Beauty

My Real-Life Skincare Routine (AM & PM) — Aesthetic-Doctor Edition

As an aesthetic-medicine doctor, I put this guide together to help you build a skincare routine that actually works.

I have combination skin—oilier T-zone, drier cheeks—so the steps below are designed to balance oil and keep the barrier calm. I’ll walk you through my exact AM/PM routine, why each step matters, and how to tweak it for dry, oily, or sensitive skin at different budgets. You’ll also see my core SkinCeuticals picks (vitamin C + ferulic acid, H.A. Intensifier, retinol, SPF 50) alongside excellent alternatives. Product links are included throughout

Questions? Comment under the post and I’ll tailor it for you.

What Is Combination Skin?

Combination skin = oilier areas (usually the T-zone: forehead, nose, chin) + normal/drier cheeks.

Perfect skincare routine:

  • Balanced cleansing (remove excess oil without stripping).
  • Targeted hydration (light layers that hold water without heaviness).
  • Smart actives (gentle acids/retinol used thoughtfully).
  • Consistent SPF (every single morning).

My Skincare Routine – The Exact Products I’m Using

(I add alternatives for every step below.)

Morning Skincare Routine (AM)

  1. Cleanse (30–45 s)
    Wet face with lukewarm water, lather a pea of Simply Clean Gel, massage, rinse.
  2. Tone (5–10 s)
    Equalizing Toner on cotton or palms to reset pH, lift micro-residue, and prep for serums.
  3. Antioxidant (Vitamin C + Ferulic) — optional but powerful
    Choose one (see section below). Apply 4–5 drops to face/neck/chest; wait 30–60 s.
  4. Hydrate (serum)
    3–4 drops of H.A. Intensifier pressed over face, lips, and around eyes.
  5. Eye cream
    Rice-grain of La Prairie. Tap along the orbital bone, including the upper contour.
  6. Moisturize
    Thin layer of Dr Dennis Gross repair cream (focus cheeks/jaw if your T-zone is oilier).
  7. Protect (SPF 50)
    Ultra Facial UV Defense. Use ~¼ tsp (two fingers) for face; don’t forget ears, neck, hands.
    Reapply every 2 hours outdoors; over makeup use a mist or compact/tinted SPF.

Why SPF on cloudy/indoor days?
UVA (“aging” rays) penetrates clouds and glass all year, driving pigmentation, collagen loss and skin-cancer risk. Daily SPF is the most effective anti-age step—period.

Night Skincare Routine (PM)

If you wore makeup/heavy SPF:

  • Optional double cleanse: balm/oil first (if you use makeup), then Simply Clean Gel.
  1. Tone
    Equalizing Toner to rebalance and remove leftover impurities.
  2. Treatment nights (simple skin-cycling)
  • Night 1 – Hydration/Barrier: H.A. Intensifier → Repair cream.
  • Night 2 – Retinol (autumn/winter are ideal):
    • Ensure skin is completely dry.
    • Pea-size retinol for the face (SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3 or 0.5 to start).
    • Neck/jaw: use Tripeptide-R Neck Repair.
    • Then moisturize. If sensitive, you can add H.A. Intensifier after retinol or buffer with a thin cream before.
  • Night 3 – Exfoliant (details below) or skip if reactive.
  • Night 4 – Recovery: serum + moisturizer only.
  • Repeat.
  1. Eye cream
    La Prairie again for comfort and firmness.
  2. Neck & Chest Treatment (how I do it)
    The neck/decolletage have thinner skin and fewer oil glands—more prone to crepiness and sun damage.
    • Use Tripeptide-R Neck Repair 3 nights/week initially. Spread one pea from jawline to collarbones in upward strokes.
    • If you’re sensitive, “sandwich” it: moisturizer → neck retinol → moisturizer.
    • On non-retinol nights: H.A. Intensifier + your moisturizer.
    • SPF to the chest every morning—it’s the difference between smooth vs. mottled sun damage long-term.

    Retinol: How to Win (and Avoid Irritation)

    Why it’s a hero anti-aging active
    Retinoids normalize cell turnover, boost collagen synthesis, reduce collagen-breaking enzymes (MMPs), smooth texture, fade dyschromia, and minimize fine lines.

    Which strength? (Face formulas)

    • Beginners: 0.3% 2×/week → build.
    • Intermediate: 0.5% 3–4×/week as tolerated.
    • Advanced: 1.0% nightly only if your barrier is robust.

    How to start

    • Apply to dry skin (damp skin drives irritation).
    • Amount: pea-size for the whole face; another pea for neck/chest (or a dedicated neck formula).
    • Frequency: 2×/week → 3–4×/week → consider alternate nights.
    • No strong acids the same night; keep things simple.
    • Buffer with a thin moisturizer if you’re reactive.

    When to pause

    • Before intense sun exposure (beach, sailing, ski): stop 1–2 weeks prior.
    • Avoid in pregnancy/breastfeeding.
    • Active eczema/rosacea flares: introduce only with medical guidance.

    My pick
    SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3 / 0.5 / 1.0 —elegant, stable, excellent tolerability.

    Exfoliation: Frequency & Safety

    Why exfoliate? Smoother texture, brightness, better penetration of actives, and fewer clogs.

    How often?

    • Oily/acne-prone: 2–3×/week (prefer BHA/salicylic).
    • Combination: 1–2×/week (BHA for T-zone; PHA/lactic if on the sensitive side).
    • Dry/sensitive: 1×/week max (gentle PHA or low-% lactic).

    Signs you’re over-doing it: redness, stinging, flakes, more breakouts. If this happens, stop actives for 5–7 days, hydrate heavily, SPF daily.

    Where Vitamin C + Ferulic Fits (AM)

    Best placement: after toner, before H.A. Intensifier.

    Why morning, not night?
    Pure L-ascorbic acid is a daytime antioxidant that boosts photoprotection with SPF, neutralizing free radicals from UV/pollution before they trigger inflammation and pigment. Retinol, on the other hand, degrades with UV and can increase photosensitivity—so it’s a night step.

    How it layers with H.A. Intensifier

    • Vitamin C first (thin, water-light).
    • Wait 30–60 s.
    • H.A. Intensifier next to pull water into the skin and improve tolerance of subsequent layers.
    • Then moisturizer + SPF.

    Pick one by skin need

    Store tightly closed, away from heat/light. A slight golden tint over time is normal.

    Why I Recommend SkinCeuticals Most

    As a clinician I prioritize:

    • Proven active levels (not just marketing).
    • Stability + delivery (retinol that stays potent; HA that layers cleanly).
    • Textures patients use daily.
    • Consistent outcomes in photoaging, pigment and texture.

    Yes, it’s pricey—but efficient. You often need less product to see predictable results.

    Other excellent SkinCeuticals serums (choose by concern)

    Skincare Routine by Skin Type

    A) Combination (my routine):
    Gel cleanse → Equalizing Toner → Vitamin C (AM) → H.A. Intensifier → Eye cream → Light cream → SPF.
    PM: Retinol 2–4×/week + moisturizer; recovery nights in between.

    B) Oily/Acne-Prone:
    Foaming gel → BHA toner/serum (alternate nights) → Lightweight gel moisturizer → Oil-control SPF (matte/tinted mineral). Retinol still helps—start slow.

    C) Dry/Dehydrated:
    Creamy/hydrating cleanser → Hydrating toner/essence → HA serum → Ceramide-rich cream → Moisturizing SPF. Retinol buffered with moisturizer; prefer low-% lactic/PHA over glycolic.

    D) Sensitive/Rosacea-prone:
    Very gentle cleanse (or just rinse AM) → Soothing toner (no alcohol/fragrance) → HA serum → Barrier cream (ceramides/niacinamide) → Mineral SPF. Avoid scrubs; introduce retinol only with guidance.

    Recommended Products (By Step & Budget)

    1) Cleansers (Gel/Foam)

    2) Toners

    3) Hydrating Serums

    4) Eye Creams

    5) Moisturizers

    6) Retinol & Neck Care

    7) Sunscreen (Broad Spectrum)

    8) Exfoliants (use sparingly)

    Application Amounts & Layering Cheatsheet

    • Cleanser: pea-size
    • Toner: saturated cotton or 5–6 drops in palms
    • Serum: 3–4 drops
    • Eye cream: rice-grain per eye
    • Moisturizer: almond-size (less on T-zone)
    • Retinol: pea for entire face
    • SPF: two fingers (~¼ tsp) for face; extend to ears/neck

    Order: Cleanser → Toner → Vitamin C (AM) → Eye cream → Serums (thin → thick) → Moisturizer → SPF (AM only).
    Rule: Thinnest textures first; oils last. Wait 30–60 s between layers if you pill.

    Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

    • Over-cleansing: “Squeaky clean” = barrier damage → switch to gentler cleanser or skip AM cleanse.
    • Too many actives at once: retinol + strong acids + vitamin C together = irritation → cycle them.
    • Under-applying SPF: protection drops sharply—use enough.
    • Skipping neck & hands: treat them like your face, AM and PM.

    If You’re Just Starting (Minimal Routine)

    AM: Cleanser → Hydrating serum → Moisturizer → SPF 50
    PM: Cleanser → Hydrating serum → Moisturizer

    > After 2–4 weeks of calm skin, add retinol 2×/week and an exfoliant 1×/week.

    Tell me your skin type, budget, and climate in the comments. I’ll fine-tune this routine for you—and I’ll place the product links right where you need them.

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    2 Comments

    1. Fabien
      September 15, 2025 / 2:49 pm

      Love this post, it’s very complete and precise !

      Reply

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