In which order should my skincare products go? (Part 2/2)

Dr. Irwin
August 3, 2020
At night, can I apply Active Serum AQ first, wait a few minutes, and then apply my Retin A? Want to be able to use both. Or would I use each every other night???? Or apply Retin A first then Active Serum? Thanks.

We want the maximum we can get from our skincare products for both prevention of aging, and also for repair of aging.  If we are using multiple products to cover the main categories, especially if they are expensive, how to we maximize them?

Please see Part 1 for the full description of top product categories in anti-aging skincare now.  Briefly these include:

  • Sunscreens – Prevent damage to skin cells and skin cell DNA (particularly important for skin cancers).
  • Retinoids –  They help prevent wrinkles, precancerous spots, skin cancers, brown spots, keep cell turnover high, and improve acne.  Hard not to like these.
  • Antioxidants –  They help prevent damage to DNA of skin cells by scavenging free radicals. those nasty electrons that cause damage to cells from UV exposure, environmental pollutants, and just plain aging.
  • Cell Growth Factors.   Improve cell growth and turnover by supplying growth factors from young skin cells grown in the lab and then purified.
  • Skin Pigment Regulators.  Plant based lighteners help fight uneven skin color that develops with age and sun.  Promotes an even, uniform skin tone.
  • Barrier Layer Defense.  Help to preserve and restore the barrier function which is part of the immune function of our skin.  Deteriorates with too much washing, over scrubbing, and over exfoliating. and various other skin insults.

What order should you use your products in:

  1. Cleanse first
  2. Serums next.  If you are using 2 serums, put the lighter one on first, let dry briefly, then add the second one.
  3. Active antiaging lotions or creams next.  For example, you have put on your serums, now use your peptide cream or barrier protective moisturizer
  4. Sunscreen is last because your using a physical block with zinc oxide, not a chemical block
  5. Don’t forget your eye cream and lip sunscreen.

Hope this helps,

Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

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