris VC Amino Acid Deep Cleansing Bubbles Face Wash, The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Glow Cleansing Polish). If you have acne prone skin you can continue with the day facewash. If you have melasma you can try the Anti melasma Foaming Cleanser by Guerniss.

STEP 2: TONERS, ESSENCES AND BOOSTERS

If you use a toner, apply it as you would in the morning.

At night, some people also like to layer various types of skin care boosters, which you’ll see as either mist, essences, beauty waters (SIODIL Moisturizing Mist). These are infused with different active ingredients, but for the most part, the purpose is mainly to hydrate and nourish skin.

STEP 3: TREATMENTS, SERUMS

Like the rest of the body, skin does the most of its repairing, restoring and regenerating as we sleep. This is why most targeted skin care treatments—like prescription meds (tretinoin, acne and rosacea creams), retinol creams, exfoliating treatments and anti-aging serums (infused with peptides, growth factors and other biologically active ingredients)—are better used at night. If you’re treating hyperpigmentation, alternate between a retinoid and the spot-fading active ingredient hydroquinone (DOCTORS COSMECEUTICAL Retinol Serum, ECLAT SKIN Retinol Serum, ELIZABETH ARDEN Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum, LANGE PARIS Cellular Rejuvenating Elixir Serum, POSTQUAM Retinol A Age Control Serum, The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil).

If you currently have a blemish (or a few), apply an acne treatment at this time (SIODIL Anti Acne Serum). For chronic breakouts, be proactive rather than treating pimples as they pop up.

STEP 4: MOISTURIZER OR NIGHT CREAM

Moisturizer creates a barrier that seals in skin’s natural hydration and any active ingredients to counteract moisture loss that happens as you sleep. Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives including retinol) can reduce dark spots, breakouts, and fine lines by increasing skin-cell turnover (Dr Eve Ryouth Vitamin D + Hyaluronic Acid Pro Age Night Moisturizer, Eclat Skin Retinol Night Moisturizer) but they can also be irritating, especially for sensitive skin.

If you have issues like aging, wrinkles & dehydrate skin you should use night creams that are made with anti-aging, anti-wrinkle & hydration formula (Mighty Green Anti-Ageing CBD Face Cream, Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Replenishing Hydragel Complex, Lancior Paris Youth Precious Night Remodel Cream, Lancior Paris Pearl Radiance Detox Night Cream).

Great skin is not simply a matter of DNA — your daily habits, in fact, have a big impact on what you see in the mirror. Ultimately, caring for your skin is simply personal. We have given you a simple guide to take care of your skin. If you feel confused or cannot decide what, How & when to use you should get consultation from a specialist.