A reader asked if we could do a post explaining when to use each product within the skin care regimen and why. Good question. Are some products better in the morning? Others at night? Is there a rule to follow to make it all easier? How do you know if you’re doing it right? Let’s see if we can simplify and take the worry out of figuring out what to use and when to use it.
If there’s a rule of thumb, it’s this: Protect in the AMs. Treat in the PMs.
Table of contents
Your Morning Skincare Guide
Your morning routine is all about protection, prepping for the day, and guarding against the elements. That means antioxidants, peptides, and SPF.
Cleanse. Wash with a cleanser targeted to your skin issues or a universal cleanser like Vivant’s Green Tea Cleanser, which helps defend skin against free radicals and daily pollutants. If you have acne-prone skin, use a mandelic acid or benzoyl peroxide cleanser to help fight the spread of acne bacteria. For sensitive or rosacea skin, Cleansing Milk soothes and helps protect the skin barrier from the day’s aggressors.
Tone. Toner is an AM essential for lifting away cellular debris and prepping for better absorption of corrective serums. Toners also have ingredients to help defend against environmental stressors, calm the look of redness, and support natural cell turnover. With its blend of niacinamide, lactic acid, and witch hazel, Vivant’s Skin Nourishing Toner is a perfect universal toner to keep skin refined and balanced. If you have oily skin, opt for Skin Nourishing Toner or Daily Repair Pads. A mandelic acid toner is an excellent choice for unevenly pigmented or aging skin.
Add Antioxidants. Morning calls for a vitamin C and E serum. Vivant’s Pure C + E Antioxidant Serum harnesses the synergistic strength of these two antioxidant heroes for advanced defense and repair support.
Contrary to popular belief, REt (RP)™ Retinoid (vitamin A) can absolutely be used in the morning. Just be sure to use sunscreen because of the vitamin A serum. Using REt (RP)™ Retinoid morning and night is the best way to take advantage of the renewing properties of this antioxidant powerhouse.
And yes, you can apply vitamin C (Pure C + E) and your REt (RP)™ Retinoid serum together. The two make a perfect pair to maximize your antioxidant protection. Studies show that, when used in tandem, the vitamin C/retinoid duo helps reduce the visible signs of aging and sun exposure.
Mandelic Acid. Mandelic acid's antioxidant and soothing properties help defend skin against environmental stressors and support a clearer, more even-looking tone. If you’re using mandelic acid, make it part of your morning routine.
Your skin care routine might include both mandelic acid and a REt (RP)™ Retinoid. If so, we recommend using the mandelic acid in the AM and REt (RP)™ Retinoid at night just to let each one work its magic.
Eyes. No matter what other products you're using, start your day with an antioxidant eye cream that will help fight the look of premature aging from environmental stress. Wink Eye Rejuvenation Cream is a high-performance formula that gets its superhero strength from a blend of vitamin A, peptides, and caffeine. It guards against free radical damage and photoaging.
Sunscreen. Finally, sunscreen is a must for your morning routine, especially if you’re using a vitamin A therapy. Day Lotion Sunscreen SPF 15 is all the hydrating and UV protection you’ll need in the AM.
Your Nighttime Skincare Guide
At night, take advantage of the body’s natural repair cycle and sleep. Focus on replenishing and renewing with antioxidants, peptides, acids, and nourishing hydrators.
Cleanse. You can use your morning cleanser at night, though depending on your skin concerns, you may want to consider a couple of tweaks at night. You could swap out your morning cleanser for a gentle hydrating wash like Cleansing Milk. Or you might want to mix in some Buffing Grains for some physical exfoliation if you’re not already using a scrub.
Tone. Use your toner to remove the day’s dirt, oil, traces of makeup, and cellular buildup and to optimize the performance of your follow-on products. An ideal choice for nighttime replenishment is Skin Nourishing Toner with its ultra-reparative formula.
Treat. Your REt (RP)™ Retinoid serum is perfect at bedtime for skin's natural overnight renewal. Likewise, your mandelic acid serums will help support a clearer, smoother, more even-looking complexion while you sleep.
Moisturize. A moisturizer isn’t a necessity, especially if your skin is acne-prone, but if you like some additional moisture, this is the time to get it. Marine Skin Nourishment Cream is one of our favorites for intense hydration without the grease. Its bioactive blend of marine minerals and proteins helps support a healthy-looking, resilient skin barrier and supple, smooth-looking tone.
Eyes. You don’t need a daytime and nighttime eye cream. You just need Wink Eye Rejuvenation Cream. It helps protect during the day, replenishes moisture, and supports resilience while you sleep. This is your dream cream.
There’s plenty of crossover here because many of the ingredients that protect also restore. There aren’t any wrong answers. It’s all just a matter of optimizing.
Quick guide
Cleanser - AM and PM
Toner - AM and PM
Corrective Serums - AM and PM
Eye Cream – AM and PM
Sunscreen - AM
Hydrators - PM
Masks - Weekly AM or PM
Vitamin C – AM
Peptides – AM and PM
Acids – AM and PM
Vitamin A – AM and PM
Antioxidants – AM and PM
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