You hear people talk about skincare ingredients all the time, and you've probably read some of our other Bolden blogs where we've dissected some of the most popular ingredients in skincare. But it's hard to know which active ingredients you actually need, and when to use them in your routine: morning or night, daily or a few times a week. Let's demystify it.
In this blog, we're giving you a skincare cheat sheet: the key ingredients to know, when to use each one in your AM or PM routine, and why it matters for your skin barrier and overall skin health.
Vitamin C
When: Morning
Why: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps brighten your skin and even protect against the sun. Use it in the morning for a brightening boost to get your day started.
Niacinamide
When: Morning and/or night
Why: Gentle but effective, Niacinamide is great for refining pores and calming your skin. That makes it a great ingredient to incorporate in your routine morning or night.
Sulfur
When: Night
Why: Sulfur is a strong contender when it comes to combatting breakouts and clearing clogged pores. It can be a little drying, so we recommend using it during your evening routine, paired with a good moisturizer. Our Cosmopolitan Magazine award-winning Clay Mask contains sulfur and can be used as a mask or to spot treat active breakouts.
Ceramides & Peptides
When: Morning and/or Night
Why: Ceramides and peptides work to repair and strengthen your skin barrier, making them great ingredients to use any time, especially if you deal with dryness or sensitivity. We formulated our F-Hydra Moisturizer specifically to strengthen your skin barrier, and it's packed with both ceramides and peptides. You can use it as your daily moisturizer, day and night.
Shea Butter
When: Morning and/or Night
Why: There's a reason shea butter shows up in so many moisturizers and body care products: it deeply hydrates and locks in softness. You can use it morning and night as part of your moisturizing routine, or even throughout the day when you want a little extra glow. A true all-rounder.
Dark Spot Actives
When: Night
Why: Dark spot actives help fade the look of dark spots, sun spots, and hyperpigmentation over time. Given their strength, we recommend using them as part of your evening skincare routine. Start 1-2 times a week and build up to daily use as your skin adjusts. A non-negotiable always — but especially when using actives — is wearing sunscreen every day, and reapplying it as needed.
Building Your Routine
Now that you know the what, when, and why, building a routine that works for your skin is really about layering the right actives at the right time. A good rule of thumb: start simple, introduce one new ingredient at a time, and let your skin tell you what it needs. You don't have to use every ingredient on this list every day. Even a few of these, used consistently, can make a real difference.
And no matter which actives you land on, sunscreen is the one step that ties it all together. It protects the results you're working for and keeps your skin barrier happy, so don't skip it.
Still not sure where to start? Explore our full skincare collection or check out more ingredient breakdowns on the Bolden blog to keep building your routine, one ingredient at a time.
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