How to Build a Skincare Routine That Actually Works

Almost every client who sits down with me for a skincare consult has some version of the same shelf: five or six products, purchased at different times for different reasons, half of which they are not sure they still need. A routine built out of trends is not the same as a routine built for your skin. Here is how I actually approach it.

Start With What Your Skin Is Actually Doing

Before you add anything, figure out what your skin needs right now. Dry and flaky, oily and congested, dull, sensitive and reactive. That answer changes by season and sometimes by month, which is part of why the same routine does not work forever. If you are not sure, this is exactly what a consult is for.

The Order Products Should Go On

Cleanser first, then anything treatment-focused like a serum, then moisturizer, then SPF in the morning. Thinner formulas go on before thicker ones. If you are layering an exfoliating product with a retinol or a vitamin C, timing matters, so ask before you combine anything new.

Where Most Routines Go Wrong

The most common issue I see is not too few products, it is too many active ingredients stacked at once. Retinol, exfoliating acids, and vitamin C can all be great on their own and irritating together. The second most common issue is skipping SPF, which undoes a lot of the good the rest of the routine is doing.

What I Tell Clients Who Are Starting Over

Simplify before you add. A gentle cleanser, one active ingredient suited to your main concern, a moisturizer that actually matches your skin type, and SPF every morning covers most people. Build from there once your skin tells you what it needs.