Facial care - the complete guide by a doctor and analyses by BeautyDecoders.
An effective routine is not based on the number of products, but on consistency between your skin type, your skin problems and genuinely documented active ingredients. Three fundamentals - cleanse, moisturize, protect - followed by targeted treatments.
All the care guides face
Cleansing care
How to cleanse your skin morning and night without damaging it.
Read the guide →FundamentalMoisturizing care
How to moisturize your skin and strengthen the cutaneous barrier.
Read the guide →FundamentalSun protection
How to choose your sun cream, the best-documented anti-aging product.
Read the guide →TargetedAnti-wrinkle care
Retinol, vitamin C and active ingredients to reduce fine lines.
Read the guide →TargetedAnti-aging care
Prevent and correct the signs of skin aging.
Read the guide →TargetedLifting care
Firm tissues and redefine facial contours.
Read the guide →TargetedAnti-acne care
Reduce pimples and blackheads, regulate sebum.
Read the guide →TargetedAnti-imperfection care
Unify skin texture and limit marques.
Read the guide →TargetedAnti-blackhead care
Unclog pores and limit sebum oxidation.
Read the guide →TargetedDilated pores
Tighten pores and refine T-zone texture.
Read the guide →TargetedAnti-spot care
Reduces brown spots, melasma and post-acne marques.
Read the guide →TargetedAnti-redness care
Soothe reactive, sensitive or rosacea-prone skin.
Read the guide →ZoneEye contour care
Treat a finer area, starting in your thirties.
Read the guide →ZoneAnti-dark circle care
Reduce dark circles, blue circles and hollows in the eyes.
Read the guide →ZoneAnti-puffiness care
Decongest and relax the eye contour area.
Read the guide →ZoneLip care
Repair and protect an area lacking sebaceous glands.
Read the guide →MethodExfoliating care
Chemical and mechanical exfoliation, without irritating the skin.
Read the guide →MethodLED masks and helmets
What photobiomodulation can and cannot do.
Read the guide →MethodCreate your own routine
Build a consistent, step-by-step routine.
Read the guide →All the ingredient guides
Retinol
The best-documented anti-aging active ingredient for cell renewal.
Read the guide →AntioxidantVitamin C
Radiance, blemishes and support for collagen, the benchmark antioxidant.
Read the guide →VersatileNiacinamide
Skin barrier, sebum, pores and redness, well tolerated by all.
Read the guide →HydrationHyaluronic acid
Attracts and retains water, plumps and reduces fine dehydration lines.
Read the guide →Anti-agingPeptides
Signals that support firmness and collagen production.
Read the guide →ImperfectionsAzelaic acid
Blemishes, redness and spots: a gentle, versatile active ingredient.
Read the guide →ScrubBHA (salicylic acid)
The only acid that penetrates pores, ideal for acne and blackheads.
Read the guide →AntioxidantResveratrol
Polyphenol antioxidant, gentle alternative to pure vitamin C.
Read the guide →SoothingTurmeric
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, a promising additional active ingredient.
Read the guide →To understandEssential oils
Real benefits but documented risks: for whom, how.
Read the guide →To understandSilicones
Neither poison nor miracle: a useful, safe, textural ingredient.
Read the guide →To understandPhenoxyethanol
Conservatives explained: what the ANSM and the PELAGIE cohort have to say.
Read the guide →To understandComedogenic ingredients
The 0-5 scale, the real culprits and preconceived ideas about oils.
Read the guide →IndexAll ingredients
A complete index of decoded active ingredients.
See index →The three fundamentals cleanse, moisturize, protect
Three gestures form the basis of any routine, whatever your skin type. The choice of cleansers and moisturizers depends on your skin type; the choice of serums and corrective treatments depends on your skin problems.
Clean
Twice a day, with a gentle cleanser suited to your skin type. Well-cleansed skin is better able to absorb the active ingredients applied afterwards. Double cleansing is ideal in the evening when make-up or sunscreen is applied.
How to clean your skinMoisturize
Moisturization maintains suppleness and strengthens the skin barrier. Niacinamide stimulates the synthesis of endogenous ceramides (Draelos ZD et al.., J Cosmet Dermatol, 2005). Even oily skin needs water.
How to moisturize your skinProtect
Daily sun protection remains the best-documented anti-aging preventive intervention. SPF 30 minimum, broad spectrum UVA-UVB, every morning, even in the city and on cloudy days.
How to choose your sunscreenWhat the literature on key assets
Retinol (vitamin A)
Cosmetology's best-documented anti-aging active ingredient. Stimulates collagen synthesis via nuclear RAR/RXR receptors (Kafi R et al., Arch Dermatol, 2007). In the evening, low concentration initially, sun protection the next day.
Vitamin C
Antioxidant that brightens the complexion, reduces dark spots and supports collagen synthesis. Preferably in the morning, concentration 10 to 20 %, stable formula stored in a dark place.
Hyaluronic acid
Attracts and retains water in the skin, plumping tissues and reducing fine dehydration lines. All skin types, on slightly damp skin, sealed with a cream.
Niacinamide (vitamin B3)
Reinforces the skin barrier, regulates sebum, reduces pores and redness, and inhibits the transfer of melanosomes responsible for blemishes. Well tolerated, even by sensitive skin.
Fruit acids (AHAs) complete this base by exfoliating the surface and improving radiance and texture, once or twice a week. The effectiveness of a routine does not depend on the accumulation of active ingredients, but rather on their judicious combination and regular application over several weeks.
Your questions about facial care
In what order should you apply your skincare products?
How many products do you need for an effective routine?
Do I need to apply sunscreen every day?
Can retinol and vitamin C be combined?
How do I know which product is right for my skin type?
At what age should you start an anti-aging routine?
This content is intended to inform and educate. It does not replace a medical consultation and must be adapted to each individual. The compatibility scores generated by the application do not prejudge the individual tolerance of each skin type. In the event of pregnancy, skin pathology or doubt, dermatological advice is recommended. A tolerance test should be carried out before using the product for the first time.