Skin care steps, help!

[Sherouk101]

So I just got the Clinique ID blue cartridge with the Hydrating jelly and I have no idea what step to use it with. Currently I use: Thayer’s cucumber toner Sephora vitamin C&E serum The Ordinary caffeine serum Bliss ex-GLOW-sion eye cream What order to I put everything on? I’m also thinking of getting the Alpyn beauty serum so what step would that be added as well? Or should I use that to replace an existing step? Clearly I’m very lost lol

[Anonymous]

The 5 Essential Steps to Skincare, According to A Specialist. 😊

1. Cleanser; I recommend setting up a double cleanse system. Step One: use an oil-based cleanser (I recommend the iUnik Calendula Cleansing Oil) and massage your skin with it gently for up to 40 seconds to remove the makeup and dirt from your face. Step Two: Follow up with a water-based or gel cleanser (I recommend Youth to The People’s Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser Youth To The People Superfood Hydrating Gentle Antioxidant Refillable Cleanser 8 oz / 237 ml and for a less expensive option, the Simple Micellar Gel Wash) and cleanse gently for up to 30 seconds to unclog and cleanse your pores. Step Three: Pat your face dry with a clean towel. 

2. Exfoliator. Always use a chemical acid exfoliant and never a scrub or physical exfoliant. For blackheads and whiteheads: salicylic acid. I recommend Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid. For sensitive skin / those using acids for the first time: The Ordinary’s Lactic Acid serum. The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% High-Strength Exfoliating Serum for Uneven Texture 1 oz/ 30 mL For those with non-sensitive skin: Glycolic acid. For those with non-sensitive skin trying acids for the first time: The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid Toning absolution. The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating and Brightening Daily Toner 8 oz/ 240 mL Step One: Squeeze a few drops onto your hands and gently massage into your skin. VERY IMPORTANT TIPS: 1. Only exfoliate at night. 2. Always use sunscreen the day after you exfoliate. 3. Only exfoliate twice a week at most. If you have sensitive skin, only one a week. 4. Do not use acid exfoliants (particularly glycolic) with a vitamin C treatment or retinol. They will harm your skin and be ineffective when used in combination. 

3. Treatment / serum / essence. For oil control, brightness, and fighting hyperpigmentation, I recommend The Ordinary’s Niacinamide + Zinc serum. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum for Oily Skin 1 oz/ 30 mL serum is good for combo to oily skin types. An excellent hydrating serum/essence for dry skin is the iUnik Black Snail Restore Serum. 

4. Moisturizer. Step One: Figure out your skin type. Step Two: Find the right moisturizer for your skin type. Avoid fragrances, essential oils, and filler ingredients in your skincare products. A good rule of thumb: If it smells AMAZING, don’t use it, especially if you have sensitive skin. Some rich moisturizers I recommend for dry skin types is the e.l.f happy hydration cream or the CeraVe Moisturizing CREAM. Some light moisturizers I recommend for oily skin are the Neutrogena Oil-Free Combination skin moisturizer, iUnik Centella Calming Gel Cream, and Versed Dew Point Moisturizing Gel Cream. For combination skin I recommend using two different moisturizers for each part of your face- light moisturizers for your t-zone, and rich moisturizers for your cheeks and neck. But if you don’t have time for that, I recommend the CeraVe Moisturizing lotion, the Olay Hungarian Water Essence, or the SheaMoisture Skin Rescue Moisturizer (for drier combination skin).  Step One: Add a pump of the moisturizer to your hands, rub it a little in your hands, and apply it evenly to your skin. Make sure you soak up all the moisture. Step Two: Add a little bit more moisturizer to your neck, too. Don’t rub your skin too hard, just massage and pat it in gently.

5. Sunscreen. No excuses, every single day, especially if you used a chemical exfoliant the night before and if you’re going to be outside in the sun. Pick a good sunscreen with a hefty SPF. I’d say about SPF 30 if you love to slather on your sunscreen and if your other products and makeup contain SPF, but if you prefer to apply very little amounts of sunscreen, then use SPF 50. Don’t use the beachy SPF 70 ones, they look shiny and disgusting, feel disgusting, and smell disgusting (remember fragrances can irritate your skin and cause breakouts). I also recommend you use a mineral sunscreen instead of a chemical one. My HOLY GRAIL sunscreen is the Purito Centella Unscented SPF 50 Sunscreen, and Purito Water Gel SPF 50 sunscreen. A good sunscreen that doesn’t leave a white cast is Biossance Sheer Mineral SPF 30 sunscreen. Especially great for those with darker skin tones who struggle with sunscreens that leave white casts.

disclaimer: most of these products can not be found at Sephora, but the ones that you CAN find on Sephora, I tagged. The rest of them can be found in Target, Ulta, and for some of them (The Korean skincare brands iUnik and Purito) you will have to look on more exotic sites like StyleVana and YesStyle. (I found a 15% off code for StyleVana, it’s INF10HYRAM. Enjoy!)

Phew! That was a lot. Hope this helps, because I spent an hour writing this, haha. Happy skincare!

[RGbrown]

@mideshi wrote:

The basic steps to a perfect skincare routine, according to a specialist...[snip]...Do not use acid exfoliants (particularly glycolic) with a vitamin C treatment or retinol. They will harm your skin and be ineffective when used in combination... 

---

This is 100% incorrect. You can mix acids, vitamin C, and retinol according to your skin's tolerance. They do not neutralize each other, nor do they harm the skin when used in tandem. In fact, they can amplify each other in a good way.

[TennisTony]

Generally, it goes something like this:

Toner

Essences

Serums

Eye Creams

Moisturizers

SPF

Your Clinique ID Hydrating Jelly would be a moisturizer step that would "top" the rest of the serums you laid down.  You may want to reserve some serums for day or night use so you're not layering on too many ingredients that.

Example: Try using the Alpyn serum only at night and the Sephora Vitamin C/E serum during the day.  Layer the Clinique Hydrating Jelly on top unless you have a night cream you like.