I love makeup just as much as the next girl. I'll even admit I could spend (*have spent*) hours swatching lipsticks at Sephora. But something I've learned over time is that makeup doesn't really go very far if you don't start with a fresh, clean canvas. Yes, I'm talking about skincare, folks. Once I started learning how to properly take care of my skin and build a personalized skincare routine, I felt like a boss. But keep in mind, it's all about finding what works for YOU.We all have unique skin-types, and what works for me may not necessarily work for you. So let's dig in to the basics: The universal skincare regimen essentials.

Step 1: Cleanse

Serums, night creams, and anti-aging treatments may be luxurious, but fancy formulas won't work their magic if they aren't applied on a clean canvas. Our 

Step 2: Exfoliate (1–2 Times Per Week)

Most experts recommend exfoliating once or twice weekly to tackle built-up dirt and oil, reduce dullness, and sweep away dead skin cells (which promotes healthy cell turnover). Scrubs gently buff away dead skin and give pores a deep clean all on their own. When using a scrub, focus your exfoliating energy on areas with blackheads or flakiness (especially nose and cheeks), since those are the areas where clogged pores tend to crop up.

Step 3: Tone

This often-skipped step boasts tons of skin-boosting benefits, including balancing skin's pH levels so your skin is in tip-top shape to absorb serums and moisturizers. Packed with reparative ingredients like fruit and flower extracts, toner helps restore skin after cleansing and provides the nourishment your complexion needs to look fresher (yes please) throughout the day. 

Step 4: Apply Serums

Now to the heavy-lifters: serums. Since serums are chock full of powerful hero ingredients (think: antioxidants, ceramides, retinol, and hyaluronic acid), we want to apply them early in our routines so our skin can really soak up the good stuff. It's important to pat serums into skin—rather than just slathering them on top—so they can penetrate and absorb. 

Step 5: Tap on Eye Cream

The undereye area is the most delicate part of our complexions and the first to show signs of aging—which is why it deserves its own special step in your regimen. Gently tap on eye cream with your ring finger (be careful not to tug!) to keep the area smooth and bright. 

Step 6: Moisturize

Almost done! Smooth on a moisturizer or night cream to give your skin a biiiiig drink of water (hydrated skin equals happy skin). Prone to oil and pimples? Moisturizers are especially important for you, since dry skin can cause our oil glands to go into overdrive (which just causes more oil and blemishes).

Step 7: Protect

It's not even an option to skip this step. We call it our "Skincare Insurance Policy". If you're heading out into the sun, don't forget to layer sunscreen on top where it can most effectively fight UV rays. Remember: Daily use can reduce the appearance of skin aging by 24%, making it one of the very best anti-aging treatments around. Whether you choose a superlight makeup setting mist, an SPF oil, or a lightweight lotion, there are endless innovative (and fun!) ways to add SPF to your routine.