Can I use St. Ives body lotion on my face?

Congrats! You’ve found your favorite go-to products for your skin (and if you haven’t, check out St. Ives Face Care product range here)! Now, the next step to glowing skin is figuring out your skincare routine order. This means exactly when and in what order to use each one of your products. Sound confusing? We’ve got you covered, every step of the way, day and night – literally! Let’s get started…

Why Does Face Care Routine Order Matter?
Now that you’ve spent the time and money to get the right products for your skin, don’t you want to maximize their benefits? Of course you do. That’s exactly why it matters when you use each one. As we go through the right face routine order for morning and night, it will totally start to make sense. Like you would never put on an acne treatment before cleansing. Or do a mask after putting on your moisturizer.

Daytime Skin Care Routine Order
Morning! You went to bed with a clean, moisturized face so you can probably skip skin care products this a.m., right? Actually, no!

Experts recommend moisturizing your face twice a day (and using sunscreen every day). Each and every day, you’ll need to take your routine from the top:

Step 1: Cleanser
Get rid of oil produced overnight and uncover your inner glow with St. Ives Apricot & Manuka Honey Cleansing Stick. Made with 100% natural coconut oil, this Korean-inspired solid cleanser will leave your skin supremely soft.

Step 2: Eye Cream
News flash: Delicate eye area skin needs its own moisturizer. If you use one, now’s the time to apply it.

Tip: if you’re looking to refresh those under-eyes further, try our new St. Ives Hydrogel Eye Masks.

Step 3: Breakouts
Spot treatments work best when applied before anything else. So make sure to dab your acne-fighting product on before adding moisturizer or sunscreen.

Step 4: Moisturizer & Sunscreen
The last step in your morning skin care routine is all about hydration and sun protection. If you’re using two products, apply the moisturizer first!

Nighttime Skincare Routine Order

Step 1: Makeup Remover & Cleanser
Nighttime cleansing is actually a 2 part thing: First remove makeup, then refresh skin. If you’re looking to combine steps, and get some gentle exfoliation too, you’ve got to try St. Ives Exfoliate & Nourish Coconut Oil Scrub. Just as the name suggests, this smoother/soother blends pure grapeseed oil with 100% natural coconut shell powder to melt away makeup, cleanse pores, and leave your skin oh so soft.

Step 2: Face Mask
Most masks without exfoliating properties don’t strip skin, so they’re generally ok for everyday use. Whether you have the time to do one every night is another story! Whenever you choose to mask, this is the point in your routine to do it – when your skin is freshly clean.

For a major boost of hydration, we’re loving St. Ives Hydrating Cactus Water & Hibiscus Sheet Mask. Just place the mess-free sheet over clean, dry skin, leave it on for 10 minutes, and you’re done. No rinsing necessary!

Step 3: Eye Cream
Just like in the a.m., always apply nighttime eye cream before applying moisturizer over your entire face.

Pro tip: Tap eye cream on gently, never pulling or tugging on your skin.

Step 4: Moisturizer
If you don’t have a dedicated nighttime moisturizer you should! Our favorite heavy-duty hydrator is St. Ives Renewing Collagen & Elastin Moisturizer. While you can totally use it in the morning too, it’s great to apply to your face  before bed. Waiting a bit before hitting the sheets gives all those good ingredients enough time to sink into your skin.

When Should You Exfoliate?
So you’ve got your daily skin care routine down, but what about scrubs that you only use a few times a week? Should you wash your face before using a face scrub? When do you apply moisturizer? All good questions and have no fear – we’ve got answers.

Skin care buffs (no pun intended!) say you should exfoliate 1-2x a week to remove dull skin cells. In general, it’s recommended to cleanse before you exfoliate, but if you’re using an exfoliating cleanser you’ll want to remove any makeup before applying it.

For intense skin buffing, check out St. Ives Energizing Coffee Face Scrub.  It gets its deep polishing powers from 100% natural walnut shell powder and wakes you right up with the energizing scent of coffee. Yum…and perfect for a morning perk up! Once your skin is clean and exfoliated, then it’s time to apply your moisturizer and sunscreen.