Skincare & sunscreen ☀️

Order of operations

Be intentional about how you layer products. Start with your thinnest, most watery formulas and get increasingly thicker as you go. Apply water-based products first, then move to anything containing oils.

1. 01CleansePM only– Splash your face with water in the AM.

2. 02Dampen & prepAM & PM– Toners, essences, sprays.

3. 03SerumsAM & PM– Lightest viscosity first, thickest last.

4. 04Vitamin CAM only– Mornings and daytime only.

5. 05Chemical exfoliantPM only– Start once a week and work up to every other day.

6. 06Facial oilPM only– After your serums, before the heavier layers.

7. 07Eye cream or gelPM only– Your barrier for the thin skin around the eyes, so it goes on before retinol. No eye cream? Put moisturizer there first.

8. 08RetinolPM only– Light breaks retinoids down, so night only — and if you use one, you have to wear sunscreen daily.

9. 09MoisturizerAM & PM– Every day, both ends of it.

10. 10SPFAM only– Wear it every single day.

11. 11OcclusivePM only– I really only add this layer in the winter, when it's super cold and dry and I need to keep my barrier protected and do some repair.

My AM/PM routine

This is what the order above looks like on an actual day. Yours will differ — the point is the sequence, not the specific bottles.

The proper way to wash your face

I did not learn this until about 2022. Neutrogena ads lied to us — we should not be splashing water on our faces like that.

1. 1

   If you're wearing sunscreen or makeup, you have to remove it first.

   Use either an oil cleanser or micellar water with a pad.

2. 2

   Before washing, grab a fresh washcloth. You should not use a towel on your face more than once, and definitely not one that has been sitting in your bathroom where bacteria can grow.

   I use Clean Skin Club disposable towels, but you can also buy reusable ones for each day of the week and wash them weekly.

3. 3

   Dry cleanse. Take your cleanser, squeeze it into your palm, and warm it between your hands. Then apply it to your face.

   If it feels too dry, add a few drops of water.

4. 4

   Massage the cleanser in gently, and keep going for about a minute.

   Take special care around your nose, and on your neck.

5. 5

   Dampen your face cloth, then wipe the residual cleanser off.

6. 6

   If you're double cleansing, repeat a second time.

Types of sunscreen

Sunscreen formulations are typically designated as chemical or mineral-based, although many are a blend of both.

Mineral sunscreens are generally recommended for folks with sensitive skin, because zinc oxide can be gentle on sensitive skin. It blocks harmful UV rays without absorbing into the skin, and it is also anti-inflammatory and water-resistant.

However, zinc and titanium dioxide are white pigments that can leave a cast on skin, especially for folks who are more melanated. Chemical filters are soluble, so products using them can be made to be transparent.

Protection ratings

A sunscreen's SPF is a measure of how many harmful ultraviolet rays it absorbs or reflects away from your skin. There are two kinds of UV rays — UVA and UVB — and each penetrates your skin differently.

• PA+Blocks 40–50% of UVA rays
• PA++Blocks 60–70% of UVA rays, lasts about 4–6 hours
• PA+++Blocks up to 90% of UVA rays, lasts about 8–12 hours
• PA++++Extremely high UVA protection — 16 times more effective than no sunscreen

Asian sunscreens

Almost all of my favorite sunscreen brands are Asian, and most are Korean. There are many reasons for this, but the most important is the texture of the formulations. Instead of sitting on my skin like a regular sun cream tends to do, these are made to go on like skincare. They absorb faster, leave less of a sheen or grease on my face, and tend not to irritate my skin as much.

My favorites

• SKIN1004

  Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF50 PA++++

  $19.00$9.70 / 50mlStylevana ↗

• Round Lab

  Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++

  $28.00$19.60 / 50mlStylevana ↗

• Purito SEOUL

  Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++

  $21.50$15.05 / 60mlStylevana ↗

• ANUA

  Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++

  $22.00 / 50mlStylevana ↗

• Tocobo

  Bio Watery Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++

  $20.00$18.00 / 50mlStylevana ↗

Sun sticks I keep in my bag for reapplying

• Tocobo

  Cotton Soft Sun Stick SPF50+ PA++++

  $20.00$18.00 / 19gStylevana ↗

• Round Lab

  Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun Stick SPF50+ PA++++

  $25.00$17.50 / 19gStylevana ↗

Not right for me specifically, but hugely popular

• Beauty of Joseon

  Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotic SPF50+ PA++++

  $18.00$12.60 / 50mlStylevana ↗

• Isntree

  Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF50+ PA++++

  $24.40$11.71 / 50mlStylevana ↗

• Biore

  UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+ PA++++

  $12.24$9.79 / 70gStylevana ↗

European sunscreens

France used to be the queen of skincare, so there are many tried and true European brands that are beloved by many.

• Isdin

  Eryfotona Actinica Ultralight mineral sunscreen SPF 50+

  $46.00 / 50mlIsdin ↗

• Eucerin

  Sun Face Oil Control Gel-Cream SPF 50+

  $27.05 / 50mlCare to Beauty ↗

• SVR

  Sun Secure Blur Mousse Cream SPF50+

  $19.91 / 50mlCare to Beauty ↗

• Heliocare

  360 Pigment Solution Fluid SPF50+

  Formulated to reduce hyperpigmentation.

  $37.18 / 50mlCare to Beauty ↗

• Garnier

  Ambre Solaire Super UV Anti-Dark Spots Face Fluid SPF50+

  $22.85 / 40mlCare to Beauty ↗

US & Australian sunscreens

Comparatively speaking, Australia and the US are most similar in their sunscreen regulation processes. If you need to buy US or Australian brands, there are some decent options. Just be aware that sunscreen is regulated like an over-the-counter medication in the United States (and similarly in Australia, as a therapeutic good), and until very recently no new filters had been approved in decades. That means US manufacturers have largely been beholden to old tech.

• Naked Sundays

  SPF50 CabanaClear Water Gel Serum

  $25.00 / 50mlNaked Sundays ↗

• Naked Sundays

  The SPF50 Clear Glow Stick Duo

  $60.00$54.00Naked Sundays ↗

• Kiehl's

  Better Screen™ Miner-all™ UV Serum – Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ with Cica Centella

  Carries the National Eczema Association seal of acceptance.

  $36.00 / 1.4ozKiehl's ↗

• Black Girl Sunscreen

  Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30

  $16.99 / 3ozUlta ↗

• Supergoop

  Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50

  $18.00 / 2.4ozSupergoop ↗

• Supergoop

  Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50

  $48.00 / 2.5ozSupergoop ↗

• Trader Joe's

  Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40

  $8.99 / 1.7ozTrader Joe's ↗

• Paula's Choice

  Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50

  $39.00$31.20 / 2ozPaula's Choice ↗

• EltaMD

  UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46

  $45.00 / 1.7ozDermstore ↗

• Banana Boat

  Light As Air Lotion SPF 50+

  Scented.

  $13.99 / 6ozCVS ↗

• Dr. Jart+

  Every Sun Day Mineral Face Sunscreen SPF 50+

  Scented.

  $40.00 / 1.69ozSephora ↗

• First Aid Beauty

  Weightless Liquid Mineral Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide SPF 30

  $38.00 / 1.5ozFirst Aid Beauty ↗

• First Aid Beauty

  Hydrating Sunscreen Milk with Colloidal Oatmeal Broad Spectrum SPF 45

  Carries the National Eczema Association seal of acceptance.

  $38.00 / 1.7ozFirst Aid Beauty ↗

• CeraVe

  Face Moisturizer with Sunscreen, AM for Normal to Dry Skin SPF 30

  $14.99 / 2ozTarget ↗

Products I recommend

Sunscreen is the part I am evangelical about, but people always ask what else I use. Here is the whole shelf, in the order it goes on.

Definitions

Active

Any ingredient doing real biological work rather than just sitting there — acids, retinoids, vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide. Actives are the things that get results and also the things that cause irritation, so the trick is using fewer of them at once than you think you need.

Broad spectrum

A sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. SPF only tells you about UVB, so without a broad-spectrum claim, a high SPF number can still leave you unprotected against the rays associated with aging and skin cancer.

Comedogenic

Pore-clogging. "Non-comedogenic" on a label is a marketing claim, not a regulated one, and comedogenicity is highly individual — an ingredient that breaks out one person is fine on another. Treat the label as a hint, not a promise.

Double cleansing

Two cleansers back to back: an oil-based one to dissolve sunscreen and makeup, then a water-based one to clean the skin underneath. Worth it on any day you wore sunscreen, which should be every day.

Emollient

The third piece of the moisturizer puzzle, alongside humectants and occlusives. Emollients fill the gaps between skin cells to make the surface feel soft and smooth. Squalane, ceramides, and most plant oils are emollients. A good moisturizer usually has all three types in it.

Fragrance-free vs. unscented

Not the same thing. Fragrance-free means no fragrance was added. Unscented can mean a masking fragrance was added to cover how the formula smells. If fragrance irritates you, the word you want is fragrance-free.

Humectant

Ingredients that attract and bind water. They can draw water from the deeper layers of the skin to the outermost layer, or from the surrounding environment if humidity is above 70%. Useful for adding hydration without feeling heavy or oily, and found in lotions, shampoos, and other beauty products. Glycerin, urea, AHAs, and hyaluronic acid are all humectants.

Occlusive

Ingredients that form a physical barrier on the skin to keep it hydrated. They are usually heavy, greasy, and sticky, and can be used on skin and hair. They are often the final step in a routine and are mainly used at night.

Photostable

An ingredient that does not break down when sunlight hits it. It matters most for sunscreen filters — an unstable filter stops protecting you partway through the day, which is why reapplication exists and why photostable filters are a genuine improvement.

Purging

The breakout that can happen when you start a retinoid or an exfoliating acid, as the skin cycle speeds up and everything already under the surface comes up at once. It shows up where you normally break out and clears within four to six weeks. If it lasts longer, or appears somewhere new, that is not purging — that is a reaction.

Skin barrier

The outermost layer of your skin — a mix of dead cells and lipids that holds water in and keeps irritants out. When people say their barrier is "damaged," they usually mean it stings, flakes, or reacts to products it used to tolerate. The fix is almost always fewer actives and more ceramides, not more product.

Ingredient glossary

An ongoing project — I add to this as I read. "Evidence" is my shorthand for how well supported the ingredient is by actual research, which is often a lot shakier than the marketing suggests. Filter by type, or tap any tag on a card to see everything in that category.

A pregnancy-safe tag means the sources I could find consistently list it as fine to use while pregnant. No tag does not mean unsafe — it means I have not confirmed it either way, so ask your doctor rather than reading anything into the gap.

FAQs