Skincare routine checker
Tap what you use. See what to fix, and why.
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What’s your skin like?
AAD · FDA · Cleveland ClinicStays on your device
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Your skin isn’t.
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Zone by zone: with a plan.
Add a step
Everything in this tool, in full
Add the steps you really use, morning and night, with the main active in each. Get a verdict line by line: steps out of order, actives that clash on the same night, a missing sunscreen, pregnancy flags. Then your routine, fixed. Every flag links to its source.
How the checker decides
Bands, not a fixed list
Each step falls in a band: cleanser, then thin watery layers and treatments, then serums, eye cream, face oil, moisturizer, sunscreen, makeup. That follows Cleveland Clinic’s “lightest to heaviest” rule and the AAD’s advice to put a treatment right after cleansing. Inside one band, your own order stays: no source ranks two serums against each other, so neither do we.
Retinoids belong to the night
The AAD advises using retinoids only at night, with sun protection by day, and Mayo Clinic says tretinoin goes on at bedtime, 20 to 30 minutes after washing. A retinol or tretinoin step in the morning is a fix. Adapalene is a tip only: its label allows daytime use if it dries before sunscreen, and says not more than once a day.
Same night, or same week?
Two actives our pair data says to “space out” are only a fix when they must land on the same night: both every day, or more days between them than a week has. At 3 and 2 nights a week they can sit on separate nights, so it becomes a tip and the week plan places them apart. Mayo Clinic suggests the same idea for acne products: one in the morning, a different one at night.
Actives that need sunscreen
With an AHA, the FDA advises sunscreen while you use it and for a week afterwards; with a BHA like salicylic acid, sun protection. The AAD pairs retinoids with sun protection by day, and the NHS says to avoid strong sunlight with benzoyl peroxide. With any of them and no morning sunscreen, the checker asks for one: broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher for the FDA, SPF 30 or higher for the AAD.
More products, more side effects
The AAD warns that using too many products may irritate the skin, especially more than one anti-aging product, and Cleveland Clinic’s dermatologist says the more products you use, the better the chances of side effects. The AAD also says exfoliating while you use a retinoid or benzoyl peroxide may worsen dryness or cause breakouts. No source gives a number: our tip shows up at 3 actives in one routine.
The same stamps as our pregnancy check
If you say you’re pregnant, each active gets the stamp from our pregnancy-safe check, built on AAD, ACOG, FDA label and MotherToBaby pages: “avoid” steps are paused in the fixed routine, “ask first” steps stay with a note for your OB-GYN. Breastfeeding gets the notes those sources give, without stamps.
Fix or tip?
A fix is something a source says to change. A tip is advice worth knowing that may not apply to you. When we found nothing, the checker says nothing.
| Check | Fix when… | Tip when… | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order | Sunscreen not last, cleanser not first, makeup before sunscreen, a treatment after moisturizer | Other steps out of their band (eye cream, face oil, serums) | Cleveland Clinic, AAD |
| Retinoid timing | Retinol or tretinoin in the morning; adapalene twice a day | Adapalene in the morning only | AAD, Mayo Clinic, Differin label |
| Active pairs | “Avoid” pairs anywhere; “space out” pairs forced onto the same day | “Space out” pairs that fit on separate days | 36 checked pairs (FDA labels, AAD, studies) |
| Tretinoin | With retinol, adapalene, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid | With anything else: not in our pairs | Mayo Clinic, Martin 1998, AAD |
| Same active twice | One retinoid or exfoliating acid in two steps on the same day | — | AAD, Differin label |
| Sunscreen | Missing in the morning while a retinoid, AHA, BHA or benzoyl peroxide is in the routine | Missing with none of them; AHA in the morning; sensitive skin with a retinoid | FDA, AAD, NHS |
| Too much at once | — | 3 or more actives in one routine (our threshold); a daily acid with sensitive or dry skin | AAD, Cleveland Clinic |
| Skin type | — | Face oil with oily or combination skin; toner with sensitive skin; no night moisturizer with a retinoid | Cleveland Clinic, AAD |
| Pregnancy | An “avoid” stamp | An “ask your doctor first” stamp; sunscreen filters unknown | AAD, ACOG, FDA labels, MotherToBaby |
Need a different tool?
One face scan. Your whole routine, sorted.
This page answered your question. MySkincare starts from your own skin, and the products you already use.
- 1Scan your face3 photos: front, left profile, right profile.
- 2See your skin scoreFree6 zones scored separately: forehead, eye area, T-zone, both cheeks, chin.
- 3Scan your productsIt reads each ingredient list and says: keep it, watch it or replace it.
- 4Follow your routineMorning and night, checked so your products work together. With reminders.
Questions people ask
How do I check my skincare routine?
List the steps you really use, in the order you use them, morning and night, with the main active of each product and how often you use it. The checker compares the order with dermatologists’ order rules, every pair of actives with our 36 checked pairs, and your sunscreen with the advice for the actives you use. It returns fixes, tips and the corrected routine, each with its source.
Are my skincare products compatible?
Most pairs of common actives are fine together: in our 36 checked pairs, retinol and niacinamide, or vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, need no change. Two are “pick one” pairs: retinol with adapalene, and adapalene with glycolic acid, which its label says to avoid. Many others, like retinol and glycolic acid, only need different times or nights. The checker reads every pair in your routine at once; the ingredient mixer explains one pair in depth.
Can I keep two actives that clash if I alternate nights?
For pairs our data marks “space out”, yes: the plans say, for example, retinol one night and glycolic acid another, or salicylic acid in the morning and retinol at night. The checker only calls it a fix when your frequencies force them onto the same night. For “avoid” pairs, alternating doesn’t help: pick one.
Do I need sunscreen if I only use retinol at night?
Yes. The AAD advises using retinoids only at night and always using sun protection during the day. With an AHA like glycolic acid, the FDA advises sunscreen while you use it and for a week after you stop.
How many actives is too many?
No source we read gives a number. The AAD says using too many products may irritate the skin, especially more than one anti-aging product Our tip appears when one routine holds 3 or more actives, not counting hyaluronic acid.
How is this different from the routine order page?
The routine order page sorts product types you tap into the general order. This checker starts from your own routine, in your order, with each product’s active and frequency, and tells you what in it is wrong, what is fine, and how your week should look.
Can I use it if I’m pregnant?
Yes, as a first pass. Choose “Pregnant” and each active gets the same stamp as our pregnancy-safe check; “avoid” steps are paused in the fixed routine. It’s not medical advice: labels rarely give strengths, so show your routine to your OB-GYN.
Is my routine saved or sent anywhere?
It is never sent. The check runs in your browser, and your routine is kept only on this device, so it’s still there if you come back.
Sources
- Educational content, not medical advice
- Pair verdicts from our 36 checked pairs (each pair guide lists its sources)
- Pregnancy stamps shared with our pregnancy-safe check
American Academy of Dermatologyaad.org
- Should I apply my skin care products in a certain order?
Medicine or treatment right after cleansing, then moisturizer and/or sunscreen, then makeup. Using too many products may irritate the skin, especially more than one anti-aging product.
- Retinoid or retinol?
Use retinoids only at night, every other night to start, with sun protection by day; moisturizer helps limit irritation; with sensitive skin, a physical sunscreen with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide.
- How to apply sunscreen
SPF 30 or higher, broad spectrum; skin is exposed to UV every time you go outside, even on cloudy days and in winter; reapply every two hours outdoors.
- How to safely exfoliate at home (updated Feb. 2026)
The more aggressive the exfoliation, the less often; dry, sensitive or acne-prone skin may prefer a mild chemical exfoliator; exfoliating while using retinoid or benzoyl peroxide products may worsen dryness or cause breakouts; over-exfoliating can leave skin red and irritated.
- Dermatologist-approved pregnancy skin care (updated June 2025)
Should not be used during pregnancy, because they can put your baby at risk of birth defects: retinoids (including OTC retinol and adapalene), hydroquinone, finasteride, spironolactone, tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline, and 5-fluorouracil cream. Use sparingly: salicylic acid at high doses (greater than 2%), benzoyl peroxide, parabens, phthalates, phenol, triclosan, some essential oils. Mineral sunscreen, SPF 30+. Vitamin C in the morning, glycolic acid at night. No mention of niacinamide.
- Is any acne treatment safe to use during pregnancy?
Isotretinoin, tazarotene and spironolactone: never take during pregnancy; if you’re pregnant, stop them immediately. Doxycycline, minocycline or tetracycline: stop by your 15th week of pregnancy. Adapalene and tretinoin: most experts recommend stopping. Azelaic acid and clindamycin: thought to be safe. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid: safe in limited amounts or for a limited time, ask first.
US Food and Drug Administrationfda.gov
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids
AHAs may increase sun sensitivity and sunburn: use sunscreen while using them and for a week afterwards. The worst reactions came with the strongest exfoliation.
- Beta Hydroxy Acids
Use sun protection if you use a BHA product such as salicylic acid; stop if irritation or prolonged stinging.
- Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun
Broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher, regularly; apply 15 minutes before sun exposure; reapply at least every two hours.
Mayo Clinicmayoclinic.org
- Tretinoin (topical route), proper use
Once a day at bedtime, 20 to 30 minutes after washing. Avoid other topical medicine on the same area within 1 hour, and products with a peeling agent (benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, sulfur), unless your doctor says otherwise. Use a sunscreen outdoors.
- Nonprescription acne treatment
You might apply one product in the morning and a different one at night to help prevent irritation; start with lower strengths and increase slowly.
Cleveland Clinicclevelandclinic.org
- How To Order Your Skin Care Routine (Sean McGregor, DO)
Lightest to heaviest (thinnest to thickest); cleanser first, morning and night; sunscreen as the final morning step; eye cream after serum, before moisturizer; face oil right before moisturizer, and only for dry skin; spot treatment at step two; retinoids at night; toners can irritate and dry sensitive skin; the more products, the more side effects.
DailyMed, US National Library of Medicinedailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA label (DailyMed): Differin Gel, adapalene 0.1%
Use once daily, not more than one time a day; avoid alpha hydroxy or glycolic acid products; if used during the day, let it dry before sunscreen; use sunscreen outdoors; ask a doctor if pregnant or breast-feeding.
NHSnhs.uk
- How and when to use benzoyl peroxide
Usually once or twice a day; with sensitive skin, once a day before bed; use it less often if skin dries or peels; avoid strong sunlight; it bleaches hair and fabrics.
DermNetdermnetnz.org
- Benzoyl peroxide
Start every second night, then build up as tolerated; let it dry completely before skin touches fabric; a light non-oily moisturizer if skin is scaly.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologistsacog.org
- Skin Conditions During Pregnancy, patient FAQ
Over-the-counter products with benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, salicylic acid or glycolic acid can be used; use of topical retinoids is generally avoided, and some OTC products contain them; isotretinoin should not be used; melasma and daily sunscreen.
MotherToBabymothertobaby.org
- Topical Acne Treatments (fact sheet, February 2026)
Only a small amount is absorbed; OTC topical acne treatments haven’t been linked to more birth defects; topical retinoids like adapalene are generally avoided; breastfeeding: not well studied, keep off the nipple and areola.
Studies and other sources
- Martin et al., Br J Dermatol, 1998 (abstract only)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
With light, benzoyl peroxide broke down more than 50% of tretinoin in about 2 hours; adapalene stayed stable.
- Dermatology Times (September 3, 2026), news summary of Kovacs et al., Cosmetic Dermatology in Pregnancy and Lactation: A Risk-Benefit Framework for Clinical Practice, Int J Dermatol, 2026 (a narrative review; news summary only, the review itself not read)dermatologytimes.com
Vitamin C, azelaic acid, niacinamide and benzoyl peroxide considered acceptable in pregnancy and breastfeeding; low-strength glycolic or lactic acid may be used with caution in pregnancy; salicylic acid peels avoided in pregnancy, particularly at higher strengths; hydroquinone avoided; tazarotene and deep phenol peels avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding; reproductive safety data are limited.