WHAT ORDER TO APPLY SKINCARE

Skincare is a journey— and figuring out the right products, schedule, and information can be overwhelming on its own. It’s a good thing we have our in-house dermatologist to help clear things up.

Keys Soulcare resident dermatologist Dr. Renée Snyder always gives us the scoop on skincare and, today, she’s speaking about one of skincare’s most important factors: application.

The order of applying your skincare does matter, so before you layer it on, keep reading. Dr. Renée is answering your questions about the skincare routine steps to follow so you can get the most out of your offerings.

What Skincare Product Offerings Should be Included in Every Ritual?

If just starting a routine, Dr. Snyder is a big believer in starting with the basics: cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and SPF.

Once these essentials have been added to your ritual, Dr. Renée recommends adding on antioxidants or a retinoid. She says: “Try an antioxidant in the morning before sunscreen and then a vitamin A derivative at night for rejuvenation of the skin.”

How Should You Layer Your Skincare Routine?

Dr. Renée says to start with the lighter-weight liquids. Save the heavier and thicker creams for the end of your ritual. If you’re going for a longer, multi-step ritual, here is a dermatologist-recommended blueprint:

Cleanse with your favorite cleanser
Tone to remove dead skin cells and oil. They also may help deliver soothing hydration to skin directly after cleansing.
Add an antioxidant serum if you have specific skin concerns you want to address.
Optional: For acne prone skin, apply spot cream on skin blemishes, if desired. (Spot creams may be drying, so be sure to follow with your favorite moisturizer.)
End with SPF in daytime or a hydrating moisturizer at night.

Should Your AM and PM Skincare Routine Be Different?

Your AM and PM rituals don’t have to be two entirely different sets of offerings. Dr. Synder notes one main difference between your AM and PM rituals. Make sure your AM skincare always includes SPF as its final step.

Dr. Snyder’s Morning Skincare Order

STEP 1: CLEANSE

Dr. Renée maintains that cleansing is absolutely essential in any skincare ritual. Start by reaching for a gentle cleanser in the morning, like the Golden Facial Cleanser with Manuka Honey, to rinse away impurities.

STEP 2: SERUMS

Serums are lightweight and often packed with antioxidants, so add them to your ritual to help deliver active ingredients into the skin. Add antioxidant serum with ingredients like Vitamin C or niacinamide to address specific skin concerns like to help improve the appearance of dark spots or uneven skin tone.

STEP 3: SPF

Final step for daytime is always SPF. Formulas like Protect Your Light Moisturizer and Broad Spectrum SPF 30 do double duty as both a sunscreen and a daily moisturizer.

Dr. Synder notes: if you put sunscreen on earlier in your skincare ritual, it will prevent the other helpful ingredients in your serums or moisturizers from properly absorbing into the skin.

Dr. Snyder’s Nighttime Skincare Order

STEP 1: CLEANSE

You can use the same cleanser as your AM ritual to remove any traces of makeup, SPF, or impurities from the day.

STEP 2: SERUMS

Add in a retinoid or Vitamin A (sometimes, your PM moisturizer will contain a retinoid or retinol, so you can pack a one-two punch with just one offering).

STEP 3: HYDRATION

Lock in your serums and give your skin a drink of nourishing hydration with your favorite moisturizer, like the fragrance-free Skin Transformation Cream with Bakuchiol.

If you desire, you can also add a facial oil to help the skin feel more radiant. (Remember: Dr. Synder says that oils can penetrate a moisturizer, but a moisturizer is not able to penetrate an oil.)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I Need to Follow a 10-Step Routine to Benefit From My Skincare Ritual?

“No one needs a 10-step routine for good skin health,” says Dr. Renée. “I try to practice minimalism using quality active ingredients within my own personal skincare. Having a 10-step routine often causes redness, sensitivities, and even allergic rashes after combining multiple items on the skin. I encourage you to add one formula [to your ritual] at a time. The goal of any regimen is to make the skin look and feel better. It’s up to you to know if it’s working for you or not.”

2. What Happens If You Don’t Apply Your Skincare in the Right Order?

Dr. Snyder breaks it down like this: “You run the risk of wasting your time and money using products in the wrong order or wrong time of the day — risking skin irritation. [For example], using retinoids during the day is a waste of product, time, and money. Most vitamin A products are not stable in sunlight, which is why we recommend using them in the evening.”

3. How Long Should I Wait Between Applying?

Dr. Snyder recommends that you allow the formula to settle into the skin before layering on another product, or moving on to the next step in your ritual.

“Unfortunately, no magic number exists. The time it takes for skincare products to penetrate the skin varies from formula-to-formula.”

This timeline will vary based on each person and their preferences. However, giving some time between steps helps to avoid pilling of the applied product (a.k.a. those little balls that look like lint or dead skin) and helps prevent diluting ingredients.

4. What Should Always Be in Your Daily Skincare Ritual?

Take it from Dr. Renée: “Cleansing is the cornerstone of all regimens. Exfoliation should only be performed twice weekly to avoid over-aggressive exfoliation and irritation. And sunscreen is a must for everyone, every single day.”

Ready to create your own rituals? Share the order of your daily or nightly skincare in the comments!