Four rules that cover everything
Thinnest to thickest
Go by texture. Watery essences and serums first, lotions next, creams and oils last. A heavy cream on first basically blocks everything you put on after it.
Water before oil
Water-based products can't get through an oil layer, but oils happily sit on top of water-based ones. So hydrating serums go before facial oils, every time.
Let actives settle
Give a treatment a minute or two to sink in before the next layer. You don't need to wait half an hour. That myth has mostly been retired. Just don't slap wet straight onto wet.
Sunscreen goes last in the morning
Nothing in your skincare step goes on top of sunscreen. It needs to form one even film on the surface to work. Makeup comes after, as its own thing.
The order, top to bottom
Most of these are optional. The ones almost everyone benefits from are cleanser, moisturiser, and sunscreen.
What to keep together, and apart
Vitamin C. Best in the morning under sunscreen, where it actually boosts your sun protection.
Retinoid plus an exfoliating acid. Don't use them the same night. Alternate them instead. Together they're a fast way to irritate your skin.
Niacinamide. Gets along with almost everything. A safe, friendly thing to add.
Benzoyl peroxide plus a retinoid. They can cancel each other out and irritate. Use them at different times of day, or on different days.
Sunscreen with anything. Always compatible, always last in the morning. No exceptions.
How to actually choose products
The hard part isn't putting skincare on. It's not over-buying it. A simple way to think about it:
Start with your skin, not the trend
Work out your type and your main concern: dry, oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, or signs of ageing. The right product is the one that fits that, not the one going viral this week.
Get the core three right first
A gentle cleanser, a moisturiser, and a daily sunscreen. Nail those and stay consistent before you spend on anything else, because they do most of the work.
Add one active for one concern
Pick a single ingredient for your top issue. Salicylic acid for congestion, a retinoid for texture and lines, vitamin C for dullness, azelaic acid for redness.
Read the ingredients, not the claims
"Brightening" and "anti-ageing" are marketing. Look at the actual actives and roughly where they sit in the ingredient list, since higher up usually means more of it.
Go slow and patch test
One new product at a time, a few weeks each, tested on your inner arm first. If something reacts, you'll know exactly what to blame.
When in doubt, do less
More products just means more chances to irritate. A short, well-chosen routine beats a cabinet full of half-used jars.
Straight from the dermatologists
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