Ask my circle of friends, and they will agree: I’m not the one in the group known to be particularly on-time, particularly good with remembering important dates, or particularly anything-that-has-to-do-with-having-a-functioning-brain.

But I am pretty much a walking beauty product encyclopedia. Soooo… I think that’s why they keep me around.

There’s no use in having a ton of awesome products if you’re not using them right, so here goes, friends!

Cleanser

I’m partial to an oil cleanser like this one or a gentle, non-foaming cleanser that removes makeup while still leaving your skin soft. If your skin feels squeaky clean, it’s probably cleansing a little too well.

Exfoliator

Repeat after me: Only exfoliate clean skin! Otherwise you can rub grime and dirt deeper into your pores. So after cleansing, put some cream exfoliator in your hands (I like this one and this one) and gently scrub your face, being careful to avoid the eye area. (Your eyelids and under-eyes don’t need to be exfoliated!)

Here’s another tip: If you want a more intense exfoliation, apply your exfoliator on damp skin–I’m talking skin that is just a touch damp. Too much water on the skin can make the exfoliating beads slip around a lot more; when your skin is more on the dry side, you’ll get a better scrub.

Toner

Those of us who grew up in the Sea Breeze era (WHAT UP fellow Xennials) equate a sting with a product’s efficacy, but THIS IS NOT HOW A TONER SHOULD FEEL! Too much tingle = baaaad.

Toners should gently rebalance your pH and leave behind some extra goodies like antioxidants or vitamins on your skin. Here’s my go-to.

Serum

Antioxidants are key here. Look for a serum with Vitamin C, ferulic acid or green tea–all well-researched antioxidants.

A serum should feel lightweight and absorb fairly quickly; make sure you like the feel of your formulation so you’re more apt to use it!

As a rule of thumb I personally avoid serums with AHAs for daytime, since alpha hydroxy acids can leave your skin more sensitive to the sun. And in Florida, with our year-round intense sunshine, that is a big no-no.

So if it’s daytime, apply your Vitamin C, ferulic acid or other antioxidant serum at this point, and let it sink in.

Oil

I used to apply oil as the last step in my skincare regimen, patting it in over top of my moisturizer, but I realized it was sinking much better into my skin when I used it before moisturizer.

Try pressing a few drops into your skin before moisturizing and I think you’ll like it this way!

Both this oil and this oil are in rotation on my bathroom vanity.

Moisturizer

This step isn’t necessary in the daytime unless you like a little extra moisture under your SPF. But if your skin is a little on the dry side and you’d like a little more moisture before you put on your sun protection, by all means use a light moisturizer. I’ve found this one to be great because it adapts to the level of moisture your skin needs.

SPF

SPF goes last, since you want as much defense from the sun’s rays as possible. Wait until your moisturizer is fully absorbed, then apply your SPF.

As I’ve said before, I’m partial to physical-only sunblocks, and this is my current favorite.

All right, friends! Hope that was helpful! Glow on!

What are your favorite beauty products? Any recommendations? I’d love to hear more in Comments below!

P.S. Some simple beauty swaps to clean up your routine, and Essences 101.

Sonni Abatta runs an Orlando lifestyle and mom blog. All of this skin care she uses is to cover up the fact that she hasn’t slept in nearly five years. She’s hopeful to start sleeping better in about two more. Reach out with questions, qualms and collabs to Sonni@SonniAbatta.com.

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