A useful skincare routine starts with products that fit your needs and that you can use comfortably. Natural origin alone does not establish safety or effectiveness.
Choosing the right natural skincare products can be overwhelming -- we get it! How do you know which products you should and shouldn’t be using? To help, we’ve put together a simple, natural skincare routine for every skin type -- including the exact types of products you should be looking for based on yours. Follow this basic advice, and you’ll be glowing for good.
SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR NORMAL SKIN
Your skin can be classified as normal if it isn’t particularly oily or dry, and if anti-aging, acne, and sensitivity aren’t concerns on your radar—in other words, the skin type all of us wish we had. This is the best skincare routine for normal skin.
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Cleanser (Morning/Night): A sulfate-free cleanser with a gentle lather will help keep your skin blemish-free.
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Optional toner: Choose a comfortable formula for the function your routine needs. Botanical ingredients do not guarantee gentleness or establish the finished product’s pH. Use the toner guide by skin type and skip the step if it adds no benefit.
- Moisturizer With SPF (Morning): A light moisturizer with spf will protect your skin from the sun and hydrate without clogging your pores.
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Antioxidant Serum (Night): Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to brighten and revitalize otherwise normal skin.
- Moisturizer (Night): At night, you can go with a creamier moisturizer, sans SPF, to nourish your skin while you sleep.
Compare products by the needs of your skin using the face-moisturizer guide and optional face-mask choices.
SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR DRY SKIN
The best skincare routine for dry skin typically contains products that keep skin hydrated. Dry skin has a damaged moisture barrier, meaning it has invisible cracks allowing moisture to escape and irritants to get in more easily.
- Cleanser (Morning/Night): A gentle foaming cleanser is best for those with dry skin.
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Optional toner: Choose a comfortable formula for the function your routine needs. Botanical ingredients do not guarantee gentleness or establish the finished product’s pH. Use the toner guide by skin type and skip the step if it adds no benefit.
- Antioxidant Serum (Morning): Using a highly potent antioxidant serum (look for vitamins E, A, and C) during the daytime to help prevent collagen breakdown.
- Moisturizer With SPF (Morning): A hydrating moisturizer with SPF is the final step in your a.m. skin routine to help your skin retain moisture while guarding against UVA/UVB rays.
- Retinoid use: follow the actual product or prescription directions and introduce it around tolerance. Do not assign every retinol formula the same five-night schedule. See actives and an irritated barrier.
- An eye cream is optional when a suitable moisturizer already works comfortably around the eyes. Vivid Revival® Vitamin K Contouring Eye Cream combines moisturizing ingredients, green tea and phytomenadione; this does not establish improved circulation or permanent bag removal. Follow the product-specific application guidance.
- Hydrating Moisturizer (Night): Look for rose hip seed oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, phospholipids, cranberry oil, sweet almond oil, and/or jojoba oil. All of these ingredients mimic the natural lipids in your skin and do a better job of repairing your skin’s moisture barrier.
SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR OILY SKIN
Oily skin has larger oil glands and a high sebum content. So the goal is to lessen the oil activity by keeping your skin cells lightly hydrated. Our picks for oily skin contain ingredients that help control excess oil production.
- Cleanser: wash gently according to your needs and tolerance. More oil does not mean you should repeatedly strip the face. Use the washing-frequency guide.
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Optional toner: Choose a comfortable formula for the function your routine needs. Botanical ingredients do not guarantee gentleness or establish the finished product’s pH. Use the toner guide by skin type and skip the step if it adds no benefit.
- Oil-Free Moisturizer (Morning/Night): If you think you don’t need to use a moisturizer with oily skin, think again. Your skin can actually get oilier when it’s dehydrated, by overcompensating.
- Zinc Oxide Sunscreen (Morning): Definitely look for zinc oxide sunscreens, because those will leave a more matte finish to your skin. Plus, it’s a natural antibacterial and ideal for people prone to breakouts.
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AHA/BHA Serum (Night): Any serum with alpha-hydroxy acids or beta-hydroxy acids will help reduce the appearance of large pores as well as brighten dull spots.
- Optional clay mask: choose only for a tolerated cosmetic surface-oil effect. It is not automatically an acne spot treatment and has no fixed universal schedule. See clay-mask selection.
SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR COMBINATION SKIN
The skincare routine for combination skin contains ingredients that treat a wide range of skin concerns. If you have combination skin, you’re oily in some places and dry in others. You don’t necessarily want to use two different routines, but instead find one in the middle of the road.
- Cleanser: choose a comfortable wash around what you need to remove. Compare cleansers for combination skin rather than choosing one format for every face.
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Optional toner: Choose a comfortable formula for the function your routine needs. Botanical ingredients do not guarantee gentleness or establish the finished product’s pH. Use the toner guide by skin type and skip the step if it adds no benefit.
- Lightweight Moisturizer (Morning/Night): Combination skin doesn’t need an oil-free moisturizer, but it does need a lightweight one.
- Zinc Oxide Sunscreen (Morning): Just like with oily skin, zinc oxide sunscreens are great for combo skin, thanks to the matte finish.
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AHA/BHA Serum (Night): A vitamin C face serum will minimize pores and brighten up dull skin. If you’re acne-prone, look for ingredients like salicylic acid and tea-tree oil to keep your skin clear.
SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
The skincare routine for sensitive skin needs to be soothing and non irritating. It’s more delicate skin that you can’t be aggressive with.
- Cleanser (Morning/Night): A gentle, sulfate-free cleansing lotion will get rid of your makeup and any impurities without disrupting your skin’s natural barrier.
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Optional toner: Choose a comfortable formula for the function your routine needs. Botanical ingredients do not guarantee gentleness or establish the finished product’s pH. Use the toner guide by skin type and skip the step if it adds no benefit.
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Lightweight Moisturizer (Morning/Night): Prickly pear packs a punch when it comes to moisturizing sensitive skin, as it’s both hydrating and anti-inflammatory.
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Zinc Oxide Sunscreen (Morning): Look for sunscreens with zinc oxide, as this ingredient is least likely to irritate sensitive skin.
Face masks in this routine
Use the face-mask guide to compare formats and the application guide for product-specific timing and removal.
