A skincare routine in three steps: cleanse, care, protect

Why three steps are enough

Many routines grow with every new product. The Verbraucherzentrale points out that skin and hair problems are often "over-cared". Foaming, wash-active substances, known as surfactants, strip fat from the skin. Many people then fight the resulting feeling of dry, tight skin with a cream or lotion. One product sometimes makes up for what the previous one caused.

Three steps are a frame to orient yourself by. What you need beyond that depends on your skin, not on the length of the shelf in your bathroom.

Step 1: cleanse

Cleansing should remove dirt, product residue and make-up. The aim is clean skin, not skin that squeaks. If your skin feels tight after washing, the Verbraucherzentrale says this can be down to degreasing surfactants. A milder product may then be worth trying.

What you can look at when choosing:

• Cosmetic products carry an ingredients list, usually found on the packaging under the heading "Ingredients". How to read it is explained in the article How to read an INCI list.
• Fewer products mean fewer substances your skin has to tolerate.
• There is no rule that fits every skin. Notice how your skin feels after cleansing.
• Gel, oil and balm are compared in Evening cleansing: gel, oil or balm.

Step 2: care

Care is the step that depends most on your skin. If your skin feels tight after cleansing, a moisturiser can help it feel more comfortable. If it feels balanced, you may need very little.

Two points from independent sources help set your expectations:

• Price is not a measure on its own. In 2024 the German consumer test organisation Stiftung Warentest tested 14 face creams for dry skin. The cheapest cost 1.65 euros per 50 millilitres, the most expensive 60 euros for the same amount, more than 36 times as much. The test results themselves are behind a paywall, so please read them there.
• A cream is not a wrinkle treatment. The Verbraucherzentrale states that no cosmetic product makes visible wrinkles disappear for good, and it refers to a Stiftung Warentest test in which none of nine anti-wrinkle creams visibly reduced wrinkles or fine lines. A cream is meant to care for the skin.

The difference between day and night creams is explained in Day cream and night cream.

Step 3: protect

The third step is sun protection. The German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) names an order of priority: avoid strong UV radiation, dress appropriately outdoors, and protect the skin that is still uncovered with sun cream. In everyday life, the face is often uncovered.

What the BfS says about using sun cream:

• Sun protection factor (SPF): at least SPF 30. At high altitude, on snow, near or in water and in sunny regions, the BfS recommends SPF 50+.
• Amount: the SPF printed on the pack is determined for 2 milligrams per square centimetre of skin. If you apply only half of that, the protection factor can drop by two thirds.
• Timing: apply 20 to 30 minutes before going into the sun and reapply at least every two hours, and especially after bathing and drying off.
• Limits: sun cream cannot block UV radiation completely and never replaces other protective measures such as shade and clothing.

The UV index shows when protection is needed. On the BfS scale, values of 1 to 2 are low, and normally no protective measures are needed. From a UV index of 3 (moderate) the BfS says protection is required, including sun cream with a sufficient protection factor for uncovered skin. The BfS adds a footnote to the low range for long stays outdoors, so check the page if you spend many hours outside.

Morning and evening: one possible routine

This is a suggestion for orientation, not a rule.

Morning

1. Cleanse your face gently if you like.
2. Apply a cream if your skin needs it.
3. Apply sun cream if uncovered skin will be in the sun and the UV index is 3 or higher.

Evening

1. Cleanse your face so that dirt, product residue and make-up are gone.
2. Apply a cream if your skin needs it.

In the evening you do not need sun protection if you are no longer going out into the sun.

Make it easy to keep up

A routine only works if you actually use it. Keep the products you use together, and choose a time that already exists in your day, such as brushing your teeth. If a step feels like a chore, leave it out and see how your skin responds. If you want to know which mistakes commonly creep into routines, read The eight most common skincare mistakes.

When to see a doctor

This guide does not replace medical advice. If your skin reacts to a product with a rash, stop using it and have the cause clarified by a doctor. Have a doctor find out which ingredient caused the reaction, as the Verbraucherzentrale advises. You can then avoid that substance in future. You can also report the unwanted effect to the manufacturer or an authority. The Verbraucherzentrale also advises keeping the suspect product and taking it to the appointment. If you notice a skin change that is growing or changing, hurts or does not heal, or if you have lasting complaints, see a doctor. The German Dermatological Society explains on its page how to find a dermatologist (page in German); it points to the doctor search of the professional association BVDD.

Keep reading

• Skincare and cosmetics: the topic section with all guides on facial care.
• Day cream and night cream: do you need both?
• How to read an INCI list: what the ingredients list tells you.
• Start page in English: all English pages at a glance.