So you’ve got your go-to products, you know what works for your skin and you’re slowly becoming a skincare expert, but do you know what to apply first? No worries, I’m here to help. 

I’m gonna break it down between daytime and nighttime routines. And you’ll be surprised with how similar they are, so don’t be intimidated.

Daytime Routine 

You’re getting ready to take on the day, you need your caffeine but you also need the right treatment and protection to shield your skin from the dirt, sun and harsh pollution from the outdoors! 

#1 - Cleanse 

You might be wondering why you need to cleanse after sleeping safely in your bed. While your question is valid, it is essential that you cleanse your face in the morning to wash off the products you’ve applied the night before. Also, there is still some dirt that can pile up on your face while sleeping from your sheets and pillow case, so wash up!

#2 - Hydrate 

Use products with hyaluronic acid in this step (assuming you already have that ;)) This will give your skin a really healthy, glowy and smooth. Hyaluronic acid will help retain moisture in your skin and is a good prep to absorb the next products you’re gonna apply. 

#3 - Treatment (aka Serums)

I’m referring to specific serums that you’ve chosen for your skin whatever that may be. It would be good to have serums that contain antioxidants like vitamin C, to protect you from free radicals and UV rays. 

#4 - Moisturize 

I know you’ve already hydrated, but moisturizing is quite different from hydrating. This will help lock in all of those products you just applied and it will also prevent dryness throughout the day. 

#5 - Sunscreen 

Need I say more? Use a minimum 30 SPF sunscreen everyday you step out the doors! We covered this before, even if you are a person of colour, you need sunscreen!! Re-apply at least every 2 hours! This will protect you from sun damage including skin cancer, premature aging and sunburn. 

Nighttime Routine 

The nighttime routine is the best time to heal and hydrate your skin from the day. Because you aren’t in contact with sunlight or environmental pollution, having an evening routine can really improve your skin texture and tone quickly. 

#1 - Cleanse 

After being outside and accumulating all the dirt, you should ALWAYS cleanse your face before going to bed. This will also remove the oil built up during the day and the products you’ve applied in the morning. 

#2 - Alternate Exfoliating and Retinol 

The reason you need to alternate between these products is to reduce irritation in your skin. The key to this is to set a schedule or listen to your skin. You can exfoliate 2 times a week and then apply Retinol the other days. This will help detox your skin from all the yuckiness outside and the retinol will help with collagen production making it a great anti-aging product.

#3 - Treatment 

You can also use the same products you use in the morning for this step (but avoid a Vitamin C serum if you’re using retinol). These treatments will help your skin replenish and rejuvenate during the night. 

#4 - Moisturize 

The same reason as to why you need to moisturize in the morning, this will help lock in all of the products you just applied. This will help hydrate and keep your skin soft for the next day.

Bonus Tip! Applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly after your evening skin routine will help the ingredients work even better because it creates a barrier between your skin and the external environment; however, you have to listen to your skin. If it starts causing irritation, then don’t use petroleum jelly.