The Best Skincare Routine Steps for Day & Night

Establishing a personalized skincare routine will help you realize your dream of having soft, glowy, and radiant skin throughout the day. You can select an assortment of products based on your skin type and needs from the brands you love to get started. However, there are two crucial things to note here. Firstly, the order in which you use the products will determine their absorption and effectiveness. Secondly, the time of day when you apply the products can also make a difference in how they perform in the long run.

Good skincare does not require you to spend a ton of money and collect every trendy product. Instead, you should work out the most critical skincare routine steps that work for your skin and be consistent if you want to see results. For dry skin, hydration and moisturization are crucial. On the other hand, sensitive or acne-prone skin demands gentle products with active ingredients that won’t have a stripping effect.

Whether you have dry, oily, normal, combination, or sensitive skin, you should have no problem curating separate AM and PM routines. While this may seem like a hassle at first, the effort will pay off in the long run. You may already be following two different skincare routines intuitively. For example, we reserve suncare for the day and regenerative or restorative skincare for the night.

How to create the perfect AM skincare routine

Taking the time to do your skincare in the morning will impact the rest of your day because well-nourished, protected skin will give you a fierce confidence boost. Here is the perfect morning skincare routine:

1) Cleanser

The purpose of your cleanser in the morning is to wash away the skincare you applied the previous night and create a clean palette for your morning skincare and makeup. You can any creamy and gentle face wash — clarifying, hydrating, foaming…take your pick! That said, you can also opt for cleansers with active ingredients like salicylic acid if acne is a skin concern of yours.

Lather up the cleanser using lukewarm or cold water, massage it on your face, and then rinse it off.

2) Toner

First things first, good toners aren’t astringent and alcohol-based liquids that dry out your skin. Instead, you should opt for toners that are chock-full of hydrating ingredients, antioxidants, or exfoliating acids. You will find that most toners target a specific skin issue, so you should select one accordingly. 

Tap the toner onto damp skin lightly and wait for 60 seconds. It will melt your skin and prime your face for what’s to come.

3) Essence

If you have an essence, apply it immediately after the toner. It typically has a slightly thicker consistency but has similar benefits.

4) Serum

This is where you can really customize your routine to serve your skin’s needs. Serums are highly concentrated in beneficial ingredients for your skin and they should be dabbed on once your skin is relatively dry. These could be nutrients, hydration, antioxidants, or exfoliants; well-prepped skin absorbs them at a cellular level to address your skin woes. Vitamin C serums are widely used in AM skincare routines because they brighten the skin and fade away dark spots.

If you are going to layer serums, be careful about the order in which you apply them. You should begin with thinner, watery formulas and follow up with thick and creamy serums.

5) Moisturizer

The importance of using a moisturizer twice a day cannot be understated. Moisture and hydration improve the health of your skin barrier regardless of your skin type. Moisturizers containing ceramides and hyaluronic acid are pure magic on the skin, and they also trap the goodness of the products you previously applied. If you have oily skin, you can opt for lightweight, quick-absorbing formulas.

Interestingly, moisturizers are the most effective when applied on damp skin. So, you can go with with your favorite moisturizer directly after your serum. Apply it to the cheeks using upward strokes and then gently massage it all over your face.

6) Face Oil

A face oil is optional, and those with oily can skip this step if they fear breakouts. However, lightweight oils are a boon for dry and dehydrated skin. It provides intense nourishment to the skin and brings forth a wonderful flow in just a few drops. It also locks in moisture and ensures that your skin fully absorbs the moisturizer.

7) Sunscreen

Sunscreen — the last step of your AM skincare routine but arguably the most important — protects your face from the harsh effects of the sun and pollution. It also reduces the risk of skin cancer in regular users. Anything below SPF 30 is a no-go.

Sunscreens are available in a variety of formulations for every skin type. Depending on your preference, you can opt for chemical or mineral sunscreen. Either way, it will block UV light and slow down signs of aging. Spread a generous amount of sunscreen on your face for 15 to 30 minutes before heading out.

What should you do differently at night?

For your PM routine, you can generally follow the order of products mentioned above. However, there are a few things you should do differently.

1) Begin with double cleansing

Throughout the day, your skin collects dirt, sebum, sweat, and dust. To clean your face thoroughly and ensure that it is ready to absorb your PM skincare, opt for double cleansing.

Use an oil-based cleanser or cleansing balm on your face first and then follow it up with a water-based cleanser. The former will dissolve all the oil-based impurities and makeup, while the latter will purify the surface.

2) Apply an eye cream

Before you apply your face moisturizer, use an eye cream on the delicate under-eye area to get rid of puffiness and discoloration overnight. It will appear bright and smooth in the morning.

3) Use skin treatments

Your skin rests at night and works to repair itself. It is hence able to take advantage of the skin treatments you layer on without any interference. If you want to use a clay mask or a chemical peel, incorporate it in your PM routine always, between cleansing and toning. Or, you can even apply spot treatments and retinoids before moisturizing.

4) Apply a sleeping mask or night cream

If you aren’t fond of facial oils, you can use creamy, rich night repair creams instead. They help in cell repair and lock in all the hydration obtained from the other products.

Tips to follow when crafting your skincare routine:

Here are a few tips that will likely be helpful when you are crafting the perfect routine to pamper your skin:

1) Don’t splurge on luxury skincare if you are on a budgetco

Since the idea of having a dedicated skincare routine is closely associated with the image of the aesthetic it-girl seen on social media, you may be tempted to splurge on some expensive luxury products right out of the gate. However, you should remember that skincare is extremely personal, and the price of a product doesn’t determine whether it will work for you. Experiment with samples first. Also, remember that there are some gems to be found in the drugstore, and you can definitely curate an amazing skincare routine with affordable products.

2) Do your research on combining actives and common skincare ingredients

If you have a selection of serums and creams with actives, you must look into how they should be combined for the best results. This is crucial since incompatible active ingredients can harm your skin. For example, Vitamin C doesn’t gel with AHAs and BHAs, but ceramides and niacinamide are a match made in heaven.

3) Skincare routines may look different for men and women

There are no gender-based restrictions on what skincare products we should use, but one should take into account that male and female skin can differ in terms of texture, elasticity, and thickness. So, it follows that men and women may benefit from slightly different skincare routines, especially when it comes to the choice of cleansers, serums, and moisturizers.

4) A basic skincare routine is better than none

You could be running on a budget, or maybe you simply don’t have the time to accommodate an elaborate skincare routine. A basic skincare routine with even three steps can do wonders; don’t stress. Just be consistent and don’t skip it.