Skin School Class 8: Building Your Skincare Routine

It’s the last week of Skin School, so let’s put it all together! Building your ideal skincare routine is all about identifying your goals, being real about how much time you have, getting the timing right and understanding how much product to use. By now, you should have a pretty good idea of the key products and ingredients you’re looking to add to your routine.Check out this week’s homework to help you narrow in on the right products. In the meantime, let’s dive into the other factors behind building a skincare routine.

How Much Time Do You Have?

As tempting as it is to load up on skincare in the hopes that you’ll use it, you’re better off starting small and being realistic about what you can actually commit to. If you’re a busy new mom or a medical resident, you probably don’t have more than five minutes and that’s okay! The key to healthy skin is consistency. Here’s a quick look at what you might commit to based on your availability.

Really busy, No time

Have More Time At Night

All the Time In The World

When to use your skincare

Remember what we said about consistency? Your skin loves getting the same treatment day after day, week after week. But some things are best applied at night or only used a few times per week. Here's your cheat sheet:

Product	Timing	Frequency
Cleanser		2x Daily
Epidermal Growth Factors		2x Daily
Hyaluronic Acid		2x Daily
Vitamin C		1x Daily
Anti-Aging Peptides		2x Daily
Peels & Masks		1-5x Weekly
Retinol		1-7x Weekly
Moisturizer		2x Daily
SPF		1x Daily and as needed
Microneedling		3-5x Weekly
Dermaplaning		1x Weekly
High Frequency		1x Daily
Ice Rolling		2x Daily

skincare serving sizes

So now you know when you should apply your products, but how much should you really be using? In general, people apply too much skincare–except for SPF, which most people under-apply. Reference this quick guide to use the right amount every time.

Product	Serving Size
Cleanser	Quarter-sized dollop
Serums	3-5 drops
Peels	1 dropper full or enough to evenly cover face & neck
Retinol	Pea-sized dollop
Moisturizer	Dime-sized dollop
SPF	1/2 tsp or quarter-sized dollop

a word on spf

We haven’t talked much about SPF at Skin School but that doesn’t mean it’s optional! You need to apply sun protection Every. Single. Day. While there are a lot of premium sunscreens available, there are also a lot of great options at your local drugstore. It’s worth testing a few to find one that you really love using. In general, we prefer physical sun protectants like zinc oxide to chemical screens because they are less irritating to sensitive skin. Want to learn more? Check out this simple sunscreen guide.

Download this week's handout