AM / PM Skincare Routine
What skincare products should I use in the morning and in the evening? Should my evening skincare routine be the same as my morning skincare routine? What order should I apply my skincare products in? These are questions we often get asked here at SKINICIAN and we want to help make understanding your morning and evening skincare routine as simple as possible.
It's important to remember that there is no one size fits all when it comes to skincare and it's important that you use the correct products for your skin type or concern. But with that being said, there are some key fundamentals to help you get the most out of your skincare routine. Keep reading for our handy guide to the ideal AM PM skincare routine and the correct order to apply your products in for maximum results.
Morning Skincare Routine
The main purpose of your morning skincare routine is to prepare your skin for the day ahead. Your morning skincare routine is important because during the day your skin is exposed to harmful UV rays, pollution and dirt. All of these can damage your skin and cause free radicals which can in turn, accelerate skin ageing.
Why
The first step in your morning skincare routine should be to cleanse your skin and it's important that you don't skip this step. Oils, bacteria and dust can build up on our pillowcases and we can also sweat while we sleep so it is important that you clean your skin in the morning and prepare it for the rest of your skincare routine.
What
If you have dry, sensitive skin we recommend the milky, creamy formula of the SKINICIAN Revitalising Cleanser.For those with combination, oily or breakout-prone skin, the Purifying Cleansing Gel will deeply clean to eliminate impurities and make pores less visible. If you are concerned with the signs of ageing, we recommend the Advanced Pro-Radiance Enzyme Cleanser - a foaming cleanser formulated with AHA's that removes dead skin cells and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Why
There has been much discussion in the skincare world over the years on the real importance of using a toner in your skincare routine. Some of the common misunderstandings include:
1. A toner will remove the residue of your cleanser - You should only need to remove your cleanser if it is formulated with Occlusive ingredients i.e. ingredients that can't be washed off the skin e.g. Petrolatum.
2. A toner will correct your skins PH after cleansing - Your cleanser should be pH balanced to the skin and therefore a toner should not have to correct your skins pH. In order for your cleanser to be pH balanced, it should have a pH of between 4 and 6.
3. A toner will close your pores - Your pores cannot be opened or closed so no skincare product can ever close them. They can only be dilated or constricted.
At SKINICIAN, our cleansers can be washed off the skin easily and are pH balanced. This has allowed us to create toners that are treatments in themselves to add additional benefits to your skincare routine.
What
The
Revitalising Toner is perfect for those with normal, dry or sensitive skin. Formulated with ingredients such as Vitamin C and Pro Vitamin B5, it refreshes, revitalises and increases your skin's ability to retain moisture. The
Purifying Toner is formulated for those with oily, combination or breakout-prone skin and controls oil production and reduces breakouts and blackheads without drying out the skin.
Why
A serum is designed to deliver a high number of active ingredients to your skin. This is why you often see quicker results when using a serum. The stage at which you apply your serum is also important - A serum tends to be lighter and delivers active ingredients so should be applied after cleansing and toning. Then to lock in the serum and maximise it's benefits, it's important that moisturiser comes after. Use a face serum that is well suited to the skin concern you would like to address, and you'll have found a secret weapon for your skincare routine.
What
At SKINICIAN we have two face serums to choose from. The Advanced Firming Serum is our intensive, high-performance serum formulated with a peptide that dramatically fights the signs of ageing to firm, tighten and lift the skin. The Advanced Calming Serum that soothes sensitive and irritated skin to quickly reduce redness and inflammation.
Why
It's important to apply a separate eye cream for your eyes as eye creams are formulated specifically for your delicate eye area. They have a lighter formula than a typical face moisturiser and are therefore more easily absorbed. An eye cream also contains actives aimed at targeted specific problems such as ageing or puffiness. It is important that you apply your eye cream before applying your day moisturiser. This avoids any accidental application of your day moisturiser to the eye area that would prevent your eye cream being absorbed.
What
We have two powerful eye creams to choose from within the SKINICIAN range and both can be used within your morning skincare routine however, we recommend using our Ageless Peptide Eye Complex as it is formulated with Broad Spectrum UV Filters to protect against harmful UV rays.
Why
The final step in your morning routine should be to apply your day moisturiser. This final step will keep your skin hydrated, will lock in the skincare products you have already applied and will protect your skin from environmental assaults. It is important that you use a day moisturiser formulated with an SPF to also ensure that your skin is protected from harmful UV rays.
What
It is important that you apply a moisturiser that is specially formulated for your skin type or skin concern. Each of the SKINICIAN Day Moisturisers are formulated with SPF 30 to protect your skin from harmful UV rays and each will address a different skin type or concern:
Evening Skincare Routine
At night your skin can focus on repairing the damage caused during the day by external aggressors. This means that your skin can more easily absorb and is more receptive to the skincare products that you apply as part of your evening skincare routine. Your evening skincare routine provides the opportunity to introduce active ingredients that will deeply moisturise and hydrate your skin.
Why
In the evening the first step in your skincare routine should be to do a double cleanse. We often get asked why you should do a double cleanse and here's why - your first cleanse is there to remove any makeup, grease and dirt from your skin. The second cleanse is when the ingredients from your cleanser can get to work and do their job effectively to clean your skin.
What
Depending on your skin needs and skin concerns, you don't have to use the same cleanser for each stage of your double cleanse. The joy with using SKINICIAN products is that you can freefall between the systems. You can choose from:
Purifying Cleansing Gel - A gel cleanser for oily, combination and breakout-prone skin. Formulated with Green Tea, Witch Hazel, and Chamomile it eliminates impurities and soothes inflammation caused by breakouts.
Advanced Pro-Radiance Enzyme Cleanser - a foam cleanser formulated with natural fruit AHA's and Prickly Pear to remove dead skin cells for a glowing complexion with fine lines and wrinkles reduced.
Why
As we have already covered toners in the morning skincare routine section of this guide so we'll not go over everything again. But in short; SKINICIAN Toners are treatments in themselves and will add additional benefits to your skincare routine. The additional benefits they provide are dependent on which of our two toners you opt for.
What
The Revitalising Toner is perfect for those with normal, dry or sensitive skin. Formulated with ingredients such as Vitamin C and Pro Vitamin B5, it refreshes, revitalises and increases your skin's ability to retain moisture
The Purifying Toner is formulated for those with oily, combination or breakout-prone skin and controls oil production and reduces breakouts and blackheads without drying out the skin.
Why
After cleansing and toning, we recommend applying a serum and/or Retinol product. As already mentioned, a serum delivers a high number of active ingredients to your skin. Retinol is a derivative of Vitamin A and is highly effective at treating acne, reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and skin discoloration, or fighting the signs of ageing.While there is no reason that you cannot layer your Serum and Retinol product, you may find that you are applying too much product or that your skin doesn't respond well to applying so many active ingredients at one time.
What
There are two SKINICIAN Serums to choose from - The Advanced Firming Serum that dramatically fights the signs of ageing to firm, tighten and lift the skin and the Advanced Calming Serum that soothes sensitive and irritated skin to quickly reduce redness and inflammation. We also have two Retinol products to choose from - The Ageless Overnight Retinol Powerbalm Level 1 and the Ageless Overnight Retinol Powerbalm Level 2. Both products are formulated with Pure Retinol and the difference between the two is our level 1 contains 0.1% Retinol while the level 2 contains 0.5% Retinol. NOTE: Not all skin types can handle Retinol and it is important that you build up your skin's tolerance to this skincare ingredient gradually. It is also not safe for use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. We recommend reading the information provided on each of our Retinol Powerbalm product pages.
Why
Applying an eye cream as part of your nightly skincare routine will allow you to target specific concerns with your eye area such as ageing, dark circles or puffiness with active ingredients that are suitable for this delicate eye area.
What
While we have two eye creams to choose from, we recommend using our Advanced Eye Repair as part of your evening skincare routine. This lightweight eye cream actively fights sagging skin and diminishes the appearance of dark circles and fine lines.
Why
Same as your morning routine, the final step in your evening skincare routine is to moisturise. By applying a night cream you can deliver actives to your skin that will deeply nourish and hydrate your skin while providing anti-ageing benefits (if necessary) while you sleep.
What
Our Advanced Restoring Night Cream is formulated with clinically proven ingredients that stimulate ATP (cellular energy) to plump and firm the skin, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and offer superior hydration for a soft and smooth complexion.
Take our Skin Analyser Quiz to identify your skin type and discover the products we recommend to target your skin concerns and give you the greatest results.
