Building a proper skincare routine with proper order is extremely necessary to address your skin concerns. Your skincare routine steps will depend on your skin type, skin concerns and the time of the day. With a plethora of skincare products available in the market, it can be difficult to understand how each of them works and when to apply them. Also, you must choose products according to your skin type to eliminate irritation and redness. It’s also important to know that the order of skincare routine is different for morning and nighttime. So, here’s us helping you out to establish the perfect skincare routine order for your skin type and concerns to get that glowing, radiant skin you’ve always wished for!

Why the Order of Your Skin Care Routine Matters

One of the most important things to building an effective skincare routine is to determine the right time to apply the right products. This increases the efficacy of each product and improves your skin health. Building an effective skincare routine order is extremely important to get the most out of all your skincare products. Also, if you don’t arrange your products in an order, certain active ingredients when mixed together can cause a reaction, which results in irritation and redness. To avoid all these, one must always create a skincare order for fresh, healthy and glowing skin.

The Basics of Any Skin Care Routine

When it comes to skincare, considering the time to wait for a product to absorb completely into the skin is as important as building skin care routine steps. Normally, it is advised to wait for around 30 minutes before moving to the next product in your skincare routine order. Another piece of advice is to always know and listen to your skin type. You know your skin the best and it’s important to find the right product that your skin demands.

How to Layer Your Skin Care Products

The general rule of thumb for applying skincare products is to apply your products from thinnest to thickest consistencies. This means that you should start your routine with lightweight liquids and end with heavy creams. That’s why in a majority of skincare fanatics, morning skin care order includes mostly lightweight products with light ingredients and nighttime skincare routine order includes heavy creams with heavy ingredients.

Your Daytime Skin Care Routine

A daily skincare routine is all about protecting your skin from sun rays, dirt and impurities, and pollution, while nighttime routine addresses other skin concerns before and during your beauty sleep.

1. Cleansing- First step to glowing skin

Importance of cleansing

Cleansing your face should be the first and foremost step in your daily routine for good skin. It removes dirt, impurities, and excess oil, unclogs pores and removes makeup from the skin, leaving it feeling refreshed and recharged. That’s why it is ideal to use a cleanser twice every day- in the morning and evening. In the morning, it helps to remove the sebum produced during the night, while in the evening it cleanses the makeup and impurities from the skin.

Choosing the right cleanser

It is really important to choose the right cleanser for your skin type, as different skin types require different types of cleansers. Here’s a short guide to knowing the ideal cleanser according to your skin type:

Dry skin: If your skin is dry, choose a cleanser that is gentle and has hydrating effects on the skin, and contains ingredients like glycerin, shea butter or essential oils. This way, it helps to remove the impurities while also providing the skin with moisture. For people with dry skin type, it is recommended to cleanse the face once in the evening and just splash water in the morning.

Oily skin: If we talk about daily routine for acne prone skin or oily skin, cleansing is one of the most crucial steps in the routine. For oily skin type, the ideal cleanser would be one which controls oil production in the skin. A cleanser with non-comedogenic ingredients like aloe vera, vitamin C and salicylic acid would be the best pick.

Sensitive skin: For sensitive skin, look for a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser that won’t irritate the skin, as sensitive skin is more prone to rashes and redness. Choose formulas that are free of any harmful chemicals and avoid foaming cleansers as they remove a lot of natural moisture from the skin.

How to cleanse effectively

Knowing how and when to use a skincare product is the key to glowing skin. As for cleansers, it is essential to cleanse at least twice a day, in the morning and at night.
Cleansing in the morning helps to remove the extra oil or sebum from the skin that gets collected during your beauty sleep. To cleanse effectively, apply it thoroughly on your face and gently massage in a circular motion, followed by washing your face. Pat dry to reveal fresh and healthy-looking skin.

2. Exfoliating- Balancing your skin’s PH

After you’ve cleansed your skin, it’s now time to remove dead skin cells and other impurities. Exfoliating is the second step in your daily skincare routine. It helps to slough away dead skin cells, revealing new, fresh ones for a fresh and healthy look. It minimizes enlarged pores and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Choosing the right exfoliant

Using an exfoliant means peeling off dead skin cells from the inner layers of the skin, so it’s important to note to be gentle on the skin. Choosing the right exfoliant for your skin type is extremely necessary to avoid any harmful effects. So, here we have listed the type of exfoliants you should use for your certain skin type:

Dry skin: For dry skin, exfoliating can be intimidating and scary. It’s best to avoid harsh scrubs that can remove natural oils from the skin. By choosing a gentle exfoliant, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of it without experiencing any added dryness.

Oily skin: There is a common misconception that exfoliating is only for normal to dry skin. But the truth is that exfoliation is for all skin types- dry, oily, normal and combination. For oily skin, choose an exfoliator with ingredients that help to control oil production and keep skin looking matte, such as witch hazel or tea tree oil.

Sensitive skin: For sensitive skin, choose a gentle and alcohol-free exfoliant that doesn’t irritate the skin. Formulas that contain artificial fragrances or harmful chemicals are at high risk of developing skin redness and irritation, especially for people with sensitive skin.

How to exfoliate

So now you know why exfoliating is important, but it’s also important to know how to exfoliate. There are two ways to exfoliate- either through a chemical exfoliator or by using a scrub. But the most important thing to remember is to be gentle on the skin. If you’re using a chemical exfoliator, the most common ones are AHAs and BHAs. Apply it gently on your face and neck using your fingers in small, circular motions. Allow it to absorb completely into the skin, followed by the next step in your skincare routine.

If you’re using a scrub, take an adequate amount of face scrub and apply it all over your face in circular motions. Gently blend it onto your skin for about a minute. Rinse it off with lukewarm water and pat dry, followed by a moisturizer or sunscreen.

3. Serum- Treat your skin

Serums are concentrated formulas that treat your skin’s problem areas. Even if you don’t have any skin concerns, it is still advised to use an antioxidant serum daily to shield your skin from any damage caused by pollutants or smoke. Use a vitamin C serum like Power Brightener C Serum to brighten your skin or a serum like Watermelon Spot Corrector Serum that deeply hydrates skin for a dewy look. Serums are lightweight and absorb quickly into the skin, which makes them a great skincare product. A light serum will be able to absorb quickly while a heavy hydrating serum will leave the skin feeling hydrated and smooth all day long. So, knowing which serum is right for your skin is important.

Dry skin: It’s best to use a hydrating serum with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter, ceramides or avocado oil if your skin is dry. These ingredients help to nourish and moisturize your skin for a smooth and soft feel.

Oily skin: A serum that is non-oily and non-greasy is perfect for oily skin types. Preferably one which has niacinamide, salicylic acid or retinol to help unclog your pores and improve skin texture.

Sensitive skin: For sensitive skin, opt for a serum that is gentle, fragrance-free and with no harmful chemicals which can make the skin rough and cause irritation.

Benefits of serum

Serums are used to treat skin problems ranging from dark spots to wrinkles to acne. Specific serums are formulated to treat specific skin concerns, such as a vitamin C serum is used to treat your dark spots for skin brightening, a hyaluronic acid serum helps to hydrate your skin thoroughly for inner nourishment, an AHA serum is used to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells to restore youthfulness, and so on. The list of serum benefits is endless, which makes it a must-have product in your skincare routine.

How to incorporate toning into your routine

If you want to level up your skincare routine then incorporating serums is the best way to do so. Serum should be the third step in your skincare routine, after cleansing and exfoliating. Apply a few drops of serum on your cleansed face and dab on your nose, chin, cheeks and forehead using your fingertips. Blend the serum with gentle tapping motions, followed by your moisturizer.

4. Moisturizing- Must-have for skin nourishment

Moisturizing is an essential step in any daily skincare routine. Moisturizers are heavy creams that are known to deeply hydrate by providing intense moisture to the skin. They help in preventing water loss from the outer layers of the skin. Ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, shea butter etc are usually infused in moisturizers to help strengthen the skin’s barrier.

Choosing the right moisturizer

Different skin types require different types of moisturizers, so it’s necessary to pick the right one according to your skin type.

Dry skin: If your skin is dry, look for a heavy, thick and creamy moisturizer that contains ingredients like glycerin and shea butter, for intense hydration of the skin. If you’re looking for a cream for your dry skin, then Avocado Smoothie and Vitamin E Day Cream SPF 20 is your best pick. It provides long-lasting hydration that lasts for 72 hours, keeping your skin smooth and supple.

Oily skin: For oily skin, choose a moisturizer that’s non-oily, non-greasy and water-based. Even if your skin is oily, it’s still important to moisturize to balance the oil in your skin. One of the best oil-free moisturizers for your oily skin is Moringa and Papaya Oil-free Hydrating Gel. It is a non-comedogenic moisturizer that works in soothing your irritated skin while deeply hydrating.

Sensitive skin: Look for a light, fragrance-free moisturizer if your skin is sensitive. A gentle cream will not irritate your skin and provide intense hydration without any harmful effects. Banana Souffle Moisture Cream is a gentle moisturizer that works well on sensitive skin. It is known for its soothing qualities while protecting the skin from any damage.

How to moisturize

It is recommended to moisturize twice daily, in the morning and evening to keep your skin thoroughly hydrated and protected. To effectively moisturize, apply the cream to your skin and gently massage in a circular motion until it is fully absorbed. This will lock in moisture in your skin and keep your skin fully moisturized all day long.

5. Eye cream

Why use eye cream

Regular use of eye cream at least once a day can help in preventing premature aging signs by increasing collagen production and tightening your skin. Using an eye cream is not necessarily compulsory in your skincare routine but the area around your eyes is very delicate and more prone to dryness which results in fine lines and wrinkles. Therefore, using an eye cream to address all these issues is always recommended.

Choosing the right eye cream

Dry skin: If your skin is dry, opt for an eye cream that hydrates your under-eyes and plumps them. The skin around the eyes is very sensitive, so it’s best to use eye creams with ingredients like hyaluronic acid for dry skin type to build a protective barrier around the eyes.

Oily skin: For oily skin, choose an eye cream that is oil-free and lightweight to balance the oil in your under-eye area, as the under eyes region has a few oil glands. Ingredients like niacinamide, peptides etc works well for oily skin.

6. Sun protection- Protecting from UV rays

The final (and most important!) step in a proper morning skincare routine order is SPF. It is considered the most important step because even if you’re following a regular skincare routine order, your skin can still be damaged and cause irritation or redness by harmful sun rays. Sunscreen protects the skin from damage caused by UV rays that cause skin irritation, sunburns, premature aging and even skin cancer.

Choosing the right sunscreen

Now that you know how important it is to use sunscreen, it’s time to know how to look for the right sunscreen that best suits you

1. SPF of at least 30
A sunscreen with SPF 30 will protect you from around 96.7% of UVB rays, whereas an SPF of 50 means protection from about 98% of UVB rays.

2. Dry skin
If you have dry skin, look for a sunscreen with glycerin to keep your skin protected as well as hydrated.

3. Oily skin
For people with oily skin, it is best to choose a sunscreen that is non-greasy and oil-free to prevent breakouts and clogged pores.

How to apply sunscreen

It takes around 15 minutes for your skin to absorb the sunscreen and protect you so, it is recommended to apply it 30 minutes before stepping outside and make sure to re-apply every 2 hours everyday. Apply the sunscreen on your face and neck and rub it thoroughly into your skin. Your skin is exposed to harmful sun rays every day, whether you go outside or stay at home, so it’s important to use it everyday for ultimate protection.

Your Night time Skin Care Routine

It’s now time for your nighttime skincare routine. So, leave all your light creams and serums and pick your heavy and thick products at night. Since your skin naturally replenishes itself at night, it’s important to give your skin exactly what it needs while you’re asleep. Here, we have listed the best order of skincare products in your routine to get the best out of all products and their ingredients.

Cleanser

Cleansing in the evening is just as important as in the morning. Cleansing during night time removes not only the excess oil but also the dirt, pollutants, smoke, free radicals and impurities that your skin collects throughout the day. It is also advised to remove your makeup first in the evening before washing your face with a cleanser.

Serums

Using serums or spot treatments at night time is extremely beneficial for your skin as they penetrate deeply into the skin while you’re asleep. At night, your skin cells start to rejuvenate, which makes it better for serums to absorb properly. To get the most out of your product, use anti-aging or hydrating serums at night. Serums with ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid or ceramides are best used at night. Also, if you’re using an exfoliating serum, it is advised to use it at night for complete recovery of your skin. One of the best serums that you can use at night is Papaya AHA Night Recovery Serum for full replenishment of your skin by removing dead skin cells and diminishing signs of aging.

Moisturizer or night cream

At night, use a heavy and thick moisturizer that absorbs into your skin deeply and for long hours. As the rule of thumb suggests going from light to heavy, you should always opt for heavy moisturizers at night. They keep your skin thoroughly hydrated by creating a protective barrier to prevent water loss while you’re asleep. Whether your skin is dry or oily, it is equally important to moisturize twice a day to save your skin from producing more oil, therefore balancing the oil in your skin.
Eye cream

After you’re done with your moisturizer, it is time for your eye cream. Eye creams benefit more than just minimizing your wrinkles and fine lines, they also make sure to protect your under-eye area from any damage or irritation caused by free radicals or environmental stressors which cause signs of aging. When using an eye cream, the best ingredient to use is retinol. It is best known to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and is recommended to use only at night. If you’re looking for the best eye cream, Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask is your best pick! Infused with avocado extracts, retinol and hyaluronic acid, it is the perfect eye cream to diminish signs of aging while reducing dark circles and puffiness.

Conclusion

Overall, your morning and night skincare routine is based on your skin type and concerns and it is important to create the right order of skincare routine to get the most out of all skincare products as well as prevent your skin from developing redness and rashes. The important thing to note is to be consistent and patient. Skincare doesn’t happen overnight so always remember to regularly follow your skincare routine and wait for the results. Going through the same skin care routine steps every day is essential to reveal real results.