Wash your face. Morning and night, rinse your face water and rub a small amount of gentle cleanser between clean palms. Massage face wash all over your face using gentle pressure.
Apply toner. If you use toner, apply after cleansing your face and before everything else. Pour a few drops of toner into your palms or a cotton pad and gently swipe onto your face.
Apply serum. Morning is a great time to use a serum with antioxidants like a brightening vitamin C serum because they protect your skin from free radicals you ll encounter throughout the day.
Apply eye cream. You can apply regular moisturizer to your under-eye area, but if you decide to use a specialized eye cream, you ll typically want to layer it underneath moisturizer, since eye creams tend to be thinner than face moisturizers.
Use spot treatment. It s a good idea to use acne spot treatments at night, when your body is in repair mode. Be wary of layering acne-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acids with retinol, which can cause irritation.
Moisturize. Moisturizer both hydrates skin and locks in all the other layers of product you ve applied. Look for a lightweight lotion for the morning, ideally with SPF 30 or higher. In the evening, you can use a thicker night cream.
Apply retinoid. Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives including retinol) can reduce dark spots, breakouts, and fine lines by increasing skin-cell turnover, but they can also be irritating, especially for sensitive skin.
Apply face oil. If you use a face oil, make sure to apply it after your other skin-care products since nothing else will be able to penetrate the oil.
Apply sunscreen. It may be the last step, but nearly any dermatologist will tell you that sun protection is the most important part of any skin-care regimen. Protecting your skin from UV rays can prevent skin cancer and signs of aging.