Up next: moisturize. If you want to use a hydrating serum—like one with hyaluronic acid, CoQ10, or peptides—before your face cream, you can go right ahead. Just don’t layer on all of your hydrating elixirs here: “Your skin can only absorb so much, so stick to one serum with restorative ingredients, like peptides and antioxidants, and then top it all off with a moisturizer to seal everything in,” celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau once told mbg.
For your moisturizer, snag a cream with barrier-supporting ingredients, like ceramides, squalane, and shea butter, to restore and protect your skin.
“For an at-home facial performed at night, finish with an active night cream that will continue working long after you are asleep,” says Gallo. Just make sure to avoid any exfoliators or retinol, lest you overwhelm your skin.
