How To Order Your Skincare Routine

According to myself, skincare can be SUPER confusing. Where do we start? What goes first? What brand should I buy? The questions are endless. I set out on a search to find out how to order your skincare routine, and am here to share my ~wisdom~. Whether you have dry skin, oily skin, or combination skin, I have the answers for you!

Skincare Steps By Skin Type

Listen, we can’t jump straight into the skincare routine without first establishing the core foundation of where to start: what is your skin type?

Determining your skin type is crucial to a successful skincare routine. Using products not meant for your skin type can lead to irritation, redness, sensitivity, and breakouts. For example, following a skincare routine for the wrong skin type is like using red wine to fill up your gas tank; just because it’s good for you doesn’t make it good for your car.

Normal Skin

Normal skin is typically characterized by smaller pores, little to no blemishes, and adequate hydration (how does it feel to be one of God’s favorites?!).

Dry Skin

Dry skin is very common and accounts for almost half of dermatologist visit complaints! The dryness is the result of a lack of sebum (we’re getting pretty sciencey here, but stay with me). Basically, a lack of sebum = harder time holding onto moisture, which causes dryness.

However, there are some natural ways to improve dryness before diving headfirst into a skincare routine! By avoiding extended or unprotected sun exposure, staying hydrated, and limiting exposure to chemicals, you can improve your skin’s ability to maintain moisture.

Oily Skin

Oily skin, on the other hand, is caused by skin that creates too much sebum. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just trade sebum? Or is that gross? Anyways, people with oily skin tend to have larger pores, frequency of blemishes, and a glossy shine.

Unfortunately, oily skin can be difficult to solve using natural remedies due to often being caused by genetics, hormonal imbalances, and different medications.

Combination Skin

Combination skin is exactly what it sounds like: a combination of oily and normal/oily and dry. People with combination skin typically experience excess oil in their T-zone, meaning across their forehead, down their nose, and on their chin. At the same time, they may experience dry skin on their cheeks or on the outer edges of their face.

Skincare Routine For Oily Skin

Although to order of products used stays the same, specific products will change depending on skin type. When looking for a cleanser best for oily skin, you can’t go wrong with a gentle water-based cleanser. Harsh cleansers may strip away too much natural oil causing your skin to produce even more oils throughout the day, which we definitely don’t need.

In addition to a gentle cleanser, don’t be afraid to experiment with a gentle exfoliator two-three times a week. Start out with once per week and increase gradually to help your skin adjust. An exfoliation step will help with the blackheads and breakouts that are more common in oily skin types.

When looking for a toner, find one that focuses on minimizing pore size and texture. Smaller pores will help control over-productive oil glands.

As far as serum shopping goes, use this step to target any specific skin concerns you’re having. If you need help controlling redness, there’s a serum for that. If you are concerned about fine lines, there’s a serum for that. The limit does not exist! My only disclaimer for serums is to avoid using more than three serums in your skincare regimen.

Finally, you need a moisturizer. A lot of people with oily skin are tempted to skip this step because they think, “my skin is hydrated enough by my OILS, I don’t need MORE hydration!” But that’s where you would be wrong. Without a proper moisturizing step, your skin may begin to produce oils at an even higher rate to combat a lack of hydration.

This means adding in a hydration step may signal to your oil production glands to back off for a bit! I always recommend getting a moisturizer with added SPF. Sun protection is a key component of overall skin health; don’t skip this step!

Skincare Routine For Dry Skin

Now skincare for dry skin varies drastically than skincare for oily skin! It is important to be informed when changing or starting a new skincare routine, because chances are: your favorite beauty guru doesn’t have the same skin type as you and following their routine will just make it worse.

The best cleanser for dry skin includes a hydration component and typically aren’t foaming cleansers. You should also consider looking for fragrance-free cleansers to prevent any skin irritation.

Unlike cleansers, toners do essentially the same thing for dry skin as they do for oily skin, so you don’t have too many restrictions in this category. My suggestion is to find a toner that targets any other skin concerns you may be having such as uneven tone or redness.

As far as serums go, you have a major opportunity to pump your skin full of the hydration that it’s looking for! However, you absolutely want to be on the lookout for hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin E.

Now, it may be tempting to get the heaviest moisturizer you can find. First, we want to look for some of those hydrating ingredients that we mentioned before to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck as far as hydration goes. Additionally, don’t forget a great sunscreen for the day time! Prolonged, unprotected sun exposure already causes dryness, so don’t skip this step!

How To Order Your Skincare Products

Pin it, screenshot it, save it as your wallpaper, whatever. Just cram it into your noggen until you have it memorized!

Not sure where to start when it comes to skincare brands? Check out my skincare routine guide for The Ordinary where I breakdown the exact products needed for each step and what skin concerns they improve. They’re a great skincare brand at an even better price, and I can not recommend them enough!

Leave me a comment on what your favorite skincare brands are or your favorite skincare step!

Well, folks, that brings us to the end of:

Hello! I'm Kate.

How To Order Your Skincare Routine

How To Order Your Skincare Routine