Esente Skincare

Short answer: Yes. Suitable serums can be layered in the same routine, and many routines use more than one. Apply each serum individually, one after another, in the amount its directions give, and let each settle before the next. Never mix serums together into a cocktail before applying them. Some combinations call for care: combining exfoliating acids and non-prescription retinol can increase irritation for some people, so check each product’s directions. Prescription retinoids are a separate case and follow the prescriber’s guidance. What matters is that each serum suits your skin and has a purpose in your routine.

Layering is a normal part of skincare, at home and in professional treatments.

Why people use more than one serum

Serums are often formulated with selected ingredients for a particular skincare objective, which is one reason many routines include more than one. A serum chosen for the look of fine lines and a serum chosen for dullness are aimed at different things, and each can have its place.

Different areas can call for different products too. An eye serum may go around the eyes while another serum goes on the rest of the face in the same routine, each according to its directions. What Is a Serum? covers what the format is for.

What layering means

Layering means applying suitable products individually and sequentially; it does not mean mixing finished products together before application, whether in your palm or in a dish. Each product is made to be used as its directions describe.

Layering finished products is also different from ingredient synergy within a single formulation, where ingredients are combined by design in one product.

How to layer them

Thinnest first. Products generally go on from the thinnest texture to the thickest, so a watery serum goes before a silkier one. This is a tendency rather than a rule, and a product’s directions come first where they say otherwise.

Let each layer settle. Give one serum a moment before the next goes on. If products roll up or seem to sit on the surface, Why Your Serum Feels Like It Is Sitting on Your Skin goes through the common causes.

Use the directed amount of each. Two serums means two amounts.

Moisturizer goes over your serums, followed in the morning by daytime sun protection.

Morning, night or both

Compatible serums do not need to be split between morning and night. Use each one when its directions say; some are directed for both, so they can sit alongside another serum in either routine.

Retinol is generally used at night. Follow the directions for your individual product, and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is recommended as part of the routine. Morning vs Night Skincare: What Goes Where sets out both routines step by step.

Combinations that call for care

Combining exfoliating acids and non-prescription retinol products can increase irritation for some people. That is not a ban, and some people use both in the same routine without trouble. Read the directions for each product, and if you are unsure, ask a dermatologist or licensed skincare professional. If you use a prescription retinoid, follow the guidance of the healthcare professional who prescribed it.

The larger concern is layering several separate exfoliating products at once. A single formulation that contains more than one acid by design is a different matter, because it was developed to be used as one product.

Layering in a professional treatment

At Younger You Clinique, one professional protocol works like this: a serum is applied to the skin, a collagen mask is placed over it for approximately 20 to 30 minutes according to the treatment protocol, the mask is removed, and then a different appropriate serum and moisturizer may follow. Each product goes on in sequence, and none are mixed together. This is a professional protocol at Younger You Clinique, not a home instruction.

Adding a new serum

Introduce one new product at a time, so that if your skin reacts, you can tell which product may be responsible. Introducing products gradually does not mean they cannot share a routine once your skin is used to them.

If you notice stinging or burning from products that used to feel comfortable, or redness, tightness or flaking that was not there before, pause the newest product and check each product’s directions. If irritation persists or worries you, stop and speak to a dermatologist or licensed skincare professional.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Esenté advocates suitable layering, and layering is part of professional protocols at Younger You Clinique. For Victoria, layering always means applying products individually in sequence, never mixing serums into cocktails before application. Her “less is best” philosophy means purposeful, individualized care: each serum chosen for your skin and used in the amount and at the frequency its directions give. With retinol, for example, increasing the amount or frequency beyond the directions can lead to excessive dryness, flaking, redness or sensitivity rather than faster results.

As an example of layering in one routine, the Defining Eye Serum can be used around the eyes, according to its directions, while the Penta-Peptide Serum or another suitable serum goes on the face. The Vital Rx – Vitamin C+E Serum is recommended morning and night, and the Matrix-Cell 3000 Concentrate is directed for morning or night beneath moisturizer. These are examples among other Esenté formulations, chosen for your skin, preferences and budget, and each has its own directions to follow. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If you are working out how to layer your own serums, the Ask Victoria page is a good place to start.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: The morning routine is built around protection, while the evening routine begins with thoroughly cleansed skin and focuses on nourishment and renewal. In the morning: a warm-water rinse or a cleanse, an appropriate toner or mist, any serum, an eye product, moisturizer, then broad-spectrum sunscreen applied as its label directs. At night: eye makeup off first with a dedicated remover, a thorough and gentle facial cleanse, a toner or mist, any serum or retinol product, an eye product, then a night crème or moisturizer. Each product’s own directions come first. This outline gives you an order, not a schedule.

Each routine has its own job, and the order follows from it.

Why the two routines differ

By day, your skin is out in daylight and often under makeup, and the morning routine prepares it for that. At night, removal comes first: sunscreen, makeup, the day’s oil and airborne dirt all need to come off before bed. There is no sun to plan for, so a richer crème can go on without having to sit under anything.

The morning routine

Rinse or cleanse. After a thorough evening cleanse, Esenté’s professional approach for most skin is a warm-water rinse in the morning rather than a second full cleanse, where that suits the skin. A cleanser in the morning suits skin that wants one, for example oilier skin. General dermatology guidance is to wash morning and night, and individual needs vary.

Toner or mist. A step of its own after cleansing. What it contributes depends on its formulation, and which one suits you depends on your skin. What Does Toner Do? explains the step.

Serum, if you use one. Follow the directions for the one you use. Some serums are directed for both morning and night.

Eye care. An appropriate eye product, applied with a light touch according to its directions.

Moisturizer. Applied after the preceding steps, following its directions.

Sunscreen. A broad-spectrum sunscreen goes on after moisturizer as its own step. Apply it generously and evenly, and reapply as the label directs. The SPF number is not a measure of minutes, so reapplication follows the label rather than the number. How Much Sunscreen to Use, and When to Reapply covers amounts.

The evening routine

Eye makeup off first. Eye makeup generally warrants a dedicated eye makeup remover before you cleanse the rest of your face. Remove it gently, never by scrubbing. If you took makeup off earlier and put it back on for an evening out, cleanse again before bed. How to Take Your Makeup Off Properly goes through the method.

Cleanse. This cleanse takes off sunscreen, makeup and the day’s oil and dirt. Use lukewarm water, light pressure and an appropriate cleanser, with a soft facial sponge or your fingertips. Gauze squares belong to eye makeup removal, not the whole face.

Toner or mist. The same distinct step as in the morning.

Serum or retinol. Retinol is generally used at night. Follow the directions for your individual product, and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is recommended as part of the routine. Combining exfoliating acids or other potentially irritating products with non-prescription retinol can increase irritation for some people, so check the directions for each product before using them together. If you use a prescription retinoid, follow the guidance of the healthcare professional who prescribed it, including any guidance on acids or other potentially irritating products.

Eye care. An appropriate eye product again, according to its directions.

Night crème or moisturizer. Usually the last step, following its directions. Your skincare goes onto a completely clean face, with no makeup left behind.

The order, and what decides it

Products generally go on from the thinnest texture to the thickest. When a product’s directions say something different, the directions win. Sunscreen has a set place: after moisturizer in the morning, reapplied during the day as its label directs. Skincare Order and Product Storage sets out the full sequence.

Order, not frequency

Frequency belongs to each product’s directions and to how your skin responds. There is no universal exfoliation schedule, for example: how often suits you depends on your age, skin condition, the method and how your skin is responding. Some people use the same moisturizer morning and night, while others prefer a lighter crème by day, and either can suit, depending on your skin, preferences and budget. Day Cream vs Night Cream helps you decide.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Her emphasis falls on the evening: going to bed with a completely clean, makeup-free face. Eye makeup comes off first, and Victoria uses small sterile, non-impregnated gauze squares with a dedicated eye makeup remover for that step, then discards them. For facial cleansing and general makeup removal she prefers professional facial sponges, used gently with the appropriate cleanser. Fingertips are acceptable, but she prefers sponges for more thorough cleansing. Whatever your routine, don’t go to sleep wearing makeup.

Examples from the Esenté range include the Eye-Onizer Gentle Makeup Remover, which Victoria uses with those gauze squares, the Hydra Day Crème for the morning, the Hydra-Plus Night Crème for the evening and the Night Renewal Set. Neither Hydra crème is intended for the eye area. These are examples among other Esenté formulations, chosen for your skin, preferences and budget. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. For daytime sun protection, the Derma-Defense SPF 30 and the Derma Defense Z-Cote SPF30 are both labeled Broad Spectrum SPF 30; follow the label directions for application and reapplication. If you want help sorting your own products into morning and night, ask on the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Start with clean hands and a freshly cleansed face. Apply moisturizer after cleansing and any toner, mist or serum you use, following the product’s directions. Use clean fingertips, the amount the directions give and light upward and outward strokes rather than rubbing. Carry it down onto your neck if its directions include it. Around the eyes, use an appropriate eye product according to its directions, because many facial moisturizers are not intended for that area. Take crème from a jar with a clean cosmetic spatula. In the morning, sunscreen goes on after moisturizer. Gentle, consistent application matters more than any special technique.

Moisturizer is an easy step to rush. A few habits make it cleaner and more comfortable.

Start with clean hands

Your fingertips are the tool, so wash your hands first. Leave-on products such as serums and crèmes are generally applied with clean fingertips, following the directions for the individual formulation.

Hands touch phones, door handles and keyboards all day, and whatever is on them can end up on your face.

Where moisturizer fits after cleansing

Apply moisturizer after cleansing or bathing and after any preceding steps you use, following the product’s directions. A typical sequence is cleanse, an appropriate toner or mist, serum, then moisturizer, each according to its directions, plus daytime sun protection in the morning.

After washing, pat your face with a clean, soft towel rather than rubbing it. Rubbing adds friction to freshly cleansed skin for no benefit.

Take the product out cleanly

From a jar. Use a clean cosmetic spatula each time you take product from a jar, and do not put leftover product back. Fingers carry water, oil and whatever they last touched into the jar. The Spatula Rule explains the habit in full.

From a pump or tube. Dispense onto a clean fingertip. The packaging keeps your fingers away from what remains inside.

Dot, then spread lightly

Place small dots of moisturizer on your forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. Spreading from several points covers the face more evenly and means less dragging.

Continue with light upward and outward strokes, keeping the pressure gentle and avoiding pulling or tugging at the skin. Stop once the product is evenly spread. Heavy rubbing is not needed.

How much to use depends on the product. How Much Skincare Product Should You Use? covers the amount question.

Around the eyes

The skin around the eyes is delicate, so a light touch matters most there. Many facial moisturizers are not intended for the eye area. Check the directions for yours, and if they do not include the eye area, keep it away from there.

For the eye area, use an appropriate eye product according to its directions. Eye products differ in where and how they are meant to be applied, so follow the directions for the one you use rather than a single rule for all of them. Keep product out of the eyes themselves. Do Eye Creams Work? covers products made for that area.

Down the neck

If you want your neck included and the product’s directions cover it, extend the moisturizer onto your neck with the same light, gentle strokes, adding a little more product for the extra area. Keep the strokes light and the pressure gentle there too.

Where moisturizer sits in your routine

Products generally go on from thinner textures to thicker ones, and a product’s own directions come first where they say something different.

In the morning, moisturizer goes on before sunscreen, and sunscreen follows as its own step. In the United States, a moisturizer marketed with an SPF is regulated as a sunscreen drug as well as a cosmetic, so apply it as its label directs, including reapplication.

At night, moisturizer or a night crème is often the final step. Retinol is generally used at night. Follow the directions for your individual product, and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is recommended as part of the routine. Day Cream vs Night Cream looks at whether you need two, and Skincare Order and Product Storage sets out the full sequence.

Small habits that add up

• Putting fingers into a jar.
• Scrubbing product in with pressure.
• Carrying a facial moisturizer up to the eyes when its directions do not include that area.
• Stopping at the chin when you meant to include your neck.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. At home, she favors clean fingertips for leave-on products, following each product’s directions, and a clean cosmetic spatula for anything taken from a jar. Her “less is best” philosophy applies here too: the appropriate amount of each product, applied gently. In professional treatments at Younger You Clinique, Victoria wears gloves throughout and changes them as appropriate between treatment steps to help maintain careful hygiene and avoid cross-contamination.

Examples from the Esenté range include the Hydra Day Crème for the morning and the Hydra-Plus Night Crème for the evening. Neither is intended for the eye area, so pair either with an appropriate eye product, used according to its directions. Both come in jars, so take the crème out with a clean spatula. They are two options among other Esenté formulations, and the right choice depends on your skin, preferences and budget. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. For a question about your own routine, the Ask Victoria page reaches her.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Use the amount the directions for that product give, spread evenly over the area it is meant for. Formulations differ, and a concentrated one may call for only a small amount. Using more than directed does not bring faster or better results, and with non-prescription retinol it can lead to excessive dryness, flaking, redness or sensitivity instead. Prescription products should be used according to the prescribing healthcare professional’s guidance. Sunscreen follows its own label: apply it generously and evenly as directed, because applying too little can reduce the protection you get. The right amount is the one the directions give for the area you are covering.

The question sounds small, but it shapes how well each product suits you.

The directions are the measure

A product’s directions give an amount for a reason: the people who made it know how much of that formulation suits the area. A thin fluid and a rich crème cover the same face with very different quantities.

Some formulations are concentrated, and their directions call for only a small amount, such as a pump or two for the face. A small amount is not automatically too little. Where the directions give no specific amount, aim for an even layer across the area, spread with clean fingertips. A serum and the moisturizer that follows it have separate amounts, and What Is a Serum? explains how the two differ.

Match the amount to the area

Around the eyes. Eye products are generally used in small amounts with a light touch. Use an appropriate eye product according to its directions, rather than carrying a facial crème up to the eyes, unless that crème’s directions include the eye area.

Neck and décolleté. If your routine continues past the chin, use a little more product to cover the larger area rather than spreading the face amount thinner, as long as the product’s directions include those areas.

Why more does not work faster

Using more than the directions give does not make a product work faster or better, and extra product may not sit comfortably under the next step. For some categories, more also carries a cost. Using more of a non-prescription retinol product than the directions call for, or applying it more often than directed, can lead to excessive dryness, flaking, redness or sensitivity. Prescription retinoids are different: use them according to the prescribing healthcare professional’s guidance, including any change in how often you apply them. Exfoliating formulations are similar: overdoing them can leave skin red and irritated. Starting Retinol Without Wrecking Your Barrier covers how to introduce retinol with care.

When too little falls short

Too little for the area is a different matter from a small amount. When a product is stretched beyond what its directions give, the sides of the nose, the hairline, around the mouth and the neck tend to get missed.

Using less than directed to make a product last longer means it is not being used as designed. If budget is a concern, a suitable product that fits your budget, used as directed, is a sound choice. Good care can fit different budgets, and the spending decision is yours.

Sunscreen follows its label

Sunscreen is a separate case. Its amount comes from its label, and Victoria’s “less is best” approach does not apply to it. The SPF number on a sunscreen comes from laboratory testing at a set, generous amount of product. Research on how people apply sunscreen in everyday life has found that they commonly put on less than that, and applying too little can reduce the protection you get.

Apply sunscreen generously and evenly as the label directs, covering your face, ears, neck and other exposed skin, and reapply as the label directs. Applying more at one time does not replace reapplying. How Much Sunscreen to Use, and When to Reapply goes through it in detail.

Amount and frequency go together

How much and how often are two parts of one question. A product applied twice a day when its directions say once has doubled what your skin receives, even if each application looks modest.

Some products set their own pace. Certain retinol products come as staged systems designed for gradual introduction, and their directions are the ones to follow. A routine works well when each product suits your skin, has a purpose and is used in an appropriate amount and frequency. Can You Use Too Many Skincare Products? looks at routines more broadly.

Signs worth noticing

• Your skin became red, dry or uncomfortable after you started using more of something, or using it more often.
• The same areas keep feeling dry, which can mean they are being missed.

These signals have several possible causes and are not a diagnosis. If redness, stinging or discomfort persists, stop using the product and speak to a dermatologist or licensed skincare professional.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Her “less is best” philosophy means purposeful, individualized care: products chosen for your skin and used in appropriate amounts and at an appropriate frequency. Non-prescription retinol shows why the amount matters: increasing the amount or frequency beyond the directions can lead to excessive dryness, flaking, redness or sensitivity rather than faster results.

For readers who choose to introduce retinol, the Esenté range includes the Retinol Progressive 60-Day Renewal System, a staged system designed for gradual introduction; follow its directions for how much to use and when. Retinol is an option rather than a requirement, and this is one example among other Esenté formulations that may suit your goals and budget. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If you are unsure how much of a product your own skin needs, you can put the question to Victoria on the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Not in the way the phrase suggests. A product that continues to suit your skin need not be rotated merely because you have used it for a long time. When a product seems to be doing less, the explanation is usually ordinary. Your skin’s needs may have changed with age, hormones, climate or season. You may have grown used to the improvement. The product may have been affected after opening, or the way you use it may have drifted. Each of those is worth checking, and a licensed skincare professional can help you judge when an adjustment makes sense.

If a product seems to have stopped doing its job, look for an ordinary explanation first.

Where the idea comes from

A new moisturizer or serum makes a clear difference at first, then later it seems to be doing less, and the natural conclusion is that your skin has grown used to it. The experience is real, but several ordinary things can explain it, often in combination. How Long Should Skincare Take to Work? covers the first: the improvement that becomes your new normal, so you stop noticing it.

Your skin’s needs change

Maturing skin. Skin-cell turnover generally changes with age, and skin tends to make less of its own oil over the years, so it can become drier.

Hormonal changes. For many women, the years around menopause bring a noticeable change in how dry skin feels. Menopause and Skin: What Changes covers this in more detail.

Climate and season. Dry desert air, cold winter air and heated or air-conditioned rooms can all leave skin drier, while humid weather can make the same moisturizer feel heavier. A move to a new climate can change what your skin needs.

Other individual factors. Sleep, stress and changing circumstances can also affect how skin looks and feels.

In each case the product may be doing what it always did, while the skin it supports has changed. That is a reason to adjust a routine when your skin’s needs change, guided by how your skin looks and feels rather than by the calendar.

When a product still suits you

A product that continues to suit your skin does not need replacing merely because you have used it for months or years. Swapping it adds a variable without a reason, and if you change several things at once you cannot tell what helped and what irritated you.

Good reasons to change do exist: your skin’s needs have changed, the product irritates you, it has changed in the container, or consistent use as directed has not delivered what you chose it for. When you do change, change one thing at a time.

The product changed

Products change too, particularly after opening. Temperature changes, sunlight and exposure to air can affect a product’s color, texture, odor and overall stability. Some ingredients, retinol among them, are more sensitive to light and air than others.

Store skincare in a cool, dry place away from direct light and excessive heat or humidity, following the manufacturer’s directions. Close containers promptly, and use a clean cosmetic spatula for anything taken from an open jar. If a product has significantly changed, separated or developed an unusual odor, discontinue use or check with the manufacturer. How Long Skincare Lasts After You Open It and The Bathroom Is the Worst Room in Your House to Store Skincare go further, and Does Retinol Expire? covers one ingredient people often ask about.

The way you use it changed

Routines drift. A product used every evening at first ends up used when you remember, or the amount creeps down to make it last or up in the hope of a faster result.

Using less than the directions call for can leave areas uncovered. Using more, or more often, is not faster. Increasing the amount or frequency of a non-prescription retinol product beyond the directions can lead to excessive dryness, flaking, redness or sensitivity rather than faster results.

Before you decide a product has stopped working, check that you are still using it consistently and the way its directions describe.

When skin adjusts to retinol

There is one situation where the phrase fits, and it runs the other way. Some people notice dryness or mild irritation when they first introduce a non-prescription retinol product, which eases as their skin adjusts. Some retinol products are designed to be introduced gradually, and their directions set out how. Prescription retinoids are a separate category: if you use one, follow the guidance of the healthcare professional who prescribed it.

That easing means your skin is tolerating the product more comfortably, not that the product is doing less. If irritation does not settle, or it worsens, stop and seek advice from a dermatologist or licensed skincare professional. Retinol is an option rather than a requirement, it is generally used at night, and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is recommended as part of the routine.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria views good skincare as a lifelong commitment to improving and maintaining the condition and appearance of the skin. There is no point at which good skincare is finished, and as skin changes throughout life, the products and treatments used to support it may change as well. A professional can recognize changing needs, whether from maturing skin, hormonal changes, climate or season, and advise adjustments throughout life. If you are wondering whether a product still suits your skin, ask Victoria on the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Not by itself. A sensation on your skin is not proof that a product is doing anything useful, and the absence of one is not proof that it is doing nothing. Whether any sensation is expected depends on the individual product, and its own directions are the reference; no sensation should be assumed for a whole category of products. Stinging on skin that is already irritated is a signal to ease off. Burning that builds, swelling, hives, a rash or skin that feels raw are reasons to stop using the product and get advice. Judge a product by how your skin looks and feels over time.

A tingle can come from the formulation, from the state of your skin that day, or from how much you used.

Why a tingle feels like proof

A sensation is immediate and results are slow, so a tingle can feel like evidence that something is happening.

It is weak evidence. Skin reacts to plenty of things unrelated to results: an ingredient with a cooling or warming feel, freshly shaved or windburned skin, a surface strained by too much exfoliation. Many well-formulated products feel like nothing much at all.

Let the product’s own directions guide you

What is normal for one product says nothing about another. Read the directions before the first use. They usually say how to introduce the product, how much to use and what to do if skin reacts. If a particular product’s directions mention a sensation, that information applies to that product only.

Do not assume a sensation is expected because of what a product is. Retinol products, for example, differ in strength, formulation and directions, and a tingle is not a sign that one is working. Retinol is also an option, not a requirement for everyone. Some retinoid products are designed to be introduced gradually, and Starting Retinol Without Wrecking Your Barrier covers what that involves.

Stinging on skin that is already struggling

When a product you have used for months starts to sting, the change may be in your skin rather than the product. The surface may be irritated or compromised: from over-exfoliating, from harsh cleansing, from wind, cold or sun. Then even a gentle product can sting.

Pause non-prescription exfoliating and retinol products and go back to a mild cleanse, a moisturizer and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen as labeled. If you are using a prescription retinoid, follow the guidance of the healthcare professional who prescribed it. When skin feels comfortable again, reintroduce products one at a time, and exfoliate less often or less intensely than before. What Is the Skin Barrier? explains what is going on at the surface, and How Often Should You Exfoliate? covers one common cause.

Generally sensitive skin is a different case from skin that is irritated right now, and Sensitive Skin: How to Build a Routine That Does Not Fight Back covers it.

When to stop and get advice

Stop using a product, and rinse it off where that makes sense, if you notice:

• burning that builds instead of settling
• redness that spreads or stays
• itching, hives, swelling, a rash or small bumps
• blistering, weeping or skin that feels raw

FDA lists hives, itchy skin, a rash, flaking or peeling skin and facial swelling among the possible signs of an allergic reaction to a cosmetic, and advises seeking medical attention immediately if signs of a severe reaction appear. Swelling of the face, eyes, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, needs emergency care: call 911 or your local emergency number rather than waiting to see what happens.

Otherwise, speak to a dermatologist or another appropriate healthcare professional if a reaction persists, is severe or keeps coming back. FDA notes that sensitivity to an allergen can become more severe over time, which is one more reason not to keep using something that caused a reaction. You can also report a reaction to a cosmetic to FDA.

More is not faster

When a product seems to be doing little, it is tempting to use more, or more often. Increasing the amount or frequency of retinol beyond the directions can lead to excessive dryness, flaking, redness or sensitivity rather than faster results. The same logic applies to exfoliating products. Using several separate exfoliating products at once, or exfoliating while you use a retinol product, can increase irritation for some people. Prescription retinoids are a separate case: follow the guidance of the healthcare professional who prescribed yours. Check the directions for each product you use.

Choosing well comes first

Before a new product goes on your face, understand what it is meant to do, whether it suits your skin, how it should be used and what it contains. If your skin is particularly reactive, you have a history of sensitivity, or you are starting a non-prescription retinol or exfoliating product, a small test in an area that makes sense for the product’s intended use can be an additional precaution. How to Patch Test a New Product explains when that helps, and the product’s own directions take precedence.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria believes informed product selection comes first: before introducing a new skincare product, understand what it is intended to do, whether it is appropriate for your skin, how it should be used and what ingredients it contains. Her “less is best” philosophy means purposeful, individualized care, with each product used in the appropriate amount and at the appropriate frequency for your skin. If you are unsure whether what you are feeling is expected for a particular product, put the question to her on the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Tightness after washing usually means the cleanse took more than your skin wanted to lose. Common reasons include a cleanser formulation that does not suit your skin, water that is too hot, too much pressure or friction, washing more often than your skin needs, or dry air around you. Squeaky is not the same as clean. Change one thing at a time, starting with the water and the pressure, then the cleanser, and follow your cleanse with a suitable moisturizer. Tightness that comes with persistent redness, stinging or flaking is worth showing to a dermatologist.

The answer usually starts at the sink: the water, your hands and the cleanser.

What the tight feeling is telling you

A cleanse has two jobs. It removes the day’s sunscreen, makeup, excess oil and accumulated debris, while avoiding unnecessary removal of the skin’s own protective oils.

When skin feels tight, drawn or squeaky as soon as you dry it, the second job usually went less well than the first. What Is the Skin Barrier? explains the surface layer that is doing the complaining.

The cleanser formulation

Cleansers lift oil and residue so they rinse away. Some take more of the skin’s own oils with them than others, and neither the label nor the texture always tells you which. A foaming cleanser can be comfortable and a non-foaming one can leave you tight; whether a cleanser suits you depends on the complete formulation and on your own skin. The practical test is how your face feels a few minutes after you dry it. Why Your Cleanser Matters goes further into how to judge one.

Water temperature

Hot water feels good, but hot water and long washes tend to dry skin. Lukewarm water is the usual dermatology advice, and one of the easiest things to change.

Some people notice their skin feels different in hard-water areas. Does Hard Water Affect Your Skin? looks at what is known.

Pressure, friction and tools

Scrubbing irritates skin, and a daily step multiplies small amounts of friction. Light pressure is enough to cleanse.

Tools matter for the same reason. A washcloth or sponge creates some mechanical action; pressure, texture and frequency decide how much. Victoria’s preferred tool for cleansing the face is a professional facial sponge, used gently with an appropriate cleanser. Fingertips are acceptable, but she prefers sponges for a more thorough cleanse. Esenté does not recommend automatic bristled facial cleansing devices: the firmness of the bristles is usually unknown, and their pressure and friction can add up to unintended, repeated mechanical exfoliation.

Eye makeup is a separate step that comes first. Victoria removes it with a dedicated eye makeup remover on small sterile, non-impregnated gauze squares, which are then discarded. That gauze is for the eyes, not for cleansing the whole face.

How often, and how long

Washing more often than your skin needs, or leaving a cleanser on longer than its directions suggest, can leave skin tight even with a gentle formulation. The evening cleanse matters most, because it takes off the day’s sunscreen, makeup and oil, and bedtime calls for a completely clean face. Morning is where people differ. General dermatology guidance is to wash morning and night. After a thorough evening cleanse, a warm-water rinse in the morning may be sufficient for some skin, while oilier skin may want a morning cleanser. If you feel tight by mid-morning, look at the morning wash first. How Often Should You Wash Your Face? covers the question in full.

What happens after you dry off

Cleansing and toning are separate but complementary steps. Victoria considers an appropriate toner or antioxidant mist after cleansing an important step for most skin. What a particular toner or mist contributes, whether hydration or support for the skin’s normal mildly acidic surface, depends on its formulation. Which one, and how often, depends on the individual. What Does Toner Do? explains the step.

Then moisturize. Apply moisturizer after cleansing and any appropriate preceding steps, following the product’s directions, with clean fingertips. A sensible order is cleanse, an appropriate toner or mist, serum, then moisturizer, each according to the product’s directions, plus daytime sun protection.

When tightness is more than tightness

Tightness can sit alongside stinging from products that used to be fine, flaking or redness that stays. Together these can suggest the routine is asking too much of your skin, and easing off non-prescription exfoliating and retinol products while you simplify is reasonable. If you use a prescription retinoid, follow the guidance of the healthcare professional who prescribed it.

If tightness, itching, redness or flaking persists despite gentler washing, or if anything about your skin worries you, see a dermatologist rather than adding more products.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria favors gentle, thorough cleansing, and Esenté regards the cleanser as a vital step; a suitable one can be chosen within your budget. Whatever your routine, don’t go to sleep wearing makeup.

Examples from Esenté’s range include the Orchid Reviving Cleanser, a non-foaming cleanser; the Octet Herbal Toner, spritzed over the face, neck and décolleté after cleansing while avoiding the eye area; and the Eye-Onizer Gentle Makeup Remover, which Victoria uses with gauze squares for eye makeup. They are examples among other suitable options. Follow the directions for each. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. The Professional Facial Sponges in the range are supplied by another company. If your skin still feels tight after a gentler routine, describe it to Victoria on the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Many of the small gray dots across the nose that people call blackheads are sebaceous filaments. Filaments are a normal part of pores that have oil glands: a lining that helps carry oil to the surface. They look flat, small and gray, light brown or yellowish, and they fill again after you press them out. A blackhead is a clogged pore whose exposed contents darken where they meet the air, and it tends to look darker. Both are common. Squeezing at home is discouraged. Gentle cleansing and suitable exfoliation help both look less obvious, and professional extraction is a separate option for blackheads.

Color, shape and pattern are what set them apart in the mirror.

What a sebaceous filament is

Pores with an oil gland beneath them have a thin lining that helps move oil up to the surface. That lining is a sebaceous filament. Everyone has them, and they are a normal part of skin.

You notice them most on the nose, inner cheeks, chin and forehead.

They also refill. Press one out and the pore fills again, because the lining is doing its job. Nothing went wrong: the filament came back because it belongs there.

What a blackhead is

A blackhead forms when oil and dead skin cells build up inside a pore. The top of the plug stays open to the air, and that exposed material darkens.

In the United States, a product intended to clear or prevent acne is regulated as an over-the-counter drug, so this article sticks to cosmetic care: how to tell the two apart, what gentle cleansing and exfoliation can do for how skin looks, and where a qualified professional comes in. If breakouts are a wider concern, see a dermatologist.

How to tell them apart

Look closely, in good daylight, without pressing.

Color. Filaments usually look gray, light brown or yellowish. Blackheads usually look darker, closer to black.

Shape. Filaments sit flat with the skin and look like a fine, even dotting. A blackhead often looks like a single darker dot.

Pattern. Filaments tend to appear evenly across an area, pore after pore. Blackheads are often scattered and uneven.

None of this is a diagnosis. If you are unsure, or something on your skin is changing, sore or spreading, show it to a dermatologist.

Why squeezing at home is discouraged

Squeezing can push material deeper into the skin, increase inflammation, irritate or damage the skin and leave lasting marks. With filaments, squeezing gains you nothing: they refill.

Pore strips can lift sebaceous filaments along with what sits in a blackhead, and the filaments fill again. Pulling them out this way can also leave skin dry.

Scrubbing harder does not help either. The dark surface of a blackhead is not dirt, and rough handling tends to leave skin red.

What helps both look less obvious

Gentle, thorough cleansing. Taking off sunscreen, makeup and the day’s oil in the evening leaves less material sitting in pore openings. Lukewarm water and light pressure are enough. Whether a cleanser suits you depends on the complete formulation and your skin, not on whether it foams. Why Your Cleanser Matters covers how to judge one.

Exfoliation that suits your skin. Removing built-up dead cells at the surface can help pore openings look clearer. There is no universal schedule; the interval depends on your age, skin condition, the method and how your skin responds. Some chemical exfoliants use a beta hydroxy acid, which is oil-soluble and can reach into the opening of a pore. AHA vs BHA explains the difference. Avoid combining multiple exfoliating products unless their directions or your skincare professional specifically recommend doing so, and follow the directions for each product.

Realistic expectations. Filaments come back because they are meant to be there. The aim is for them to look less obvious, not to disappear for good. Large Pores: What You Can Change and What You Cannot covers the same limit for pore size.

Where professional extraction fits

Extraction performed by a qualified, licensed professional is a separate category from anything you do at home. The practitioner prepares the skin, uses clean technique and appropriate instruments, and works within the scope their license allows. What a licensed aesthetician may do is set by each state’s rules, and What Aestheticians Can and Cannot Legally Do explains how that works. Ask what a practitioner will and will not do before a treatment begins.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. For blackheads, Victoria’s preferred approach is professional extraction by a qualified practitioner, and she discourages squeezing at home. Day to day, she favors gentle cleansing. Professional facial sponges, used gently with an appropriate cleanser, are her preferred tool for cleansing the face; fingertips are acceptable, but she prefers sponges for a more thorough cleanse. Eye makeup comes off first, and the face should be completely clean at bedtime. On exfoliation, she considers the individual’s age, skin condition, method of exfoliation and how the skin is responding.

The Citrisal Purifying Cleanser is most appropriate for oily skin rather than a cleanser for everyone. The Liposome Alpha-Beta Serum is an 8% AHA/BHA serum. For eye makeup, Victoria uses Eye-Onizer Gentle Makeup Remover with small sterile, non-impregnated gauze squares, which are discarded after use. These are examples from a broader range, chosen for the individual’s needs, preferences and budget. Follow the directions for each. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. Esenté’s Professional Facial Sponges are supplied by another company. If you want help deciding what your own pores need, the Ask Victoria page is the place to start.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Rough, uneven texture usually has an ordinary cause. Dry skin, a buildup of dead surface cells, dehydration, years of sun exposure and pores that look more obvious can all leave the surface feeling rough and catching the light unevenly. What helps is gentle care matched to the reason: exfoliation at an interval that suits your skin, a moisturizer used consistently, and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen applied as its label directs. Bumps that persist, itch, spread or look unusual are a question for a dermatologist, not a reason to scrub harder.

Texture is a description, not a diagnosis, and care depends on the cause.

The common causes

Dryness. Skin short on its own oils can feel rough, look flaky and show fine dry lines. Dry air, wind and heated or air-conditioned rooms tend to make it worse.

Dead cells that have not shed. Old cells flake away from the surface all the time. Skin-cell turnover generally changes with age, and when shedding slows or becomes uneven, dead cells can collect into a rough layer.

Dehydration. Skin can be low in water whatever its oil level, and it tends to look flat and feel less supple. Dehydrated Skin vs Dry Skin explains the difference.

Years of sun. Rough, uneven texture is one of the visible signs associated with long-term sun exposure, along with wrinkles and uneven tone. It builds slowly and changes slowly.

Pores that look more obvious. Oil and dead skin collecting in pore openings can make the nose and inner cheeks look uneven. Large Pores: What You Can Change and What You Cannot covers what is realistic.

The routine itself. Harsh cleansing, very hot water and too much exfoliation can all leave skin rough. Over-exfoliated skin often flakes, which is easy to mistake for a reason to exfoliate again.

Several of these often sit together. This article covers common causes, not every cause.

Exfoliation, at the interval your skin needs

Exfoliation removes built-up dead cells from the surface, which tends to leave skin feeling smoother. There is no universal schedule for how often. That depends on your age, your skin’s condition, the method and how your skin responds.

Physical exfoliants use texture, such as fine particles in a rinse-off crème, to lift loose cells. Chemical exfoliants use acids or enzymes to loosen the bonds between surface cells. Neither is gentler by definition; the complete formulation and how you use it decide that. Physical vs Chemical Exfoliation compares the two.

A few things hold either way:

• Follow the directions for the individual product.
• Avoid combining multiple exfoliating products unless their directions or your skincare professional specifically recommend doing so.
• Exfoliating while you use a non-prescription retinol product can increase dryness or irritation for some people. Check the directions for each. If you use a prescription retinoid, follow the guidance of the healthcare professional who prescribed it.
• Do not exfoliate skin that is cracked, sore or currently irritated. Generally sensitive skin is a different case from skin that is irritated right now.
• If skin starts to sting, tighten or redden, pause. When you start again, exfoliate less often or less intensely. How Often Should You Exfoliate? goes further.

Moisture matters too

Apply moisturizer after cleansing or bathing and any appropriate preceding steps, following the product’s directions, with clean fingertips. A sensible order is cleanse, an appropriate toner or mist, serum, then moisturizer, each according to the product’s directions, plus daytime sun protection. Use it consistently, not only on the days skin feels rough. Which moisturizer suits you depends on the complete formulation and on your own skin, not on whether it is labeled a cream, a lotion or a gel.

Sun protection is the slow part

Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen helps protect against further sun exposure, one of the long-term contributors to rough texture. Apply and reapply it as its label directs. Do You Need Sunscreen Every Day? makes the case.

How soon you notice a difference depends on the cause. Dry roughness can feel softer soon after moisturizer goes on. Texture tied to sun or slow shedding needs consistent care over time, and the timeline varies from person to person. Why Skin Looks Dull covers where texture and a flat-looking complexion overlap.

When texture is not a skincare question

Some raised bumps are not a skincare matter. Bumps that persist, itch, spread, bleed or look unusual, and rough patches that do not respond to gentle care, should go to a dermatologist or another appropriate healthcare professional. Do not scrub at them.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. There is no universal exfoliation schedule. Victoria considers the individual’s age, skin condition, method of exfoliation and how the skin is responding. Skin-cell turnover generally changes with age, so an appropriate interval for one person may be entirely inappropriate for another. The objective is to exfoliate when needed, not simply because a certain number of days has passed.

Esenté’s range includes two different exfoliating approaches. Oligo-Peel Exfoliation Crème provides physical exfoliation with aluminum oxide, in a formulation that also includes botanical extracts and skin-conditioning ingredients. It is a rinse-off product. The Liposome Alpha-Beta Serum is an 8% AHA/BHA serum. They are alternative approaches; avoid combining them unless their directions or your skincare professional specifically recommend doing so. Follow the directions for whichever you choose, at an interval that suits your skin, and keep both off skin that is currently irritated or compromised. Both are examples from a broader range; the right choice depends on your skin, preferences and budget. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If you are unsure which approach suits you, put the question to Victoria on the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.

Short answer: Combination skin usually means an oilier center, across the forehead, nose and chin, with cheeks that feel normal or dry. It is one face with different needs in different areas, and it rarely needs two separate routines. One gentle routine usually covers the whole face, with targeted adjustments where an area asks for them: more moisturizer on drier patches, less where you shine, blotting through the day. The pattern moves with weather, climate, age and what you use. Let your skin’s current condition, not the calendar, guide the changes.

The oilier and drier areas can share one cleanser, one toner, one sunscreen and, often, one moisturizer.

What combination skin looks like

The usual pattern follows the oil glands, which are larger and more numerous on areas such as the forehead and chin. Shine often shows first across the forehead, down the nose and on the chin, an area often called the T-zone. The cheeks may feel comfortable or dry.

None of this makes it two skin types. It is one skin whose needs differ from area to area, and not every combination face follows the textbook. Some people have an oily nose and a dry forehead; some are oily only in summer.

Read your skin over several days

Watch how your skin behaves over several ordinary days: where it shines by the afternoon and where it feels tight after cleansing. Shine down the middle with normal or tight cheeks, day after day, points toward combination skin. If you are unsure, a dermatologist or licensed skincare professional can help. How to Tell Your Skin Type covers what to look for.

Your routine can create the pattern too. A harsh cleanser can leave the cheeks tight and flaky while the center stays shiny, and that can look like combination skin when the cleanser is part of the cause. The center can also be oily and short of water at the same time. Dehydrated Skin vs Dry Skin covers that overlap.

One routine, adjusted by area

Keep one gentle routine for the whole face and make targeted adjustments, following the directions for each product.

Cleanse the whole face gently. Lukewarm water, a suitable cleanser and light pressure. There is no need to scrub the center harder; stripping it tends to leave it irritated without reducing shine for long. In the evening, remove eye makeup with a dedicated eye makeup remover before you cleanse, and go to bed with a completely clean face. After a thorough evening cleanse, a morning warm-water rinse may be enough for some skin. Why Your Cleanser Matters covers what to look for.

A toner suited to you. Cleansing and toning are separate but complementary steps. Choose a toner suited to your skin as a whole. Which product you use, and how often, depends on the individual.

Moisturize clean skin, by area. Apply moisturizer to clean skin with clean fingertips. Let the areas guide the amount: a little more on the cheeks if they feel tight, less across the center if it tends to shine.

Blot where you shine. Blotting papers pressed gently on the forehead and nose lift surface oil through the day without disturbing the rest of your face.

Daytime sun protection, everywhere. It goes on the whole face, including the oilier areas. Choose a sunscreen you are happy to wear every day and follow the label directions, including reapplication.

When two products make sense

Sometimes one moisturizer cannot suit both areas. If your cheeks stay tight with the amount that leaves your nose shiny, a different moisturizer on each area is reasonable. A longer routine is not worse when each product has a clear job.

What should decide the choice is how your skin responds, not the texture of the product. Suitability depends on the complete formulation and on your skin. Try one change at a time, so you can tell what made the difference. Building a Daily Regimen Around Your Skin covers how to put a routine together from the skin you have.

Exfoliation with different needs across the face

Different areas of the same face can respond differently to exfoliation. There is no universal schedule. The interval depends on your age, your skin’s condition, the method and how each area responds, and more often is not better.

If your cheeks turn tight, red or sore, pause, then reduce how often or how intensely you exfoliate. Do not exfoliate skin that is currently irritated, cracked or sore. And avoid combining multiple exfoliating products unless their directions or your skincare professional specifically recommend doing so. Oily Skin: How to Care for It Without Stripping It covers the oilier side of the face in more detail.

Why the pattern shifts

Weather and climate. Heat and humidity can make the center oilier. Cold wind, dry air, indoor heating and air conditioning can make the cheeks drier. A very dry climate can do that in any season. In particularly dry indoor environments, a humidifier may help increase the moisture in the air.

Travel. A flight or a trip to a different climate can change how your skin behaves for a while.

Age and hormones. Oil production tends to decrease with age, and many people find their skin shifts toward the drier side over the years. That is a tendency, not a timetable.

Victoria’s approach

Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria emphasizes responding to the environment your skin is actually experiencing. Cold winter climates can increase dryness, but very dry climates may create similar concerns at other times of year. Seasonal adjustments should therefore be guided by the condition of your skin rather than simply by the calendar. If you want help deciding what to adjust, send your question through the Ask Victoria page.

Frequently asked questions

About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.

Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.