Morning Skincare Routine: Step-by-Step Guide From the Experts

The nighttime routine has become the star of the skincare regimen, but your morning skincare routine is just as important to the overall look and health of your skin. While your evening regimen might focus on active ingredients and skin repair, your morning routine should aim to protect your skin barrier for the day ahead.

Morning is also prime time to focus on feeling refreshed, reducing puffiness, and prepping your skin for makeup (should you choose to wear it). Esthetician Cecily Brayden says the biggest mistake she sees in her clients is “concentrating on covering up their flaws and not focusing on the inner function of their skin.” So before you reach for your favorite foundation, give your skin what it needs to glow sans makeup.

Whether you’re a skincare veteran or new to the world of skincare, we have expert tips to help you build your morning skincare routine. We also have the answers to all of your questions, like: Do I really need to wash my face in the morning? What daytime serum should I use? Is a morning eye cream really necessary? Keep reading to discover the perfect skincare routine for a morning glow.

The skincare community is torn: Should you wash your face in the morning? The short answer: maybe. If you used active ingredients the night before, like retinol or alpha or beta hydroxy acids (AHAs or BHAs), it’s important to wash your face, as these ingredients can sensitize your skin to the sun. You will also want to wash your face if you use an overnight treatment, sweat at night, have oily skin, or if you simply enjoy a morning cleanse. One of our go-tos: ONEKIND Clean Slate Gentle Cleansing Cream.

However, if your nighttime routine is void of actives and you skipped your morning workout, you can opt for a simple refresh with micellar water or just begin at step two of our recommendation. Whether you cleanse or not, the first step in your morning routine should always involve refreshing and rehydrating the skin. “Our skin loses moisture during the night through respiration and trans-dermal water loss (TEWL), which leads to the skin feeling dry and dehydrated,” says Braden. By replenishing moisture back into your skin, it will be prepped to receive the next steps of your routine.