A SkinCeuticals routine follows a simple logic: cleanse, defend with an antioxidant, correct, moisturize and protect. What changes is which product fills each step for your skin. Here is the order, a routine for every skin type, and a week-by-week plan for adding retinol.

What is the right SkinCeuticals routine?

What order do SkinCeuticals products go in?

The rule behind the order: thinnest to thickest, and actives on clean, dry skin. SkinCeuticals directs its vitamin C serums to go on before other serums, its correctors after the antioxidant, and its retinol on clean skin at night before moisturizer.

What does a SkinCeuticals morning routine look like?

Cleanse. Gentle Cleanser ($39) for dry and sensitive skin, Simply Clean ($39) or LHA Cleanser ($45) for normal to oily skin.

Antioxidant. C E Ferulic, Phloretin CF, Silymarin CF or Serum 10 AOX+, chosen by skin type. C E Ferulic vs Phloretin CF vs Silymarin CF explains which.

Correct or hydrate. Discoloration Defense for dark spots, H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan for plumpness, P-TIOX for expression lines.

Moisturize. Choose by skin type, from Daily Moisture for oily skin to Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 for dry skin.

Protect. Future Mineral UV Defense SPF 50 ($60), Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 ($45), Clear Daily Soothing UV Defense SPF 50 ($54) or Daily Brightening UV Defense SPF 30 ($65). Apply generously 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply at least every two hours outdoors.

What does a SkinCeuticals evening routine look like?

Cleanse. The same cleanser as the morning.

Antioxidant, optional. Resveratrol B E ($175), one to two pumps on dry skin.

Correct. A retinol, or on other nights an exfoliating treatment such as Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight or Cell Cycle Catalyst. Do not stack them on the same night while you are getting used to either.

Moisturize. Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 ($155) after retinol is a common pairing; SkinCeuticals directs it to be applied after retinol at night.

How does the routine change by skin type?

Dry skin

Keep the cleanser creamy and add lipids. C E Ferulic is alcohol-free, Hydrating B5 Gel adds water under your cream, and Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 or Emollience seals it in. Hydra Balm ($25) handles very dry patches.

Oily and blemish-prone skin

Use LHA Cleanser twice daily, and LHA Toner if you want a leave-on exfoliating toner, but not on the nights you use retinol: SkinCeuticals advises against using LHA Toner together with retinol because the combination can cause excessive dryness. Silymarin CF is the morning antioxidant, Blemish + Age Defense is the corrector, and Daily Moisture keeps hydration light.

Sensitive and redness-prone skin

Start with four products and no strong acids: Soothing Cleanser, Serum 10 AOX+, Phyto Corrective Gel or Redness Neutralizer, and Clear Daily Soothing UV Defense SPF 50, which SkinCeuticals designed for sensitive, redness-prone skin. Add retinol only once skin is settled.

Mature skin

Layer C E Ferulic, H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan and A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced in the morning under sunscreen. At night, use retinol and Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2. A.G.E. Advanced Eye covers the eye area, and Tripeptide-R Neck Repair treats the neck.

How do you introduce a SkinCeuticals retinol?

SkinCeuticals makes three strengths of pure, encapsulated retinol: Retinol 0.3 ($80), Retinol 0.5 ($90) and Retinol 1.0 ($102). Its directions are the same for all three: start once or twice a week, move to every other night, then nightly as tolerated, and establish consistent tolerance before moving up a strength.

Apply a pea-sized amount to clean, dry skin in the evening, avoiding the eye area, and let it absorb before moisturizer. Retinol may increase sun sensitivity, so a broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning is not optional. As a precaution, SkinCeuticals advises that retinol should not be used by women who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant: consult a physician. For a wider look at retinol strengths, see our retinol serum roundup.

What are the rules for a SkinCeuticals routine?

Add one product at a time. Start with cleanser, antioxidant and sunscreen, and add a corrector after a few weeks so you can tell what your skin is responding to.

Keep vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night. It puts each product at the time of day it is designed for.

Wear sunscreen daily. Hydroxy acids and retinol can both make skin more sensitive to the sun.

Prefer a set? The Introductory Routine ($186) covers a first routine, The Oily Skin Routine ($186) covers oily skin, and The Anti-Aging Routine ($395) covers a full anti-aging morning.

Where should you buy SkinCeuticals?

SkinCeuticals is a professional brand sold through dermatologists, plastic surgeons, medical spas and authorized retailers. Many of its formulas depend on freshness and correct storage, pure vitamin C above all, so stock from an unauthorized seller may be old, stored in heat or not authentic.

SkinCrew is an Authorized SkinCeuticals US Retailer. Every product comes through authorized SkinCeuticals channels, with fast US shipping. Shop the full range on the SkinCeuticals brand page, or browse more guides in The Skin Edit.

For a ranked shortlist, see The 10 Best SkinCeuticals Products. For the brand background, read The Complete SkinCeuticals Guide, and for everything about the hero serum, read The C E Ferulic Guide.

What else do people ask about SkinCeuticals routines?

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