Best Skin Care Routine for Younger, Smoother Looking Skin

You’ve spent hours and hundreds of dollars buying the best beauty products for your skin type, but if you’re applying them in the wrong order, you could be doing more harm than good. For example, serum or moisturizer first?

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When is the best time to apply retinol? Should I use a moisturizer or retinol? The order in which you apply your skincare products is vital and can make the difference between seeing results and wasting your time and money. But not to worry. We’ve put together a skincare routine order so that you never have to second guess which products to put on and when.

Layering Skincare Products

One easy way to remember the order of your skincare products is to consider their texture. You want to apply them from lightest to heaviest. Serums are lightweight, so if you use them after a rich cream, the cream will essentially create a barrier and block the serum from reaching your skin. Many moisturizers also contain water, which can dilute a product that is layered on top of it.

The only time this rule goes out the window is with a face oil. In fact, when to apply an oil is a somewhat debatable topic, but it all comes down to your skin type. Many oils replace moisturizers, so then it would be the last product applied before your sunscreen. OIlier skin types would likely choose between a moisturizer or a face oil. For those with dry and combination skin types, both products can be used — but a thick cream is not necessarily the final product you’d put on.

With that said, here’s what “lightest to heaviest” really means. Water-based products should be the closest to the skin — so, they would be applied first. Oil-dominant products such as a face oil should be applied on top to seal everything else in. So, if a serum is oil-based, it would be applied last, not immediately after cleansing like a traditional water-based serum.

Timing is Everything

As a general rule of thumb, you should wait about 30-60 seconds in between each skincare step before applying the next product, so it has a chance to absorb into the skin thoroughly. Some products, such as an acne treatment, for example, take a few hours to work, so it’s best applied at night without anything else on top of them to block them from reaching your skin.

Retinol and the more potent prescription-strength retinoids stimulate collagen synthesis and effectively treat fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and various forms of acne. However, they increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun and should therefore only be applied at night — and sunscreen should always be a part of your morning skincare routine no matter what.

Face Routine Product Cheat Sheet

Exfoliate

Carrot & Stick The Brightening Pads
Reveal a fresh, smooth, and radiant complexion with these pre-saturated pads. A concentrated blend of salicylic, lactic, and mandelic acids sweeps away the build-up of dead skin cells, gently exfoliating to promote clarity, refine texture, and rid pores of impurities. Herbal extracts fight visible photodamage and help keep the appearance of redness in check. Resurfaced skin is smoother, brighter, and more receptive to products. It’s Formulated with love for normal, dry, oily, and combination skin.

Tone

The Toner
Replenishes skin with potent antioxidants, hydrating hyaluronic acid and myriad plant extracts. By harnessing the antioxidant properties of CoQ10, it supports the production of collagen and elastin, promoting the look of smoother skin.

Defend

Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum
Packed with antioxidants, this revitalizing serum helps promote collagen production and visibly brighten skin. Three distinct vitamin C derivatives work together to fight visible free radical damage and enhance cellular longevity. Regular use transforms dull, uneven-looking skin into clear, radiant beauty.

Plump

The Concentrate
This innovative bi-phase serum combines natural, moisture-rich ingredients with anti-aging ingredients in one replenishing and nourishing formula. Layer-by-layer hydration imparts a light, silky texture with no heavy feel. Plant-derived collagen helps support skin structure while antioxidant-rich extracts help combat the effects of environmental stress, promoting a smooth, luminous complexion.

Treat

Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum
This high-performance serum is designed to visibly lift, tighten and firm as it helps defend against damaging free radicals. Hyaluronic acid and vitamin E deliver an instant boost of hydration. A blend of synthesized growth factors encourages elasticity, cell turnover, and nutrient absorption to support revitalization. Seven plant-based neuropeptides enhance the skin’s structural integrity from the inside out, promoting smoother, more resilient-looking skin. Soothing and brightening botanicals, including chamomile, licorice root, and green tea, impart an ageless glow.

The Face Oil
This formula contains a next-generation retinoid and potent antioxidants to help reduce visible signs of aging.

Eyes

Carrot & Stick The Eye Cream
This revolutionary treatment uses highly effective botanical extracts to reduce signs of stress and fatigue, including eye bags and dark circles. The Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) has an anti-glycation effect that helps delicate skin around the lids feel tighter. St. Paul’s wort (Sigesbeckia Orientalis) boosts the appearance of collagen and elastin, restoring vitality.

Carrot & Stick The Eye Serum. A blend of advanced peptides reduces the look of discoloration and rich moisturizers combat dryness. Crow’s feet are smoothed, puffiness is reduced and skin is visibly lifted and brightened with every application.

Hydrate, Moisturize

Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer
This lightweight antioxidant formula is a hydrating powerhouse that leaves skin feeling remarkably smooth and radiant. Overflowing with potent plant proteins, vitamins, peptides, and amino-collagen, it delivers multi-level hydration. Our active complex of three natural bio-ferments supports greater nutrient density and more efficient absorption. Caffeine adds an energy boost that revitalizes the skin, while five distinct coconut elements promote overall conditioning.

Inside, Out

If you are over 30, we recommend including a plant based collagen support supplement in your skincare routine.Our recommendation is Collagen Bounce. It supports skin’s natural collagen production, inside out.

The Final Word

Keep in mind that as you age, your skin concerns will also shift. What works in your 20’s may need a readjustment in your 30’s, 40’s and 50’s as hormonal, natural aging, and lifestyle changes shift the balance of our skin.

If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin. 

We recommend The Complete Collection or Day and Night Routine.

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