Here’s How to Build Your Perfect Skincare Routine for Both Morning and Night

Building a skincare routine—and sticking with it—is sometimes easier said than done. We’re busy, life happens, and removing our makeup before bed is the last thing on our minds (trust us, we’ve been there). But sticking to a skincare routine takes the stress and guesswork out of applying your products, and it can have important health benefits. “It’s important to have a skincare routine to keep your skin’s natural defense barrier functioning properly and to work on preventing any extrinsic damage,” says licensed esthetician Aziel Rodgers. 

If you’re new to skincare routines or looking to improve your current one, the vast number of skincare products, techniques, and skincare ingredients out there can feel overwhelming. So which skincare products should you use? Short answer: You’re unique, so your skincare routine will be, too. Long answer: cleanser, toner, moisturizer, serum, eye cream, night cream, and a product with SPF. (more on this below!) Furthermore, the type of skincare products that you use depend on your skin type and your skin’s specific needs. Dry skin, oily skin, combo skin—there are different products for each, and some that work for all. OK, now that you’re on board, let’s break down how to build a skincare routine for morning and night.

How to Build the Perfect Morning Skincare Routine

Your morning skincare routine should refresh your skin and protect it from outside elements you might face throughout your day, including wind, UV rays, and air pollution. 

Step 1: Cleanser

Starting your morning skincare routine with a face cleanser is the best way to remove any impurities that may have entered your pores or settled on your skin. But you cleansed the night before, you say? According to Rodgers, it’s still important to do it again in the morning. “Some people do sweat while they sleep, and it’s important not to let that stick to your skin and clog your pores. Also, if you applied a retinol the night before, it’s important to gently cleanse it off the next morning.” But for that reason, in the morning we love gentle cleansers, like SATURDAY SKIN Rise + Shine Gentle Cleanser, which deeply cleanses your skin without stripping it.

Step 2: Toner

The efficacy and needs for toners is often debated—some swear by it, and some never use it at all. Toners can be very effective in exfoliating dead skin cells (like PIXI BY PETRA Glow Tonic), tightening pores (we’re looking at you, MURAD Clarifying Toner), and prepping your skin to maximize the benefits of products to follow. And if you’re having flashbacks to the harsh, astringent-like toners of the past—don’t worry. The toners of today are much more gentle, soothing, and (yup) less harsh-smelling than older formulas. You should always apply your toner after cleansing when your skin is clean, and before your serum. “Toners can help rehydrate the skin after cleansing, and will allow for proper penetration of serums afterwards,” says Rodgers.

Step 3: Serum

There are tons of serums on the market—and no matter what your skin type or concern, one of these highly-concentrated formulas can probably help address it. “Serums have a smaller molecular weight than moisturizers and are able to help target certain concerns you may have,” says Rodgers. Think of them as mighty molecules that dive deep into your skin to treat and defend your skin throughout the day. Looking to brighten your skin? EARTH HARBOUR NATURALS MARINA Biome Brightening Ampoule is teeming with spirulina, blue tansy, and highly-concentrated adaptogenic oils that help to nourish and even out your skin tone. Complexion feeling dehydrated? KIRAMOON Flowermelon Hydrating Serum is like a big gulp of water for your skin, using ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe leaf juice, and super-hydrating fruit extracts to help achieve smoother, plumper skin after just one go.

Step 4: Eye Cream

Applying eye cream helps the delicate skin on your eye area maintain elasticity and firmness to minimize fine lines. It can also feel so soothing on tired eyes. (We love keeping ours in the fridge—the cool temp helps with puffiness and wakes us up on sleepy mornings). How do you apply eye creams? According to Rodgers, “Eye creams are best applied with light pressure. The skin around the eye area is thin and sensitive so constant tugging can cause damage. Tapping gently as you go around the eye area also feels great!” In the morning, an eye cream like GLOW RECIPE Guava Vitamin C Bright-Eye Gel Cream, which is powered by 10% encapsulated vitamin C, antioxidant-rich guava, a tone-evening niacinamide blend, energizing green caffeine, and plumping peptides, will help brighten up your entire eye area.

Step 5: Moisturizer 

No matter your skin type, moisturizer should be a non-negotiable in your skincare routine. Yes, even oily skin needs moisturizer. But once you have your skin type or skin concerns on lock, you can use that information to help you find the best moisturizer for your needs. Dry skin can handle something a little richer, like  SUNDAY RILEY C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream, which uses squalane and vitamin C to deeply hydrate and help visibly brighten dull skin. For combination or oily skin, something light and airy, like KORRES Greek Yoghurt Nourishing Probiotic Gel-Cream, will nourish your skin without making it greasy.

Step 6: Sunscreen

While there are many effective moisturizers that contain SPF on the market, there’s also nothing wrong with applying the two products separately if you prefer. “SPF is the best thing you can use to help prevent showing signs of aging,” says Rodgers. “During the winter, choosing a more hydrating sunscreen can be helpful because the constant temperature changes most people endure (from the cold to hot and dry building air) can impact the skin.” You’ll be hard-pressed to find a sunscreen that smells better than VACATION® INC Classic Lotion SPF 30. The coconut and banana scent is straight tropical vacay vibes, and it’s lightweight, truly transparent, and feels moisturizing while it helps protect your skin.

Step 7: Lip Balm

It may be easy to forget about them, but your lips need just as much protection as the rest of your skin. Swiping on a lip balm is an easy way to keep your lips from drying, prevent flakiness, and boost hydration to minimize fine lines. Think of applying lip balm as the last step in your skincare routine, and the first step in your makeup routine—let your lips soak up the moisture, so when you swipe on your lipstick your lips will already be smooth and hydrated. You can even look for a lip balm with SPF to boost your protection.

How to Build the Perfect Nighttime Skincare Routine

Nighttime is your skin’s natural time to repair itself, so think of your nighttime skincare routine as time to prepare your skin for the coming day.

Step 1: Double Cleanse

The first step to any skincare routine always starts with clean skin. It’s especially important to cleanse at night when your skin’s been exposed to air, pollution, sweat, and other elements throughout the day. And if you wear makeup, cleansing away every bit of it is important to keep your pores clear and unclogged. The secret to making sure your skin is clear for the rest of your routine? Double cleansing. “Double cleansing is cleansing the skin twice,” says Rodgers. “The first removes any makeup, SPF, or residue on the skin, while the second actually cleanses the skin. I love using oil cleansers first because they can really melt the day off and even pull up any hardened sebum (like blackheads). The second cleanser you use would depend on your skin type.” You can even use the same one from your morning skincare routine to keep it simple. 

Step 2: Exfoliate

Exfoliating can be a super-satisfying part of your skincare routine, and has many benefits for your skin. According to Rodgers, “Exfoliating is important for clearing away dead skin cells and unclogging pores, smoothing skin’s texture, and more. Plus, it helps serums and other skincare products penetrate your pores by removing dead skin cells that block their entrance. Furthermore, it can help refine overall texture, boost collagen production, and make skin appear brighter.” We love how easy the FIRST AID BEAUTY Facial Radiance Pads with Glycolic + Lactic Acids Compostable are to use, but there are a ton of exfoliating options out there. To learn more about how often you should be exfoliating, check out our complete exfoliation guide.

Step 3: Mask

This is one of our favorite (and most relaxing!) skincare steps. Face masks come in a variety of formulas to target your specific skin concerns or just give an overall boost of hydration and glow. Two formulas we swear by: Sheet masks and clay masks. “When using sheet masks, make sure to use every drop that’s inside the packet,” says Rodgers. “You can apply extra essence to your neck and décolleté, your hands, and even elbows. Clay masks help detox your skin because they can help draw out excess sebum.” The best part? You can multimask (apply different clay or cream masks to different areas) to treat specific areas of your face—just don’t physically combine formulas to preserve their effectiveness. 

Step 4: Night Serum

Nighttime serums come in a variety of formulas that help target skin concerns while you sleep. We love a nighttime serum because it gives your skin time to really soak in its benefits (plus, your skin’s already in repair mode while you snooze). Smooth on a serum with your fingertips and let it soak in for a few moments before moving on to your moisturizer. When you want to target fine lines, wrinkles, and texture, opt for a retinol serum, like THE NUE CO Skin Filter Phyto Retinol Serum. On the non-retinol nights, we love the ESTÉE LAUDER Advanced Night Repair Serum Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex, which tackles both radiance and elasticity in one easy step. 

Step 5: Moisturizer or Face Oil

Just like in the A.M., moisturizing at night is key to keeping your skin hydrated, nourished, and happy. There are many types of moisturizers out there, and you should choose one depending on your skin’s needs. For example, drier skin types can benefit from a richer, creamier formula (try KEYS SOULCARE Firm Belief Smoothing Peptide Cream) while oily types can benefit from a lightweight or gel formula. Another option we love? Face oils. Face oils are a nice way to soothe and indulge your skin after a long day. You can also use them for a mini facial massage to melt away your stress. Whether you use face oils or moisturizers, it’s important to make sure your face, neck, and chest are covered. “When applying moisturizer, apply up and out,” says Rodgers. “Apply a decent amount of pressure, but don’t pull or drag on the skin. Always include your neck and décolleté (that goes for your other products as well!)”

Step 6: Lip Mask

We know you didn’t forget about your lips! Unlike your daytime lip balms, a heavier-duty lip mask, like JLO BEAUTY Beso Balm Ultra-Hydrating Lip Mask, will put in all the nourishing, plumping, and smoothing work while you catch some Zs. Swipe on a heavy layer as the last step in your perfect nighttime skincare routine.You can even keep it stashed on your nightstand so you won’t forget. 

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