Skincare
A Guide To Building A Skincare Routine
New to skincare or starting over? This step-by-step guide covers cleansing, treatment, and protection in the right order.
LP
Dr. Lena Park
Jun 30, 2026 · 7 min read
The order that matters when you are starting from zero.
Starting from zero is easier than most ten-step routines make it look. Here's the order that actually matters, and where to stop.
The non-negotiables
- Cleanser, morning and night.
- Moisturizer, morning and night.
- Sunscreen, every single morning, rain or shine.
Add slowly from there
Once those three are habits, introduce one active at a time — vitamin C in the morning, or a retinoid at night — and wait at least two weeks before adding anything else. Skin needs time to show you whether something is working.
Most routine failures aren't about the wrong products. They're about adding too many, too fast.
Dr. Lena Park, Consultant Dermatologist
SkincareRoutineBeginners
LP
Dr. Lena Park
Consultant Dermatologist
Lena splits her time between clinical practice and research, translating peer-reviewed studies into skincare advice people can actually follow.
