This is one of the most requested blog post topics we’ve received lately. So many of you have asked us to breakdown the proper order of skincare steps. Well, today is the day! Even though we’ve touched on this topic in the past, we’ve never actually done a full blog post. Knowing when to use what and why is super important. Products are designed in a specific way to penetrate your skin and when applied in the wrong order, don’t work as effectively. We decided this could be a really fun series on the blog. For this post, we are going to highlight each step to make sure you guys know the proper order for your products. Then, we are going to do an in-depth blog post on each step and why it’s so important. We will also list our favorite products in each category. This should be a really fun way to dive into skincare a bit deeper. What do you think?? Please let us know in the comments below! Alright, onto the proper order of skincare!
Step One: Cleanse
Step Two: Tone
If you are using a mask, apply between these steps
Step Three: Serum
Step Four: Eye cream
Step Five: Moisturize
Step Six: Day: Sunscreen / Night: Facial Oil
Step One: Cleanse
This is by far the most important step. As obvious as it might seem, everyone should be cleansing daily — especially at night. Think about all of the dirt and pollution you walk through on a daily basis. Cleansing gets rid of all the junk and buildup. Without this crucial step, your pores become clogged, acne occurs, and pretty much every other skin issue can arise. We truly can’t stress this enough. CLEANSE.
Step Two: Tone
This is one step that most people forget. It’s actually really crucial in a solid skincare routine. You can think of toner as a big glass of water for your skin — with a bunch of extra stuff thrown in. Toners help prep your pores for what’s to come next. They add hydration and bring your skin back to its natural acidic state.
* If you are using a mask, apply between these steps *
Step Three: Serum
This is where you can really make some significant changes to your skin. Serums are truly a game-changer when it comes to skincare. They can address a variety of skincare concerns. Whether you are looking to prevent aging, add hydration, or improve texture, there is a serum out there for you. This is the step that can show results the fastest. Since there are a ton of different serums out there, it can be overwhelming. If you are a beginner, we suggest keeping it simple. You don’t want to stress yourself out. Worry about hydration and aging. These are two concerns everyone has. You can use swap them in and out to give your skin all the love.
Step Four: Eye Cream
If you really want to help your skin, don’t forget about your eyes. The skin around your eyes is super thin and sensitive. It usually shows signs of aging first. Using a good eye cream is so important. There are a ton of different products out there to address a number of concerns. We like to switch things up. We might use a retinol eye serum one night and then a super thick, moisturizing cream the next night. No matter what you are looking to correct, using an eye cream is crucial.
Step Five: Moisturize
After all those good products, you need to ensure your skin has all of the moisture it needs — especially at night. While you’re sleeping, your skin is in renewal mode. You need to make sure it has all of the hydration it needs while it works on repairing all of the damage from the day. At night, we like to use a thicker cream rather than something lighter during the day. This is your chance to load up on the hydration. Give your skin some extra TLC. This way you will wake up with dewy and glowing skin.
Step Six
Day: Sunscreen
This is probably the most important step of your entire skincare routine. Sun damage is the major cause of premature aging. Even if you plan on being inside all day long, wear your sunscreen. UV rays penetrate the windows and can still cause damage. Don’t forget!
Night: Facial Oil
Repeat after us: oil is good for me. Say it one more time. This is the BIGGEST skin misconception out there. Oil combats oil. We promise it’s true. Whether you have oily, dry, or combo skin, you should be using a facial oil. They help calm, hydrate, and nourish. We actually wrote an entire blog post on this back in December. But to sum things up, this should be your last step. Think of it as the cherry on top. It seals in all of those amazing products you just used. You’ll wake up with the most supple and hydrated skin.
So there you have it — the proper order of skincare. Did we lose you? We promise it isn’t as overwhelming as it might look right now. We’re really excited to break these steps down even further so stay tuned! Until next time…
This was actually super helpful because it made me realize I’ve being doing my routine wrong this entire time! I always mask before toner but now I’ll mask after my toner!!
You can even use a toner after too!
Literally, I’ve been scared to death of oil. My face has been oily all of my life. I’ve always tried to stay away from moisturizers and especially oils because of the fears that they would only cause more oil and more issues. I’m going to take the advice and actually try using some!