The Best Skincare Routine Order, According to Dermatologists
We asked 2 dermatologists to create the easiest, most effective skincare routine for most people. Here's their guide
When it comes to skincare, there's no shortage of new products or TikTok trends to try.
But unless you're a professional dermatologist, beauty influencer, or skincare enthusiast, nailing down a routine can range from feeling like a burdensome nightly chore to an impossibly overwhelming task when you keep hearing about "12-step" regimens. Plus, buying an assortment of random products you saw online (only to use them once) gets pricey.
Luckily, you don't have to spackle layers of creams every night or shell out on the most expensive cleansers to take phenomenal care of your skin.
Dr. Ivy Lee, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Los Angeles, and Dr. Annie Chiu, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of The Derm Institute, both agree you mainly need five quality ingredients:
Cleanser
Moisturizer
Sunscreen (year-round)
A vitamin C product
Some kind of retinoid
"These may not be the sexiest products you can find on Instagram nowadays, but they are the most effective ingredients for a basic, healthy skincare regimen," said Chiu.
To make things even easier, Lee recommended buying "multi-functional" products like a moisturizer with vitamin C and sunscreen to use in the morning or a retinol combined with a moisturizer for nighttime.
If you have sensitive skin, allergies, or atopic dermatitis:
For those with sensitive skin conditions, Lee usually starts them off on a regimen that skips the vitamin C and retinol, focusing solely on cleansing, moisturizing, and applying sunscreen.
Then, both doctors recommend taking it slow with applying vitamin C and retinol by spacing it out to every other day or multiple days — a process also known in the TikTok world as skin cycling.
https://www.insider.com/the-best-skincare-routine-order-according-to-dermatologists-2023-2