Discover the Most Effective
Skincare Routine Order
5 Benefits of a
CONSISTENT SKINCARE ROUTINE
A regular skincare routine does more than just support your skin; it helps maintain balance and improve its overall appearance over time1. Here’s why consistency matters:
- Maintains Skin Balance:
Protects the skin’s natural barrier from environmental stressors, helping to keep it balanced, comfortable and resilient.
- Helps Prevents Common Concerns:
A suitable routine can help reduce dryness, oiliness, blemishes, and irritation by keeping skin clean, hydrated and nourished.
- Supports Youthful Appearance:
Using the right products regularly can help minimise fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots, promoting smoother, more radiant skin.
- Boosts Confidence:
Healthy-looking, comfortable skin makes you feel good in your own skin every day.
- Long-Term Rewards:
With consistency, skincare results build over time, supporting improved skin balance and a more even, refined appearance.
Morning vs Evening
Skincare Routines
Morning routines prepare and protect skin for the day, while evening routines support overnight recovery. Following a consistent skincare routine helps maintain skin balance, target specific concerns, and ensure active ingredients absorb effectively for healthier, radiant-looking skin.
Morning Skincare Routine
Step-By-Step
Start your day with a routine that prepares and protects your skin. From cleansing to SPF, each step helps keep skin hydrated, smooth, and shielded from environmental stressors2.
- Cleanse:
Gently remove overnight impurities, excess oils, and sweat to leave skin feeling fresh.
- Tone:
Helps remove any remaining residue, rebalance the skin, and prepare it for the next steps.
- Serum or Treatments:
Apply serum or targeted treatments to address your main skin concerns and prepare skin for the day.
- Moisturise:
Lock in hydration and strengthen the skin barrier for a smooth and comfortable feel.
- SPF:
Protect skin from UVA and UVB rays, helping to prevent sun damage and photo-ageing.
Skincare routine
ORDERING AND LAYERING
When layering products it is important to start with lightweight products like cleansers, toners and serums then progress to heavier products like moisturisers to ensure each product can penetrate the skin effectively and provide the intended benefits.
Not everyone needs a complicated 10 step routine, as skincare needs can vary based on individual skin types and concerns. A basic 3 step skincare routine consisting of cleansing, moisturising and sun protection can be sufficient for some people.
Having a longer skincare routine offers more targeted and advanced solutions, addressing specific concerns such as ageing, acne or hyperpigmentation with the use of additional products including serums, exfoliants and masks.
The choice between having a basic, intermediate or advanced routine depends on individual goals and preferences, with some opting for simplicity and others prioritising a more comprehensive approach to skincare.
Building a 24 hour face skincare routine:
STEPS TO INCLUDE
Step 1: Cleanse
Start your morning skincare routine with a thorough cleanse to remove dirt and impurities, preparing your skin to absorb the nourishing ingredients in your care routine.
Benefits may include: Awakens and refreshes skin, controls excess oil, manages pH, helps skin absorb care products, maintains pore size.
Can I skip cleansing?: Cleansing is essential in any skincare routine, so it should not be skipped. Having thoroughly cleansed skin is the foundation on which you will apply your care products.
Tips: Use a cleanser that suits your skin type, apply gently and avoid scrubbing, use lukewarm water, avoid harsh ingredients such as alcohol, pat your face dry instead of rubbing.
Step 2: Tone
Toning finishes the morning cleansing process by removing final traces of dirt or residue and helping to balance the skin's pH levels.
Benefits may include: Balances pH levels, removes leftover residues, adds hydration, refines pores and improves complexion, boosts radiance, helps control skin conditions.
Can I skip toning?: Toning is generally beneficial for skin and boosting radiance, however in some situations it is fine to skip. These include: following a minimalist routine, negative skin reactions or if you are using a 2-in-1 cleanser and toner product for step 1.
Tips: Use a toner that suits your skin type and targets any specific concerns, apply by gently patting on with your fingertips or soft cotton pad, avoid toners containing alcohol, avoid overuse (generally more than twice a day).
Step 3: Serum:
Serums are lightweight, fast-absorbing and deep penetrating products that offer high concentrations of active ingredients, formulated to target specific skin concerns. They are the super-boost of any beauty routine.
Benefits may include: Faster results than creams alone, customisation to your routine, additional hydration, radiance, firmness or smoothness based upon their formulation.
Can I skip serum?: Skipping serum misses out on a big opportunity to power-up your skincare routine and target any specific concerns. Serum can quite often be the most effective product at achieving desired results. However if you have no concerns or are wanting to stick to a minimalist 3 step routine, you may consider leaving serum out.
Tips: Select a serum that targets your concern, understand what different ingredients do (e.g. Vitamin C for brightening, Hyaluronic Acid for hydrating), allow 1-2 minutes for full absorption, a little amount goes a long way.
Step 4: Eye cream
Eye creams are specifically formulated to nourish the delicate skin around the eyes, helping to target common concerns such as dark circles, puffiness and crows feet. These can also be used after moisturiser, provided you leave the under eye area clear for application.
Benefits may include: Targeted action on common concerns such as dark circles or eye bags, prevents signs of aging, improved texture and hydration, enhanced makeup application.
Can I skip eye cream?: Younger individuals with no specific under eye concerns or those looking to stick to a basic skincare routine may look to skip eye cream. Individuals with oily skin may also find that a regular moisturiser is enough to keep the area hydrated.
Tips: Choose an eye cream that targets your concerns, apply by gently tapping with your ring finger avoiding contact too close to the eyeball, start with less and add more if necessary, be patient for results.
Step 5: Moisturiser - Day cream
Day creams provide essential moisture and hydration throughout the day, helping to keep skin feeling supple and looking its best. They also help to provide daily protection against environmental stressors.
Benefits may include: Moisture, sun protection (if they contain SPF), free radical protection, skin barrier support, makeup base, additional targeted actions based on formulas (anti-age, glow boosting etc.).
Can I skip moisturising?: Moisturising is recommended to be included in even basic skincare routines, it is a cornerstone step and therefore inadvisable to skip. Only those with particularly oily skin may choose to skip and apply a light sunscreen instead, in their case it is still recommended to find a moisturiser formulated for their skin type that can help control excess oil to prevent breakouts.
Tips: Choose a day cream for your skin type and concerns, SPF provides additional protection, apply more generously than serum, allow it time to absorb (particularly if applying makeup), dot all over your face and neck before gently massaging into skin.
Step 6: SPF
SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is essential to keep skin shielded from harmful UV rays throughout the day that can cause damage. Sunlight is quite often the main cause of many skin concerns, including dark spots and premature ageing - so is essential for maintaining a radiant complexion.
Benefits may include: UVA/B protection, prevents sun induced-dark spots, prevents photoaging, maintains skin health, prevents sunburn.
Can I skip SPF?: SPF is essential to skin health, even in minimalist routines. It should be applied whenever skin is going to be exposed to sunlight to protect it from damage.
Tips: Aim for at least SPF 30 or higher, apply generously and regularly, check sunscreen expiration dates, avoid the sun during peak hours.
Step 1: Cleanse
Difference vs. morning: Whilst in the morning you are refreshing and awakening your skin, in the evening you are looking to remove any makeup, sunscreen, dirt or impurities accumulated throughout the day and prepare it for nighttime care products.
Benefits may include: Helps prevent breakouts, enhances care product absorption, promotes cell renewal, supports nighttime repair and regeneration.
Can I skip cleansing?: Similar to the AM routine, it is not recommended to skip cleansing in the evening unless you are following advice from a dermatologist.
Tips: It is popular to double cleanse in the evening, using an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup and sunscreen, followed by a water-based cleanser to clean the skin.
Step 2: Tone
Difference vs. morning: Toning in the evening follows a very similar purpose but instead wicks away any final traces of makeup or daily dirt. It can also help to further neutralise daily free radicals.
Benefits may include: Same as AM routine.
Can I skip toning: Same as AM routine.
Tips: Same as AM routine.
Step 3: Serum
Difference vs. morning: The purpose of serum is still very similar, however you could consider targeting different concerns in the evening than in the morning.
Benefits may include: Same as AM routine.
Can I skip serum?: Same as AM routine.
Tips: In the evening you may want to look for a serum that is specifically formulated for hydration and overnight repair, those containing Hyaluronic Acid are particularly good at this. Using the same serum in the morning and evening is perfectly fine, however switching them up can help to target different concerns.
Step 4: Spot treatments
Difference vs. morning: Whilst you could apply these treatments (such as Retinoids for anti-aging or acne treatment) in the morning, these products can sometimes make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, which is why they're usually recommended for nighttime use.
Benefits may include: Targeted action, works in conjunction with skins natural repair process, preventative care.
Can I skip spot treatments?: If you have no specific areas of concern or are following advice from a specialist, you may want to skip this stage.
Tips: Introduce treatments slowly, follow packaging directions, apply SPF the next day as some treatments can increase sensitivity.
Step 5: Eye cream:
Difference vs. morning: Eye cream serves a very similar purpose in the evening routine as it does the morning routine, so you can follow the same advice.
Step 6: Moisturiser - Night cream
Difference vs. morning: Whilst day cream provides support and protection for skin throughout the day, night cream provides overnight nourishment, supporting the natural regeneration and repair process. Night creams often have thicker formulas, focused on intense hydration and skin barrier restoration as opposed to protection.
Benefits may include: Support skins natural regeneration and repair process that occurs whilst you sleep, awake to refreshed skin, overnight moisture needs are met, higher concentration of active ingredients.
Can I skip night cream?: The same as moisturising in the morning, it is generally not recommended to skip in the evening. Skipping can lead to skin becoming dehydrated overnight, whilst you are also missing a chance to support its natural regeneration and repair process.
Tips: Look for a night cream that complements your day cream, combining them both for 24 hour care to keep skin healthy and nourished whilst targeting any specific skin concerns.
These can be worked into your weekly routine to provide targeted benefits for skin. Typically used 1-3 times a week, depending on the needs and goals of your face care routine, face masks come in different varieties including: sheet masks, clay masks, hydrating masks and exfoliating masks.
Benefits may include: The benefits are numerous and depend on the type of mask you are using, typically all will contain a concentrated burst of active ingredients to target specific concerns. They are also a great inclusion for a deep pamper and relaxation session. Regular use can enhance the efficacy of your daily face care routine.
Can I skip masks?: Most people can benefit from the weekly mask treatment, however if your skin is healthy and you are happy with your complexion, you may choose to pass them up.
Tips: Select a mask that complements the goals of your daily routine, apply to cleansed skin, follow packaging instructions, apply in a relaxing setting, put in the fridge for additional refreshment (do consult packaging instructions first, as this may impact the effectiveness the ingredients), massage in excess formula after use or pat away with a cotton pad.
Depending on your skin type and needs, you should exfoliate as part of your evening face care routine after cleansing 2-3 times a week for a deeper cleanse. This will help to remove any accumulation of dead skin cells and promote cell renewal.
Benefits may include: Skin renewal, clears pores, improved skin tone and texture, reduced likelihood of breakouts, improved efficacy of care products.
Can I skip exfoliation?: It is best to be in the habit of exfoliating at least twice a week to deeply cleanse, prevent clogged pores and a build up of dead skin cells. Those with sensitive skin may exfoliate less often, whereas those with oily skin may exfoliate more often.
Tips: Choose an exfoliant based on your skin needs - whether that be a mechanical scrub or a chemical (AHA or BHA) exfoliant, exfoliate after cleansing, apply gently and avoid excessive rubbing - let the ingredients do the work, rinse off thoroughly.
NIVEA curated skincare routines
FOR SPECIFIC CONCERNS
NIVEA Q10 Power Anti-Wrinkle skincare routine
Skincare routines are essential for both men and women in achieving healthier looking and radiant skin. While there are some commonalities in skincare routine steps, such as cleansing, moisturising and sun protection, there can also be individual differences based on skin type, concerns and personal preferences.
Men's skincare routines might take into account factors like shaving and facial hair care, while women's routines may include additional steps like makeup removal. Regardless of gender, it is important to understand your skin needs and choose products that address those factors.
Regularity is vital, as consistent skincare practices lead to long-term benefits. Ultimately, regardless of your gender, a well-crafted skincare routine is an investment in both self-care and skin health.
