Correct Order of Skincare

Applying your skin care regimen in the correct order is vital to the end result of your skin. Your skin is made to keep unwanted free radicals and other environmetal factors out. By applying your products in the correct order and at the correct time of day, your skin has a greater chance of absorbing the ingredients it needs.  

Starting in the morning, these products are meant to protect your skin from the sun, pollution, or any other free radicals. 

1. Cleanser- you always want to start your morning with a clean fresh face
2. Serums- You want to apply your serums before any other face product to achieve the maximum amount of absorption. Serums best used in the morning are: Vitamin C and hyaluronic Acid serums. 
3. Eye cream- this step can be done morning and night. If your eye cream contains a retinol then only use it at night time.  
4. Moisturizer 
5. Sunscreen- No matter if you're inside all day or if its cloudy and rainy, you need to be wearing sunscreen every single day. It is an important step to help aging and to protect your skin from environmental factors. This should always be your last step before any makeup is applied. 

Your nightime routine is going to be for all of your treatment products. You should apply these products at night because this is when we want to heal and treat our problem areas. 

1. Cleanser- it is always important to wash our faces to rid the skin of any outside environmental pollutants and give us a fresh base for our next products. 
2. If you use a hyaluronic acid serum this is when you would want to apply it. You want your skin to be damp when you apply this product, so that your skin retains all the moisture.
3. Eye cream- This step can be done morning and night, however as stated above, if your eye cream contains a retinol you'll want to only apply it at night time. 
4. This next step is dependent on your skins needs. Treatments, exfoliants, and serums can be used interchangably depending on what your skin is in need of. These products include your prescription topicals, retinals, anti-aging serums, and exfoliants. 
5. Moisturizer or night cream- Night creams are a thicker moisturizer and if you tend to have dry skin or want more hydration, a night cream is a great option. The thickness of night creams prevent the natural moisture in our skin from evaporating during the night, keeping your skin feeling more hydrated. 

If you have any questions on what products you should be using in your daily routine or if you need recommendations on products, call us at Contour Dermatology and Cosmetics! 

Phone (805) 491-5992

Author

Dr. Mayha Patel Dr. Patel diagnoses conditions affecting the hair, skin, and nails, which often have a large impact on your self-image and confidence. Using exams, blood tests, biopsies, and other approaches, Dr. Patel frequently diagnoses eczema, psoriasis, alopecia, acne, and various types of skin cancer creating an individualized treatment plan with each patient’s needs in mind. In addition, as a board-certified dermatologist Dr. Patel has extensive cosmetic dermatology experience and knowledge in numerous state of the art interventional procedures in cosmetic dermatology such as botox®, fillers, microneedling, kybella, and thread lifts. Dr. Patel also specializes in facial contouring, concierge cosmetics, and laser based procedures. Dr. Patel frequently uses her dual wavelength laser system for treatment, as well as UV light therapies, prescription medications, and topical products with proven results.