Skincare routine
for combination skin
Pick your skin type and concerns. Get a morning and night routine in the right order, with nothing that clashes.
- 1Your skin
- 2Your day
- 3Your routine
Your dayFrom waking up to bed, in order
Ingredient types, not brands. Every active is checked against the others with our pair verdicts.
Everything in this tool, in full
Know your combination skin
Combination skin: an oily forehead, nose and chin (the T-zone) with normal or dry cheeks. The reverse counts too. Cleveland Clinic 1
How to tell your skin is combination
- 30 minutes after washing, your forehead, nose and chin feel oily while your cheeks feel normal or dry. Cleveland Clinic 1
- The reverse pattern also counts as combination skin. Cleveland Clinic 1
- It can shift with the seasons, hormones and age, so check again when things change. Cleveland Clinic 1
What to look for
- One gentle foaming or gel cleanser for the whole face. Cleveland Clinic 4Cleveland Clinic 3
- A light, non-comedogenic moisturizer. Skip it on a shiny T-zone and add more on dry cheeks. Check a label in the pore checker AAD 5
- Lower strengths, like products made for combination skin: a 2.5% benzoyl peroxide works about as well as 10%. Cleveland Clinic 1Mayo Clinic 9
- An oil-free, broad-spectrum SPF 30+. AAD 6AAD 7
What to avoid
- Heavy creams on the T-zone: too much moisturizer can clog pores. AAD 5
- Fragrance and drying alcohols. AAD 6
- Two acne actives in the same routine: dryness and irritation become more likely. Use one in the morning and the other at night. FDA 10Mayo Clinic 9
- Exfoliating acids layered together. Better at different times. See the guide Expert consensus
Common mistakes
- Switching to a stronger wash when the T-zone shines. If your cheeks get tight, go gentler instead. Cleveland Clinic 3
- Dotting acne cream only on pimples. Spread a thin layer over the whole area that breaks out. AAD 13
- Using too many products. Keep it simple. Cleveland Clinic 1AAD 6
- Skipping sunscreen on cloudy days: up to 80% of UV gets through clouds. AAD 7
Other skin types
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
Do I need two moisturizers for combination skin?
Not always. The AAD suggests moisturizing the dry areas and skipping the oily T-zone. If one product feels heavy on your nose and forehead, a lighter gel there and a cream on the cheeks treats each zone differently.
How often should I wash combination skin?
Twice a day is usually right. If your skin feels dry or irritated, a Cleveland Clinic dermatologist suggests a gentler cleanser or a thicker moisturizer.
Can I use salicylic acid on combination skin?
Yes, usually as a wash for the oily zones. If it dries your skin, the AAD suggests a mild cleanser in the morning and the salicylic acid cleanser before bed, so this builder puts it at night.
What sunscreen is best for combination skin?
A broad-spectrum SPF 30+ labeled oil-free or non-comedogenic. Use at least a teaspoon for the face, 15 minutes before going out.
Sources
- Pair verdicts from our ingredient mixer (FDA labels, studies, or expert consensus where no study exists)
American Academy of Dermatologyaad.org
- How to pick the right moisturizer for your skin (2022)
Gel or none for oily skin, cream or ointment for dry skin; combination skin: moisturize the dry spots and skip the oily areas; fragrance-free for sensitive skin; ceramides and hyaluronic acid; no AHAs on dry skin.
- Skin care on a budget (2026)
Three steps (cleanse, moisturize, protect); keep products few; water or a gentle cleanser in the morning; broad-spectrum SPF 30+; skip fragrance and drying alcohols.
- Sunscreen FAQs (2025)
Broad-spectrum SPF 30+; at least 1 teaspoon for the face; 15 minutes before going out; reapply every 2 hours; mineral sunscreen for sensitive skin.
- Face washing 101
Gentle alcohol-free cleanser, lukewarm water, fingertips only, pat dry; twice a day and after sweating.
- Retinoid or retinol? (2021)
Retinoids at night only, every other night to start, sun protection by day; people with dryness are probably not good candidates; start slowly, with moisturizer; lowest strength for sensitive skin; not in pregnancy.
- 10 skin care habits that can worsen acne
Give a product 6–8 weeks; spread treatment thinly over the whole area; wash twice a day, not all day; don’t sleep in makeup.
- What can treat large facial pores?
Non-comedogenic, oil-free products; salicylic acid cleanser (if it dries, a mild cleanser in the morning and the salicylic acid one before bed); retinol at bedtime; daily SPF 30+; never scrub or squeeze.
- How to control oily skin (2024)
Wash up to twice a day and after sweating with a gentle foaming wash; oil-free, non-comedogenic products; still moisturize; blot, don’t rub; skip oil- and alcohol-based cleansers.
- Dermatologists’ top tips for relieving dry skin (2026)
Short warm showers, moisturizer right after on damp skin, creams and ointments over lotions, fragrance-free; stop alcohol, fragrance and retinoids while skin is dry.
- How to fade dark spots in darker skin tones (2025)
Tinted SPF 30+ with iron oxides; azelaic acid, glycolic acid, retinoids and vitamin C can fade spots; irritation can cause new ones; 6–12 months to fade.
Cleveland Clinicclevelandclinic.org
- What is my skin type and why does it matter? (2024)
The 30-minute test after washing; the T-zone; sensitive is about reactions; lower strengths for combination skin; avoid benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid on sensitive skin.
- How often should you wash your face? (2025)
Twice a day for oily and combination skin; water in the morning and cleanser at night for dry or sensitive skin; overwashing dries skin.
- Skin care for men (2022)
Testosterone can make skin oilier; skin type matters more than sex; pH-balanced cleanser, not bar soap; moisturizer instead of alcohol aftershave; vitamin C AM, retinol PM.
- 8 tips for getting rid of oily skin (2023)
Genetics, age, hormones, humidity and stress raise oil; harsh, drying products can increase it; blot, don’t rub.
- The correct order for skin care products (2025)
Thinnest to thickest; vitamin C serum in the morning under sunscreen (it doesn’t replace it); retinoid at night; sunscreen last.
DermNetdermnetnz.org
- Sensitive skin (2026)
About 60–70% of women and 50–60% of men report sensitive skin; soap-free cleansers; avoid exfoliants and fragrance; one new product at a time.
- Nicotinamide
A 2% niacinamide moisturizer reduced facial oil; niacinamide moisturizers improved the barrier and cut irritant reactions; studies on fine lines and blotchiness; well tolerated, often by people who can’t tolerate retinoids.
- Azelaic acid
Used for acne, rosacea and dark marks; start once a day, build to twice; may itch or burn; very sensitive skin may find it irritating.
Mayo Clinicmayoclinic.org
- Nonprescription acne treatment, which products work best? (2024)
Benzoyl peroxide 2.5–10%: lower strengths work as well as higher ones, start at 2.5%; adapalene 0.1%, salicylic acid 0.5–2%, azelaic acid 10%; one product in the morning, a different one at night, to help prevent irritation; 2–3 months for full results.
- Wrinkle creams, your guide to younger looking skin (2026)
Retinol, vitamin C and niacinamide may bring small improvements; daily SPF 30+ is the more reliable step; up to 6 weeks to see a change.
Electronic Code of Federal Regulationsecfr.gov
- FDA OTC acne monograph, 21 CFR 333 subpart D
Benzoyl peroxide 2.5–10% and salicylic acid 0.5–2%; start with one application daily; dryness and irritation more likely with another topical acne medicine at the same time; benzoyl peroxide: not for very sensitive skin, bleaches fabric.
DailyMed, US National Library of Medicinedailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA label (DailyMed): Differin Gel, adapalene 0.1%
Once a day, thin layer over the whole affected area; irritation most likely in the first weeks or with more than one topical acne medicine at a time; use sunscreen; a moisturizer may help.
US Food and Drug Administrationfda.gov
- Beta hydroxy acids
Use sun protection with salicylic acid products; test on a small area first.
Studies and other sources
- Al-Niaimi & Chiang, J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 2017: Topical vitamin C and the skinjcadonline.com
L-ascorbic acid needs a pH below 3.5 to get into skin; useful products are 10–20%; stronger ones may irritate; it reduces pigmentation.
- Adv Ther, 2022: review of retinoids in topical anti-aging treatmentlink.springer.com
Retinol formulations from 0.075% to 0.5% were tested for anti-aging; 0.3% is the maximum recommended concentration in face creams and other cosmetics.