What is the best skincare routine ?

[obuobuobu]

you should use a cream

[CattyT3]

Advice I am giving below is for establishing a regular routine with whatever actives your skin comes to love (so having good cleansers/ a couple of toners/ essences/ a couple of serums/ moisturizer/ face oil (if your skin likes them)/ SPF, AND having a rescue recovery routine (minimal ingredients/ a few hydrating layers of toner + essence, you might even skin a serum and then a thick final moisturizer + sleep mask or oil - so no chemical exfoliation beyond what's needed to repair skin) - and it is very important to know when you need to wash off everything if something on your skin doesn't feel right immediately when you realize:

KNOW your skin's natural state and the issues you are tackling - KNOW YOUR SKIN'S LIMITS!
e.g.My skin: olive brown, post-acne hyperpigmentation prone, dry, sensitive.
I have all the exciting skin type stuff + some topical allergies that means I have to be so very picky and careful about my routine's products and the order too.

I do use a LOT of nice actives that target uneven skin tone and keep my skin in check 90% of the time. I use retinaldehyde, kojic acid, vit C derivatives, azelaic acid, lactic acid - just to name some! But sometimes, I experiment with a new product to try out alternatives to products that get discontinued or are super expensive, and it goes very wrong. Having a fall back "gentle/ recovery" skincare routine to help your skin get back from a knock down after trying a new product you were told is going to be great for your skin but inevitably isn't has been the key to minimizing breakouts, irritation and appearance of texture due to bad skin reactions to stuff.

People even today seem to mistake skin of color for being more resilient to the forces and PACK in fragrances and harsher actives (like glycolic acid VS more gentle AHAs) - and I make a mistake in trusting a brand or product to work for me and it's just too harsh and I have to get it off that second it begins making me puffy or my skin burn up. So just because it says it is for your skin condition/ type does not mean it will be good for you specifically for many reasons to do with the formulation chemistry and how it interacts with your skin any given day.

I really found that a safety net when trying something for, say, improving my dark spots from breakouts over the years, goes wrong, I can wash everything off with a double cleanse (oil/ balm cleanser and then a regular face wash), spray my face with a dampening toner and hit my face with the gentlest and most occlusive recovery products I have.
And have a couple of sunscreens you know are super gentle for you to slather on at home if something goes so wrong that your normal sunscreens feel a bit spicy on the skin (I found when my skin is badly irritated, zinc oxide based US sunscreens are the only ones I can use). 

[HOPE THIS HELPS AS YOU FIND OUT WHAT WORKS FOR YOU - TRY NEW THINGS ONE BY ONE SO YOU KNOW IF SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT FOR YOUR SKIN]

[CattyT3]

ALSO - you do not need to use an active- heavy routine every day/ night.
Alternating between focusing on targeting skin problems VS just soothing the skin is a good way to establish a good long term skincare regiment, and will help build up tolerance for certain sensitizing actives gradually 🙂

[Marsisgoat04]

Start by washing your face with a cleanser, then treatment after that put a moisturizer with sunscreen on.

[CynthieLu]

Hi @obuobuobu that's a big question 😄

So just washing your face and following with a moisturizer and than an SPF ( day time only of course) is a great routine. 

But you can ask yourself what do you want your routine to do for you.  At certain ages there's different things to think of and consider.  It also depends on your unique skin 🥰

So for example. Dry, Combo, Oily or Sensitive skin needs and wants different things.

Skin at 13,23,33,43,53 etc has different needs etc.. you see where I'm going here? 😉

So can I ask what do you want from your skincare?

(Make sure to use the @ symbol and type the person's name if you want them to see your response )

[pet573]

Your face should be washed. Rinse your face with water in the morning and evening, then gently massage some cleanser into your palms. Apply toner. Apply serum. Apply eye cream. Use spot treatment. Put on moisturiser. Apply retinoid. Apply facial oil.