Skin School > Skincare

Here’s How to Take Your Skincare Routine to the Next Level

By Jessica Estrada

November 19, 2020

Whether you’re a skincare enthusiast (our kind of peeps 😉) or a beginner skincare user, there’s always room for an upgrade when it comes to our skincare routine. Sometimes pimples pop up, dark spots make an appearance, or our skin just isn’t as glowy as it used to be (sigh). Whatever the skincare sitch may be, there’s no need to panic. That’s nothing a shakeup to your skincare routine can’t solve.

Don’t know the right skincare routine order? Below, find an easy-to-follow recipe for taking your skincare routine from basic to intermediate. There’s a basic starter kit for the skincare beginners just dipping their toes into the wonderful world of skincare. Then once you’re ready to level up, there’s an intermediate essentials list with the best skincare products to add to your regimen.

Beginner’s skincare basic starter kit

Cleanser

Essential skincare product number one is a cleanser. You need it to keep your skin squeaky clean and feeling fresh. Use it twice per day, morning and night. The night time wash is especially important to remove all the excess gunk (oil, sweat, makeup, environmental pollutants) your skin has picked up throughout the day that can lead to breakouts. For acne-prone skin, dermatologists recommend a gentle cleanser with active ingredients such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

Toner

Skincare beginners, listen up. If you don’t already have toner in your skincare regimen, get some. What does toner do, you ask? Great question. Toner helps remove any left over dirt, debris, and makeup that the cleanser misses. It also preps your skin so it can better absorb any other skincare products you put on. Apply the toner right after cleansing the skin. The key is to opt for a gentle toner.

Moisturizer/SPF

This is a skincare routine step you definitely don’t want to skip. Moisturizer locks in hydration preventing dryness. It serves as a protective barrier on the skin that helps prevent irritation (we’re looking at you, maskne). Bonus points if your moisturizer also has SPF in it. Even if you’re being a homebody these days (us too!), we’re still exposed to light sources that can damage the skin. So to recap, the right skincare order goes: cleanser, toner, and then moisturer/SPF.

Use the brightening strike duo - Lightning Wand and Micropoint for Dark Spots, together to speed up the brightening process.

Best intermediate skincare products

Once you’ve got the skincare basics foundation down, it’s time to level up and add in additional best skincare products that will seriously elevate your skincare game. Trust us, your skin will thank you.

Exfoliants

Once you’re ready to step up to the skincare big leagues, give chemical exfoliants a try. Don’t let the word chemical scare you. They’re really not scary at all. Chemical exfoliants are acids that help remove dead skin cells to reveal a brighter, smoother complexion. Yes, please! There are two main chemical exfoliant types: AHA (stands for alpha-hydroxy acids) and BHA (stands for beta-hydroxy acids). The most popular AHAs you hear about on the skincare block are lactic and glycolic acids. Both are generally safe for most people, but if you have super sensitive skin, check with your dermatologist first before giving them a whirl.

Serum

Serums are typically chock-full of active ingredients that do your skin good. There are many different serums out there with different skincare goals, but of course, we’re totally obsessed with Hero’s new Lightning Wand. The brightening and illuminating serum visibly fades signs of post-acne marks, sunspots, and other skin discoloration spots.

Lightning Wand’s secret sauce is its ultra powerful Lightning Trifecta™ (Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, and Vitamin C) which teams up with exfoliating AHA + BHA and antioxidant-rich Gardenia Extract to work its magic so your skin can go back to looking clear and even after a breakout. And in case you’re wondering the right skincare routine order, serum comes after toner and before moisturizer.

Blemish treatments

If you’ve got a pimple problem and you’re not already incorporating blemish treatments into your skincare regimen, what are you waiting for? Hero’s Micropoint for Blemishes is great for when you spot a zit under your skin. Pop a patch on it and it’ll deliver a dose of acne-fighting ingredients that will shirk the blemish, calm redness, and extract pus. The pimple won’t even know what hit it.

Pro Tip

There’s also post-blemish treatments you can add into the mix. Rescue Balm, for example, is changing the game when it comes to the post-blemish pimple cycle. Pimples tend to leave behind bumps, spots, weird texture, and even scarring that can sometimes take weeks to go away. We don’t know about you, but we don’t have that kind of time. Thankfully, by applying Rescue Balm to the area right after patching it, it’ll replenish the skin with antioxidants so it can go back to looking good in no time.

Face masks

Face masks (the skincare ones that is) are not just a trendy thing to do with your BFFs. They’re an effective way to nourish your skin with a dose of highly concentrated ingredients, not to mention they’re pretty relaxing too. Throw on a face mask (sheet, mud, gel—whatever your style) put on a Netflix show and just chillllll. There are tons of face masks to choose from that target different issues. Got parched skin? There’s a mask for that. Need to deep-clean your pores? There’s a mask for that too. Want to plump up your skin? Yup, face masks have your back (er, face) with that as well.