The idea: protect
In the morning, your skin gets ready to face the day: sun, pollution, temperature swings. So your morning routine is mostly about protection, and it can come down to three steps.
The three essential steps
- Cleanse gently. If your skin is dry or sensitive, a rinse with lukewarm water may be enough. If it's oily, use a gentle cleanser. Avoid hot water, which dries the skin out.
- Moisturize. Pick a texture that suits you: a gel-cream for oily and combination skin, a richer cream for dry skin. Don't forget your neck.
- Protect. A broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 at the very least and ideally SPF 50, every morning and all year round. It's the most important step for preventing dark spots and sun-related aging.
Optional extras, depending on your needs
- An antioxidant serum, such as vitamin C, right after cleansing: it helps keep your complexion radiant and adds to your sun protection.
- A niacinamide serum if your pores are visible or your skin looks shiny.
- A caffeine eye cream if your eyes are often puffy when you wake up.
The order of application
From the lightest to the thickest: cleanser, toner if you use one, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, then sunscreen last. Let each layer sink in for about a minute.
Routine examples
- Oily skin: gentle gel cleanser, niacinamide serum, light gel-cream, mattifying sunscreen.
- Dry skin: rinse with lukewarm water, hyaluronic acid serum, rich ceramide cream, sunscreen.
- Combination skin: gentle cleanser, vitamin C serum, gel-cream, fluid sunscreen.
Common mistakes
- Using too little sunscreen: you need about two finger lengths for your face and neck.
- Forgetting to reapply it: outdoors, reapply every two hours, and after swimming or heavy sweating.
- Piling on actives: two well-chosen products are better than six that irritate.
- Relying on the SPF in makeup: people apply too little of it to be properly protected.
