Have you watched a video or two or three or more online showcasing people explaining their morning or evening skincare routine? Do some of those intricate, seemingly hours-long routines leave you feeling like it’s impossible to have a good skincare routine? Rest assured that you don’t need to use dozens of products or spend hours on your daily skincare routine. Instead, with a few well-chosen skincare products, you can build a skincare routine just for you that will help you achieve your specific skincare goals. In this blog, the U.S. Dermatology Partners dermatologists have outlined the ideal morning and evening skincare routines as well as recommended some of our skincare product bundles that deliver exceptional results.

Morning Skincare Routine Essentials

Build your morning skincare routine with essentials that protect and improve the overall appearance of your skin. Your morning skincare routine should include:

• Cleanser – Choose a gentle cleanser and thoroughly clean your skin using warm or cool water rather than very hot water that can strip the skin of moisture.
• Toner – Find a toner that meets your specific skin type and skin health needs. If you have oily skin, look for a toner that’s non-comedogenic and helps with oiliness. For dry skin, skip toners with drying ingredients like alcohol.
• Serum – There are a wide variety of different serums available that can be chosen to target a specific skincare need, including sensitivity, acne, and aging.
• Moisturizer – Use a good moisturizer. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, choose a lightweight non-comedogenic moisturizer. For dry skin or to keep skin hydrated during colder weather, you may want to use a heavier moisturizer even during the day.
• Sunscreen – Everyone should wear sunscreen on the face and other areas exposed to sunlight (hands, arms, neck, etc.). Use broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher for best results.

Evening Skincare Routine Essentials

Create your evening skincare routine with essentials that soothe and heal skin after the damaging effects of sunlight, weather, and other environmental factors. Your evening skincare routine should include:

• Cleanser – You can use the same facial cleanser in the morning and evening.
• Toner – If you have dry or sensitive skin, you may wish to skip toner in the evenings. If you have normal, combination, or oily skin, you can use the same toner in the evening that’s used in the morning.
• Retinol – Vitamin A-derived retinols are an important element for skincare plans, increasing skin cell turnover and improving the appearance of the skin. Especially essential for aging skin and those who struggle with chronic skin conditions like acne, retinols should be used at nighttime as they can cause photosensitivity. Introduce retinols into your skincare routine cautiously as they can cause irritation, inflammation, and peeling skin.
• Moisturizer – At nighttime, you may want to use a thicker, cream-based moisturizer or a deep-hydrating moisturizer product. This helps to soothe and hydrate the skin through the night, healing any of the day’s damage.

Skincare Routine Extras

In addition to these essential daily skincare products, you may also want to include some skincare extras within your routine periodically, including:

• Face masks – A face mask used once a week or a few times a month can help to increase moisture, soothe skin, and achieve a variety of other skincare goals based on the ingredients included in the mask.
• Exfoliants – Most people don’t need to use an exfoliant every day, but it is necessary to use an exfoliating skincare product a few times each week to ensure dead skin cells are removed and healthier skin cells are revealed. Look for salicylic acid exfoliants as these products are gentle while completely removing dead skin cells.

Other skincare products to consider:

• Neck cream – The skin on the neck ages differently, and it is impacted by sunlight, allergens, irritants, and other environmental factors differently than other parts of the body. It’s important to treat this area with products formulated specifically for the skin on the neck. There are many options available that can offer an added boost to your daily skincare routine.
• Lip care products – The lips are often neglected. Simply putting on lip balm may not be enough to keep your pout looking healthy and full. The main ingredient in many lip balms is alcohol, a drying agent. Look for lip care products that are hydrating and don’t list alcohol as their top ingredient.
• Hand & body care – Most skincare routines focus on the face, but the whole body needs care to look and feel its best. Make sure to show the whole body the same level of care as the face when you develop a daily skincare routine. Use gentle cleansers and apply lotion at least once a day to keep the skin moisturized. Don’t skip the sunscreen on any parts of the body that are going to be exposed to the sun’s damaging rays throughout the day.

Get Started with a Skincare Product Bundle

If starting from scratch to build a full skincare routine seems overwhelming or you’re looking for some ways to get started with your skincare routine more quickly, one of our skincare bundles may be beneficial. These products are grouped together to help with specific skincare needs or goals to help make maintaining healthy skin easier. Below, we’ve included some information about our top-selling bundles.

EltaMD Daily Essentials Kit

The EltaMD Daily Essentials Kit offers some of the most important ingredients for every skincare routine – moisturizers and sunscreen. Specifically, this bundle includes the EltaMD AM Therapy Facial Moisturizer, EltaMD PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer, EltaMD Renew Eye Gel, and the EltaMD UV Clear Non-Tinted Sunscreen. These products are used to finish up your morning and evening skincare routines with deep moisture and sun protection.

Revision Advanced Rejuvenation Kit

Similar to the EltaMD Daily Essentials Kit, the Revision Advanced Rejuvenation Kit offers a complete morning and evening moisturizing system for aging skin. This bundle includes DEJ Face Cream (AM), DEJ Night Face Cream (PM), and DEJ Eye Cream (AM & PM). This product line focuses on the dermal-epidermal junction. By targeting this meeting place between the skin’s inner and outer layers, these moisturizing products help to deliver necessary nutrients that hydrate and deeply nourish for healthier looking and feeling skin.

Epionce Acne Kit

Acneic skin presents its own unique challenges when it comes to skincare. While it’s not a complete skincare system for acne, the Epionce Acne Kit is a great starting point to prevent and manage acne breakouts. This kit includes the Epionce Purifying Wash and Epionce Purifying Spot Gel. The wash helps to deep clean pores, leaving skin clean and free of oil and bacteria that contribute to acne breakouts. The spot gel helps to clear up blemishes more quickly during an active breakout.

SkinCeuticals Anti-Aging Serum Collection

If you’re looking for a way to boost your anti-aging skincare routine, the SkinCeuticals Anti-Aging Serum Collection should be in your shopping cart. There are three age-defying serums in this kit, SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, and SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier. The Hydrating B5 Gel restores nutrients to the skin, so it appears smoother and more youthful. The CE Ferulic serum is an antioxidant product that helps to reverse signs of skin aging as well as prevent sun damage. Finally, the H.A. Intensifier increases the skin’s natural hyaluronic acid levels, which is important to keep the skin hydrated.

Sente Repair Duo

When used correctly, retinols can be an extremely beneficial element of skincare routines. When used incorrectly, retinols can cause skin irritation, inflammation, and redness. Sente the Repair Duo takes the guesswork out of retinol use. This two-step retinol treatment is ideal for all skin types, even sensitive skin. It includes the Sente Bio Complete Serum and Dermal Repair Cream. In combination, these products work to deliver the exceptional results possible with retinol treatment while skipping the irritation.

ALASTIN Restorative Body Collection

The ALASTIN line of skin care products was formulated to help skin heal after dermatologic procedures. It’s still an effective skincare option for those who want to heal more quickly post-procedure, but the ALASTIN product line is also great for everyday use. The ALASTIN Restorative Body Collection is geared toward helping address imperfections and treat irregularities in the skin’s appearance. This kit includes ALASTIN Skincare Restorative Skin Complex. This moisturizer is great for aging skin. Not only can it turn back the clock, but it can prevent wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of skin aging before they begin. This moisturizer is even better when combined with the ALASTIN Skincare Ultra Nourishing Skin Complex. This deep-hydrating, nourishing cream helps the body clear out damaged elastin and collagen while supporting the production of healthy collagen and elastin. Finally, this bundle includes the ALASTIN Skincare Restorative Eye Treatment. The thin, sensitive skin around the eyes is often the first to show signs of aging and other skin changes. By using this effective eye treatment, you can help prevent or reverse fine lines and wrinkles around the eye as well as improve eye brightness.