Sarah Sheppeck is a Black biracial writer, editor, and rootworker. The co-Editor-in-Chief of just femme & dandy and section editor for the glow up, she enjoys sharing skincare and skin-friendly makeup tips alike. Born and raised in upstate New York with stints in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and the woods of northern Maine, she is now back in her home state with her pit mix, Chloe, and her polydactyl cat, Rita Moreno. Find her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok: @EpicSheppeck.

skincare for grown folk

sarah sheppeck

The skincare industry is more saturated with products than ever. It seems like every few months there’s a new, buzzy product being touted by everyone from beauty influencers to professional makeup artists. And if you were raised in the era of Noxema and Clearasil, the sudden influx of “holy grail” products and buzzy brands might seem overwhelming, leaving your Google history filled with queries like, “Do cucumbers on eyes actually do anything?” “Do I need eye cream?” and “WTF is snail mucin?”

Fear not, your faery godqueer is here to demystify some of the most common questions about skincare.

WHAT ORDER SHOULD I DO MY SKINCARE ROUTINE IN?

The Order: Cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer. There are variations (exfoliant-cleanser-spot treatment-eye cream-face oil), but generally this is The Way. Why? Density and occlusivity. Science!

Cleansing is always the first step in your skincare routine. After that, any products you use should be layered by using the lightest products first, and the most dense products last. Putting on a heavy moisturizer, for example, before putting on a spot treatment will prevent the spot treatment from penetrating your skin, leaving it to sit on top of the moisturizer instead.

So, the more-or-less definitive order of skincare application:

• Exfoliant

• Cleanser

• Toner

• Serum(s)

• Eye Cream

• Spot Treatment

• Moisturizer

• Sunscreen

• Face Oil

DO I NEED THAT?

If you’re thinking, “Wait, I don’t use _____” or “I didn’t know I was supposed to _____,” that’s okay. Let’s break down the product categories that are absolutely necessary for maintaining the health of your skin.

NOTE: I am not being compensated for any of the product recommendations I make here. Anything I mention by name is something I actually use and love.

Exfoliant

This step isn’t numbered above because it’s the only one that shouldn’t be done daily. Over-exfoliating can lead to skin irritation and aggravation of existing skin conditions, like oil overproduction. That said, exfoliating 1-3 times per week can help improve the overall texture of your skin. This step also helps to remove layers of dead skin cells, making it easier for your skin to absorb product.

I especially recommend exfoliating your face and lips during the winter months, since removing chapped skin helps ensure that your moisturizers and balms are actually doing their jobs.

How to Apply: Using a washcloth or your hands, rub in a circular motion on damp skin and rinse with warm water before cleansing as usual.

How This Fits in The Routine: 1-3 times a week, exfoliate before beginning your usual skincare routine.

Sarah’s Recommendations:

Best Black-Owned: Keys Soulcare Be Luminous Exfoliator, $25

Best for Lips: Lush Honey Lip Scrub, $13.50

Best Under $20: Burt’s Bees Conditioning Lip Scrub, $9

Cleanser

If absolutely nothing else, wash your face morning and night. Morning to clear sweat and oil that may have built up overnight, and in the evening to clear your face of environmental pollution, product buildup, and bacteria.

How to Apply: Work cleanser into damp skin in a circular motion using your hands or a facial cleansing brush.

How This Fits in The Routine: This is usually the first step in your skincare routine. If you’re exfoliating first, cleanse immediately after exfoliation.

Sarah’s Recommendations:

Best for Sensitive Skin: Keys Soulcare Golden Cleanser, $22

Best for Dry Skin: Buttah Skin Cleanser, $15

Best Under $20: Urban Hydration Nourish & Rehydrate Castor & Shea Face Wash, $10

NOTE: Keys Soulcare, Buttah Skin, and Urban Hydration are Black-owned brands.

Eye Cream

You absolutely do need an eye cream. Sorry, babes. The skin around your eyes is up to ten times thinner than the skin on the rest of your face, meaning it’s much more susceptible to damage. You don’t have to go for expensive anti-aging or wrinkle reducing creams (we don’t promote ageism in this family), but you do want to get a moisturizer that’s made specifically for the eye area.

How to Apply: Scoop or squeeze out some product–you need less than you think–onto your ring finger and dab, don’t rub, around your eye. Why your ring finger? Because it’s the weakest, and thus least likely to pull at the delicate skin around your eyes.

If your eyes get puffy in the morning, keep your eye cream in the fridge–the coolness will help bring down the swelling.

How This Fits in The Routine: After cleansing, toning, and serums, before spot treatment and moisturizer.

Sarah’s Recommendations:

Best for Dry Skin: Honest Beauty Calm & Renew Melting Eye Balm, $28

Best for Black-owned: Keys Soulcare Radiant Eye Cream, $30

Best Under $20: e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Eye Cream, $10

Moisturizer

Moisturize your face, baby. Every day. Even if–in fact especially if–you have oily skin. Oil overproduction is actually a response to your skin being dry, so moisturizing regularly will help oil and dry skin alike.

How to Apply: Use your hands to apply to your face and neck in a circular motion. If your face gets puffy in the morning, try keeping your moisturizer in the fridge and applying it while it’s cold.

How This Fits in The Routine: After cleansing and toning, before eye cream and spot treatment.

Sarah’s Recommendations:

Best Gel Moisturizer: Urban Hydration Aloe Vera Daily Moisturizer, $8

Best for Dry Skin: Buttah Skin Facial Shea Butter, $19

Best Under $20: fresh Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream, $18

NOTE: Buttah Skin and Urban Hydration are Black-owned brands.

Sunscreen, Face Oil, and Primers

Yes, sib, you need sunscreen. Yes, even in the winter. Yes, even if you’re melanated. Some moisturizers come with SPF, as do some foundations, so I’m lumping sunscreen in with priming the skin for makeup, although I know not all of us wear makeup daily (or at all!).

Facial oils are less necessary than suncreen, although they’re a great way to get in even more moisture before applying makeup–a good tip for those of us who prefer matte foundation looks.

How to Apply: Use your hands to apply to your skin in upward strokes.

How This Fits in The Routine: This is the last step in the routine, after all other products have been applied.

Sarah’s Recommendations:

Best Sunscreen: Black Girl Sunscreen Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion, $16

Best for Priming Makeup: Danessa Myricks Beauty Oil, $30

Best Under $20: Flower Beauty Supernova Celestial Priming Whip, $17

NOTE: Black Girl Sunscreen and Danessa Myricks are Black-owned brands.

Still have questions? Tag us on social media and ask away! You never know, you might even see your question in print in a future issue.

Now go forth and glow, babes.