Consistency in following a weekly skin care routine can help keep skin looking and feeling its best. Daily cleansing, moisturizing, and sunscreen are the foundation of healthy skin. Adding a few targeted weekly treatments can help address concerns like dryness, dullness, congestion, or uneven texture. There is no one “best” routine because all of that will depend on your skin type, lifestyle, and personal goals. But there are general tips that everyone can use to help build a skin care routine that works for them.

For more tips on building a skin care routine, here are some other posts to read:

Skin Care Routine For Dry Skin

How to Layer Skincare Products

Weekly Skin Care Routine

A weekly skin care routine differs from a daily routine. A weekly routine builds on consistent daily habits while adding targeted treatments. While your daily routine may look different for certain days depending on what your skin needs, all of those steps do add up to real results after a long period of time. Determining what exact products you need for each day can be decided by your or a board certified dermatologist, but the best routines are the ones that you will actually commit to.

What Is A Skincare Routine

Daily habits and weekly treatments work together in a skincare routine to help deliver the results that work for your skin. While the products you use day to day may change, there are certain overall steps and concepts for putting together a skin care routine that work for almost everyone.

Difference Between Daily And Weekly Skin Care Routine

The differences between your weekly and daily skincare routine comes down to what you are looking to achieve with your skin. Some treatments and devices are better used once or a few times each week.

How To Build A Weekly Skincare Routine

Always Cleanse First

Before applying any products, your skin must be fully cleansed. Applying skincare products on top of makeup or dirt/grime from the day will affect their efficacy.

Introduce new products gradually

When building a routine, add products one at a time. This helps prevent irritation and allows you to see how each product affects your skin.

Avoid over-exfoliating

Exfoliating too often can damage the skin barrier and make dryness worse. Limit exfoliation to once or twice a week and choose gentle exfoliants if needed.

Stay consistent with your routine

Be sure to stick with your routine daily in order to see the results that you want. It doesn’t matter if you have an oily skin type, dry skin type or combination skin type, it’s important to be consistent.

Adjust your routine for day or night

Keep your morning routine simple with hydration and protection, while nighttime routines can include richer moisturizers or facial oils that help repair the skin barrier overnight.

Give the Product Time to Absorb

If you have the time, it’s best to let products absorb a bit before applying your next step. Try to wait at least 30 seconds to 1 minute in between each step of your skincare routine.

Layer Thinnest to Thickest

Skincare products should be applied based on their texture. Thinnest products should be applied first followed by thicker formulas after. If you are applying multiple serums, try to determine which serum is the most lightweight and apply that first. If they are all the same consistency, a good rule of thumb is to apply your active ingredients (retinol, acids, etc) first then follow it up with any hydrating or soothing serums (such as a hylauronic acid based product). This theory also applies if you want to apply different moisturizers – go from lightest to heaviest.

SPF Is Always Last

Sun protection is a non-negotiable so be sure to apply a sunscreen every day. It should always be the final step in your morning skincare routine.

Weekly Skincare Routine Steps

Start with a cleanser

It’s always important to cleanse your skin every single day. It’s best done at night, but you can also cleanse in the morning as well. Choose a cleanser that works with your skin type. I prefer to double cleanse each night which has made such a difference in the health of my skin. The first cleansing step is to remove all the makeup, sunscreen, etc from the skin. After that, I will use a second cleanser to help balance and hydrate my skin. Below are a few of my favorite cleansers:

Elemis Pro Collagen Hydrating Cleansing Balm (discount code: MAREE20)

Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm Makeup Remover (discount code: MAREE10)

OneSkin Prep Facial Cleanser (discount code: MAREE15)

Experiment Beauty Plasma Wash (discount code: MAREE15)

Apply Toners/Essences

Using a toner can help rebalance the pH of the skin after cleansing. It is also a great time to add in additional moisture with an essence. You can also use an exfoliating toner at this step for a gentle chemical exfoliation. Below are a few of my favorite toners/essences:

Sarah Creal Beauty Moisture Source

TirTir Milk Skin Toner

Farmacy Honey Milk Hydrating Essence

Use Your Face Masks

If you decide to use a mask in your routine, it’s good to use it after you have cleansed/toned but before you apply your serums. Below are some of the face masks I use regularly:

Clarins Cryo-Flash Instant Lift Effect & Glow Boosting Mask

Blue Lagoon Skincare Algae Mask (discount code: MAREE15)

Spray Your Face Mist

You don’t have to use a face mist every time you do your nighttime routine, but if you do this would be the time that you would apply it. Additionally, you can also apply your face mist throughout the rest of your routine each time you want to add in a burst of moisture. Here are some of my tried and true face mists:

Rhode Glazing Mist

Cocokind Calming Magnesium Face Mist

Biodance Collagen Jelly Peptide Mist

Follow with Eye Cream

There is much debate about when to apply your eye cream but for me personally, I like to apply it at this step. The reason I apply it before my serums and moisturizers is so I can get it on bare skin rather than possibly layering it over the serums/moisturizers making it harder to get through all those layers. I have two eye creams that I love and regularly repurchase.

OneSkin OS-01 Eye Topical Supplement (discount code: MAREE15)

Dieux Auracle Eye Serum

Layer Serums Thinnest to Thickest

If you use a retinol, you can apply it before applying all your serums. When applying your serums, it’s best to layer them from thinnest to thickest. This helps me figure out the order whenever I add a new serum into my routine. Deciding which serums to add to your routine will depend on your skin concerns such as fine lines, anti aging, dark spots, etc. This may be different for everyone but the process of how to layer them will remain the same.

End With Your Moisturizer

Finish your nighttime routine with your moisturizer of choice. Here are some of my favorite moisturizers that I rotate through regularly:

Dieux Instant Angel Moisturizer

Experiment Beauty Molecular Mesh Moisturizer (discount code: MAREE15)

INNBEAUTY Project Extreme Cream Firming & Lifting Moisturizer

Face Oil To Seal It All In

If you want to use a face oil as well, be sure it goes after your moisturizer. Any face oil should be the final step of your nighttime routine because oils can be heavily occlusive not allowing any other products to penetrate past it. For this reason, use it as your last step.

Apply sunscreen daily

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning to protect the skin from UV rays, prevent sun damage and maintain healthy hydration levels. I have tested tons of sunscreen formulas but have a handful that I swear by.

Tatcha the Milky Sunscreen SPF 50

Versed Good Defense Daily Sunscreen SPF 50

OneSkin OS-01 Face SPF Protect + Repair SPF 30 (discount code: MAREE15)

Outfit details: Top | Jeans | Shoes | Belt | Bag | Sunglasses

1. Big news! One of my favorite skincare brands is now available at Sephora.

2. This iconic cleansing gel is now going to be available in a new jelly texture cleansing balm! I am so intrigued and want to try this.

3. I love a different belt shape especially ones that wrap. This one is such a gorgeous statement piece.

4. The color of these sandals!!! Purple satin – I’m obsessed!

5. I struggle with neck pain and ordered this neck/shoulder stretching device.

6. I have this bucket tote for my everyday bag which is now on major sale. It holds so much while also being incredibly sturdy! (My discount code doesn’t work on already reduced items but works on anything full priced – code: MAREESYE).

7. I’ve shared my love for this crossbody bag because of how perfect it is for trips to amusement parks, field trips, etc. It holds so much, doesn’t get dirty and has a million interior pockets for easy organizing. I just got this bag from the same brand that is a bit smaller but still has all the storage compartments I need.

8. Investing in a classic pair of boots for fall/winter is always a good idea. These are part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale but are absolutely timeless and classic! You will wear these for years to come.

9. I have seen so many rave reviews about this new hair mist that I ordered one to try for myself. I love that it’s a bi-phase that you shake up but seems to be a lot lighter than a traditional hair oil which would be perfect for my fine hair.

10. I live for a billowy boho blouse in the summer. This one has small details which make it look so much more elevated than a simple white button down.

11. This seems like a small detail, but this tennis bracelet I’ve been wearing has a metallic closure which makes putting it on so easy. I wish more brands would do this!

12. As a self-proclaimed denim collector, I have been eyeing these jeans for more than a year. Honestly, I have seen them on so many different body types and they always look amazing. I may have to try them at some point for “research” LOL.

13. All my discount codes have been updated. Be sure to browse through all of them before shopping my favorites!

14. Hydrating serums are an essential part of my skincare routine now that my skin is more mature and dehydrated than ever before. I have been testing this intensely hydrating hyaluronic acid serum and LOVE how plumping it is!! So easy to layer into any routine – morning or night. (use code: MAREE25)