The Exact Nighttime Skincare Order to Follow, According to a Dermatologist

I’m not exaggerating when I say I spend all day counting down the minutes until it’s time to shower, get into a matching pajama set, and complete my nighttime skincare routine. There’s no better feeling than being freshly glazed and lying in bed with my Kindle. But it turns out there can be a downside to using too many products in my treasured ritual.I chatted with dermatologist Hallie McDonald, MD, cofounder of barrier-focused skincare brand ERLY, who broke down everything you need to know about creating a proper nighttime routine. Let’s just say her advice most definitely has me rethinking some of my steps. And Cosmo’s beauty team shared our very own regimens. Keep scrolling for everything we rely on to wash, treat, and hydrate nightly. Spoiler alert: It might be time for us to pare back…a lot.How many steps should your nighttime skincare routine be?For most people, three steps is plenty: cleanse, moisturize, and, if you need it, a targeted treatment. You don’t need a 10-step routine to have healthy skin. In fact, I’m a big believer that a simple routine you actually stick with is much better than a complicated one that leaves your skin irritated or overwhelmed.Is there a downside to using too many skincare products?Absolutely. More products means more opportunities for irritation, dryness, clogged pores, and disrupting your skin barrier. Layering a lot of products can also change how they interact with one another and how well they absorb, so more isn’t necessarily more effective. It can also make it difficult to figure out what’s actually working or what’s causing a reaction.What’s the ideal nighttime skincare routine order?Think of it like getting your skin ready for bed: Clean it, treat it, then tuck it in. Start with a cleanser to remove makeup, sunscreen, oil, and dirt. If you use a treatment, that comes next, followed by moisturizer to support your skin barrier and keep hydration locked in. My favorite rule of thumb is to apply products from thinnest to thickest. Generally, your lighter serums go before your creams. And you don’t need to wait between every step; once one product has been absorbed, you can move on.Are there any product types you think most people are missing in their night routines?I think most people are missing a really good moisturizer. There’s so much emphasis on serums and active ingredients that people forget that supporting the skin barrier is foundational. Hydration and oil are also not the same thing—acne-prone or oily skin still needs hydration.Team Cosmo’s Nightly Routine:Jasmine Hyman, assistant beauty editorAge: 26Skin concerns: Acne and hyperpigmentationJasmine Hyman for CosmopolitanMy focus these days is all things acne. My chin is a hotbed for closed comedones and painful pimples, so I’ve been relying on acne-centric ingredients and keeping my routine as simple as possible. Second to acne comes hydration. Because I’m super dry and eczema-prone, I need to keep my skin barrier in check, especially overnight.I start off with Reale Actives’ Cleansing Balm to remove all the makeup and sweat and gunk that accumulated on my skin throughout the day. Then I dab my face dry with Q-tips’ new towels (I have sworn off ever wiping my face on a shower towel again). Then I follow with Sofie Pavitt’s Clean Clean Cleanser—it has the best lather of any face wash while still being very gentle and non-stripping, because my skin can’t afford to lose any of its precious moisture. Then I go in with the Moisture Balance Toner from Face Reality (I know toner can be a superfluous step at night, but this one is super gentle and my pores need all the help they can get!).I then layer on Face Reality’s Sulfur Spot Treatment over my CPOTD (chin pimples of the week), and let that dry for a few minutes. I finish off with OMAD’s Miracle Balm, which is a heaven-sent nourishing moisturizer for sensitive, dry, and acne-prone skin. Once my acne is sorted out, I hope to add more targeted serums into my routine, but for now, simplicity is key.Julee Wilson, beauty editor-at-largeAge: 44Skin concerns: everything (but if I had to choose: firmness and hyperpigmentation)Julee Wilson for CosmopolitanJulee Wilson for CosmopolitanListen, my nighttime skincare routine is extensive—and somewhat bougie. But every step has a purpose! At this stage in my life, I’m all about correction and prevention. Plus, I consider this routine dedicated self-care time.When it comes to my topicals, I start by double cleansing with my beloved ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm (morning and night, I don’t play about this product) followed by ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Hydrating Cleansing Mousse to remove anything left behind. Next comes all my devices, usually while watching TV with my husband after the kids are asleep. My CurrentBody LED Neck and Décolletage device gets used four to seven nights a week, while my Shark Beauty CryoGlow LED Face Mask makes an appearance five to seven nights. The CryoGlow’s cooling technology helps depuff my under-eyes, but because that area isn’t getting LED treatment, I also use my Dr. Rajani PlasmaGlo LED Duo Under Eye Corrector, too. Consistency is key, folks!After that, I apply the Activist Mānuka Honey Mask for 15 minutes. It’s incredibly nourishing and preps my skin for my serum and creams. Once I rinse it off, I put on Dr. Diamond’s Metacine EyeLift Bioremodeling Peptide Multiplex eye serum, followed by Trinny London The Elevator Neck Concentrate on my neck and chest and La Mer The Lifting Firming Serum on my face for extra attention to firmness and elasticity.After everything absorbs, I reach for Eighth Day’s night cream, which is a luxe RetinalXR complex to support skin renewal. It’s pricey, babes, but works! I finish with Lenox and Sixteenth Soft Landing Smoothing Peptide Moisturizer to seal in hydration and protect my skin barrier. I love to finish my routine off with Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask right before my head hits the pillow. I know it’s a lot, but it works for me, my skin, and my soul!Beth Gillette, beauty editorAge: 29Skin concerns: acne and hyperpigmentationBeth Gillette for CosmopolitanMy skincare routine has drastically changed over the past few months. What used to consist of the simplest formulas to heal my hormonal acne is now filled with hydrating serums, barrier-repair oils, and even a dark spot corrector. Is this 30?I take off all my makeup with Reale Actives Get Bare Cleansing Balm (the only formula I’ve found that removes everything but doesn’t cause acne; I’m on my third jar), then I thoroughly cleanse with Hypothesis’s Daily Acne Cleanser. One or two nights a week or just before my period, I use a benzoyl peroxide cleanser to reduce the likelihood of breakouts.Once I’ve got a clean canvas, it’s serum time. Layering on all my serums is what I imagine Picasso felt like staring down a blank easel. Endless possibilities! I always start with Prequel Multi Quench Plumping Face Serum to hydrate. Then it’s my treatment step. I switch between Sofie Pavitt’s Mandelic Clearing Serum and use this most nights, and I just started testing Biologique Recherche’s Serum Vivant, which regulates sebum production and supports your skin microbiome to gently reduce acne. A few nights per week, I’ll incorporate Lancer’s Gravity Dark Spot Correcting Serum with exosomes to help even out my skin tone. On the chance I do have a breakout, I’ll dab on a little bit of Face Reality’s Sulfur Spot Treatment.I used to be very “whatever” about moisturizer because my skin was very oily. But that troll that steals your youth a little bit every year recently paid me a visit, and now I care a lot about hydration. La Roche-Posay’s Hyalu B5 Suractivated Face Cream is my favorite moisturizer of this year. It is thick and feels way more expensive than a $40 drugstore cream. And as it gets colder, I’ve been layering the Sweet Chemistry Barrier Repair Oil-Serum on top, giving me the same comforting feeling of massaging in an oil without clogging my pores.Meet the expertHallie McDonald, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and the cofounder of barrier-focused skincare brand ERLY.Why trust Cosmopolitan?Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmo who covers all things skincare. She, along with team Cosmo, have spent years testing products and perfecting their nighttime skincare routines to find the best formulas to address acne, fine lines, dryness, and more.Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.