Build your skincare routine

3 steps0 chosen

Build around protection. Keep what earns a place; remove what does not.

1
Cleanser
Why here?
A gentle wash to remove sunscreen, makeup, and daily buildup.
Evidence-backed placement
2
Moisturizer
Why here?
Supports the barrier and helps treatments feel more tolerable.
Evidence-backed placement
3
Sunscreen
Why here?
Broad-spectrum SPF 30+ is the final morning skincare step.
Evidence-backed placement

Your routine

Saved on this device as you build.

5 steps

3 morning

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2 evening

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Choose two products to check how they work together.

Introduce products safely

Patch-test twice daily for 7-10 days.

Add one new active at a time; about 2 weeks apart is dermatologist convention, not a trial-derived rule.

Source 1 Source 2

When should I expect results?

Timelines belong here as optional context—not as another required routine step.

retinoid (photoaging)

First results: 4-16 wk · Fuller results: 24-48 wk

Honest range: ~4wk earliest RCT-detectable, 12-16wk patient-noticeable; irritation/retinization peaks in the first ~2 weeks.

Source 1 Source 2

retinoid (acne)

First results: 2-3 wk · Fuller results: 12 wk

Skin may worsen and irritation peaks in the first ~2 weeks; pivotal trials run 12 weeks.

Source

adapalene

First results: 12 wk · Fuller results: 12 wk

Label-backed onset only at the 12wk endpoint; acne/irritation may worsen in the first ~4 weeks then lessen.

Source 1 Source 2

niacinamide

First results: 4 wk · Fuller results: 12 wk

Pigment/tone improves by ~4wk (sebum as early as 2wk at 2%); fine lines/texture/elasticity reach significance by the 12wk endpoint.

Source 1 Source 2

vitamin c (l-ascorbic acid)

First results: 12 wk · Fuller results: 24 wk

No acceptable trial measured earlier than 12 weeks — do not claim faster onset.

Source 1 Source 2

glycolic acid / aha

First results: 1-4 wk · Fuller results: 22 wk

Texture/smoothness can improve within ~1 week; photoaging/pigment change takes ~22 weeks (the 1wk figure is from a multi-ingredient AHA system).

Source 1 Source 2

salicylic acid (acne)

First results: 1-3 wk · Fuller results: 8-12 wk

Source 1 Source 2

azelaic acid (acne/rosacea)

First results: 4 wk · Fuller results: 12 wk

Label verbatim for acne: improvement "within four weeks"; rosacea RCT endpoints at 12 weeks. Melasma takes ~24 weeks.

Source 1 Source 2

benzoyl peroxide

First results: 4 wk · Fuller results: 12 wk

Onset is ~4wk (AAD "4 to 6 weeks"), not 2wk; full clearing 2-3 months or longer.

Source 1 Source 2

hydroquinone

First results: 5-7 wk · Fuller results: 12 wk

Discontinue if no improvement after ~2-3 months; limit continuous use to ~5-6 months then take a break.

Source 1 Source 2

tranexamic acid (topical, melasma)

First results: 4 wk · Fuller results: 12 wk

4wk was the earliest measured timepoint; true onset could be sooner but is not verifiable.

Source

hyaluronic acid

First results: 0 wk · Fuller results: 6-8 wk

Hydration effect is immediate (+134% skin water content after a single application); wrinkle-depth and sustained hydration build over 6-8 weeks.

Source 1 Source 2

ceramide / barrier moisturizer

First results: 0 wk · Fuller results: 4 wk

Water-loss drops within hours of application; significant barrier + hydration improvement by day 28.

Source 1 Source 2

sunscreen

First results: 0-12 wk · Fuller results: 52 wk

Protection is immediate; measurable photoaging/pigment improvement from daily sunscreen ALONE appears by ~12wk and continues to 52wk. A 4.5-year RCT showed 24% less skin aging with daily use.

Source 1 Source 2

acne (overall expectation)

First results: 6-8 wk · Fuller results: 12-16 wk

AAD: give any acne product 6-8 weeks; complete clearing generally 3-4 months.

Source 1 Source 2

Morning or evening for actives?

retinol

Tretinoin (and tazarotene) are photolabile and degrade under UV, so evening use is evidence-backed; for photostable adapalene, PM is convention/irritation-driven. Apply to dry skin to limit irritation.

Source 1 Source 2

vitamin c (l-ascorbic acid)

either

AM is reasonable optimization (antioxidant supplements sunscreen), but it is NOT required — vitamin C saturates skin after ~3 daily applications with a ~4-day tissue half-life, so the hour you apply barely matters.

Source 1 Source 2

glycolic acid

Evening use is convention; the real, evidence-backed requirement is daily SPF because AHAs raise UV sensitivity for up to a week after stopping.

Source

salicylic acid

either

Less clearly photosensitizing than AHAs; timing is largely convention, driven by where it fits with other actives.

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benzoyl peroxide

either

Works AM or PM; if pairing with classic tretinoin, keep them in separate sessions to avoid oxidative degradation.

Source

niacinamide

either

Photostable and well tolerated; placement is flexible and driven by routine convenience.

Source

azelaic acid

either

Typically used once or twice daily; no photolability constraint, so placement is convention.

Source

hyaluronic acid

either

A humectant with no photostability concern; the idea it works better on damp skin is plausible but not trial-backed.

Source

spf

Applied every morning as the last skincare step, ~15 minutes before sun exposure, reapplied every 2 hours and after swimming/sweating.

Source

Layering details and common myths

Specific between-layer waits (e.g., "wait 20-30 min for absorption") have NO clinical-trial support; order matters more than timing. The one AAD-mentioned wait — 20-30 min after washing before a retinoid — is to let skin fully dry and reduce irritation, not for efficacy.

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Apply retinoids to DRY skin — the label directs "clean, dry" skin and damp skin increases penetration and irritation. Applying humectants to damp skin is plausible but not trial-backed.

Source

Keep beginner routines simple — start with the three essentials (gentle cleanser, moisturizer, SPF 30+) and add one active at a time; too many products raises irritation risk. A specific "max 1-2 actives" number is expert convention, not a trial-derived threshold.

Source 1 Source 2

Applying moisturizer before or after a retinoid ("open sandwich") does NOT reduce its bioactivity, so moisturizing for tolerability does not cost efficacy. (Full both-sides sandwiching can dilute it ~3-fold.)

Source

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