First-Time Nighttime Skincare Routine: A Simple 5-Step Beginner Guide

Starting a nighttime skincare routine doesn’t have to be confusing or expensive. This beginner method walks you through exactly what to use and how to use it. As a first-time regimen, it’s intended to be gentle, easy and suitable for most skin types. No 12-step routine or hours at the bathroom counter. Just a simple, affordable, beginner-friendly system you can stick with.

Your goal tonight? Clean, hydrated, happy skin. That’s it!

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What You’ll Need for Your Nighttime Skincare Routine

• Makeup remover or micellar water
• Gentle cleanser
• Treatments or serums
• Moisturizer suitable for your skin type
• Lip mask

Step 1: Remove Makeup

If you’re wearing makeup, carefully remove it before washing your face. Micellar water or a cleansing balm are both great options. This Juno & Co Clean 10 Cleansing Balm is a First-Timer favorite thanks to its gentle formula and ability to dissolve even stubborn mascara and eyeliner. Apply your remover of choice, being especially gentle around the eye area. Wipe away the makeup with a cotton pad and rinse your face with water.

Step 2: Cleanse

Apply a gentle cleanser and massage it all over your face and neck for 20–30 seconds. Rinse and pat dry — don’t rub! — with a clean towel. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser has been recommended by dermatologists for decades thanks to its science-backed formula and limited, yet beneficial ingredients, including niacinamide (Vitamin B3), panthenol (Vitamin B5) and glycerin. If your skin feels tight after washing, your cleanser is probably too harsh. Try a gentler formulation.

First-Timer Tip: Did you know that bath towels can transfer bacteria to your face? Doing laundry just got a bit more appealing.

Step 3: Apply a Treatment or Serum

You don’t need this step right away — many beginners can skip treatments entirely at first. But if you do want to try a serum or specialty product to address acne, fine lines or any other issues, this is the point in your routine to do so. Be sure your skin is cleansed and completely dry.

Treatments to Try:

• Niacinamide is great for brightness and unclogging pores. The Ordinary’s Niacinamide + Zinc serum offers skin smoothing benefits that are great for acne-prone complexions.
• Retinol can smooth skin and improve texture. Use a small amount of a gentle formulation and start with just 2–3 times a week.
• A hyaluronic acid serum is perfect for hydrating and plumping the skin. This Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum by The Ordinary is a perennial fan favorite for its ability to leave skin feeling soft all day.
• Vitamin C treatments protect against damage and improve skin tone.

First-Timer Tip: Start with just one treatment to see how your skin reacts before venturing into the advanced world of product layering.

Step 4: Moisturize

All skin types need a good moisturizer as part of their nighttime skincare routine. If your skin tends to be oily, choose a lightweight gel. If you tend to have dry skin, look for a heavier formulation. Individuals prone to breakouts should look for a noncomedogenic moisturizer. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer is a reasonably priced option that tends to work well with most skin types.

Big word alert! Noncomedogenic just means it won’t clog your pores.

Step 5: Apply a Lip Mask

The skin on your lips is thinner and more delicate than the rest of your face, which makes it especially prone to dryness and moisture loss. Lip masks are designed to deeply hydrate and repair the lips overnight. They help soften flakes, smooth texture and restore moisture, making them a soothing final step in your nighttime skincare routine. We keep coming back to this Babe Glow Lip Mask for its great price point and fragrance-free formulation.

How To Make Your Nighttime Skincare Routine a Success

• If you’re trying a new product for the first time, follow the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) directions for patch testing: Apply a small amount to your inner arm every day for a week. If there’s no reaction, you’re cleared to try the product on your face.
• Stick with this routine for 2–4 weeks before changing anything. After that, you can experiment with adding other serums and treatments, like an eye cream.
• Some people experience mild breakouts while adjusting to a new routine, but that’s totally normal. If breakouts don’t clear after a couple of weeks, give your skin a break from new products and try adding them in one-by-one to find what’s not working for you.

Common First-Timer Mistakes

• Using harsh products or washing too vigorously. To prevent irritation, the AAD suggests using gentle products and avoiding scrubbing.
• Applying too much product. More is not better, especially when it comes to retinols.
• Adding too many products at once.
• Expecting overnight results. Be patient, but consistent.
• Skipping moisturizer. Your future self will thank you for moisturizing today.
• Thinking you have to use the most expensive or trendy products on the market.

Congrats! You Did It, First-Timer! — You’re Ready to Start a Nighttime Skincare Routine

Remember, a proper nighttime skincare routine doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Consistency is more important than the number of steps or the price of your products — there are a number of drugstore options that will leave your skin clean, healthy and moisturized.

Great job, first-timer! We’re confident that in no time flat you’ll have perfected a nighttime skincare routine that keeps your skin happy and glowy.

To make sure your lifestyle is supporting your new nighttime skincare routine, check out 7 Easy Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Skin. Ready to start experimenting with makeup for the first time? Check out Your First-Time Makeup Kit: 7 Essentials for Beginners for the go-to products that make makeup easy or Complexion Products for Beginners for foundation guidance. When you’re ready to tackle your haircare routine, 7 Easy Steps to Smooth, Shiny Hair is a great place to start.