WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Your Evening Skincare Routine: Correct & Renew
Part Four of Our Four-Part Series on Building the Ideal Skincare Routine
Over the past few weeks, we’ve walked you through the key pillars of a smart skincare routine. We started with the Core Four, introduced the Bookends, and built a strong morning routine for protection and prevention.
Now, in Part Four, we turn our attention to what happens at night—the time when your skin does its most important work.
Why Nighttime Matters
Your skin follows a natural circadian rhythm, just like the rest of your body. While you sleep, your skin switches into repair and regeneration mode—cell turnover increases, blood flow rises, and repair enzymes kick in to undo the day’s damage. This makes nighttime the ideal window to apply your most powerful corrective ingredients.
And the two ingredients that help us do this best are:
These are your heavy lifters - the ones that bring real results over time.
From the age of 25, things start to slow down. Your skin’s natural cell turnover, which once took around 28 days, begins to lengthen—stretching to 35 days or more as you age. Collagen production declines. Hyaluronic acid levels drop. Skin cells become stickier, duller, and slower to renew.
That’s why the correction phase is so important—it helps trick the skin into behaving younger again.
As we mentioned in our previous post, your PM routine starts, and finishes with the bookends;
Step 1: Double Cleanse
Step 4: Moisturise
So let's get into steps 2 & 3.
STEP 2: Retinoids (Vitamin A)
Retinoids are the gold standard in skincare for a reason. Derived from Vitamin A, they work by speeding up cell turnover and stimulating collagen production.
Here’s what retinoids can do:
There are Multiple types of retinoids, including;
There are multiple types of retinoids, including:
Retinol – A great entry-level option, often available over the counter
Retinaldehyde – A step up, faster conversion in the skin
Retinoic Acid (Tretinoin) – Prescription-strength and clinically proven
Ethyl Lactate Retinoid – A newer, gentler form with solid performance
A combination of a gentle retinoid and glycolic acid in one product, giving you the power of both ingredients with less irritation. A great starting point for many patients.
Exfoliating acids work on the outer layers of your skin, helping to unstick dead cells and reveal fresher, smoother skin underneath. When skin cells get sluggish and sticky (thanks to aging, sun exposure, or hormonal shifts), exfoliants give them the push they need.
Types of exfoliating acids:
Glycolic Acid – A powerful AHA (alpha-hydroxy acid), great for anti-aging, dullness, and fine lines.
Lactic Acid – A gentler AHA that hydrates while exfoliating. Perfect for sensitive or dry skin.
Salicylic Acid – A BHA (beta-hydroxy acid) that’s oil-soluble, meaning it penetrates pores. Ideal for oily, congested, or acne-prone skin.
While some exfoliating acids can be used in the morning (like in certain toners or cleansers), we prefer using them at night when the skin is in repair mode—and to avoid any unnecessary UV sensitivity.
How to use them together
You can layer a retinoid and an exfoliating acid on alternate nights (often referred to as skin cycling), or use them in the same product if tolerated well.
Some of our top picks:
Start slow, listen to your skin, and don’t forget to moisturise well—both to support your skin barrier and reduce the risk of irritation.
The Evening Routine Recap:
Your basic PM routine should look like this:
That's it!
You can, of course, build from here, but this is the core approach where the results truly begin!
Ready to build your evening routine?
Thank You
We hope you enjoyed our back to skincare basics series!
Our goal here at Phare is always to educate and empower you to make the best decisions for you and your skin.
