The Best Skincare Routine for Combination Skin: 6 Easy Steps

Here’s an easy skincare routine for combination skin:

1. Cleanse your face in the morning
2. Moisturizer your face in the morning
3. Apply sunscreen before going outside
4. Cleanse your face at night
5. Moisturize your face at night
6. Exfoliate once per week

Combination skin is like dealing with a rebellious teenager in a quarter-life crisis. Some parts are as slick as a slip n’ slide, other parts are drier than your phone after a breakup. It doesn’t help that most skincare products are labeled for “oily skin” or “dry skin.” WTF are you supposed to do when you deal with both at the same time?

Luckily, we’ve got a game plan to keep your complexion even and balanced all day long—and it starts with understanding how your skin works.

Dudes with combination skin often have dry cheeks and an oily T-zone (the area spanning your forehead down to your nose and chin). That means you need gentle products that can moisturize the dry areas of your face without adding excess oil elsewhere.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Gentle gel cleanser
• Lightweight moisturizer with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides
• SPF 30 sunscreen
• A chemical exfoliant, such as salicylic acid

Now that you’ve got your shopping list, let’s walk through the best skincare routine for combination skin.

Cleanse Your Face in the Morning

Start your day with a gentle face cleanser to wash away any dirt and oil that built up while you were catching Zs. Opt for a gentle, gel-based cleanser that removes impurities without over-drying your face. Steer clear of strong, foaming cleansers and anything with physical scrub particles, which can aggravate combination skin.

Moisturize in the Morning

Once your face is clean, pat it dry with a clean towel and prepare for the next step: hydration. Moisturizing is an essential part of any man’s skincare routine, but it’s especially important for combination skin to keep your moisture levels balanced throughout the day.

GQ crowned Revival as the best gel moisturizer for combination skin—and for good reason. Our formula is stacked with ingredients that dermatologists recommend to keep skin healthy and hydrated without clogging your pores in the process:

• Hyaluronic acid: This hydrating ingredient is excellent for combination skin because it provides moisture without adding extra oil. Hyaluronic acid can attract and hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, helping to keep the skin hydrated and plump.
• Niacinamide: Niacinamide is a versatile ingredient that helps regulate sebum production, making it ideal for combination skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce the appearance of pores and even out skin tone.
• Glycerin: Glycerin is a humectant that attracts moisture to the skin, helping to keep it hydrated without feeling heavy or greasy. It's a gentle ingredient that works well for all skin types, including combination skin.

Avoid heavy, oil-based moisturizers with emollients, as these can clog your pores and leave your face feeling greasier than the bottom of a bag of French fries.

Apply Sunscreen Before Going Outside

Sunscreen is mandatory for combination skin because it protects your moneymaker against UV rays, which are a major culprit of premature aging and hyperpigmentation.

Combination skin often has areas that are prone to oiliness, such as the T-zone, and areas that are drier, such as the cheeks. Sunscreen helps maintain the overall health and balance of combination skin by protecting it from sun damage without exacerbating oiliness or causing dryness.

Choose a lightweight sunscreen with at least SPF 30.

Cleanse Your Face at Night

It’s essential to wash your face before bed, whether your skin is oily, dry, or a combination of both. You accumulate sweat, gunk, and pollutants throughout the day—and you definitely don’t want that stuff lingering while you recover.

Stick with the same cleanser you used in the morning—don’t make it complicated.

Moisturize at Night

Moisturizing your face at night helps to maintain proper hydration levels while your skin undergoes its natural repair and regeneration process during sleep. Combination skin often experiences fluctuations in oil production, with some areas being oilier than others.

By applying a moisturizer before bed, you’ll ensure that all parts of your skin get the hydration they need without overloading oily areas or leaving drier areas parched.

Exfoliate Once a Week

Weekly exfoliation removes dead skin cells and unclogs your pores to keep your face looking young and fresh. Opt for a chemical exfoliant with ingredients like salicylic acid or glycolic acid, which can penetrate pores and dissolve excess oil without irritating the skin. Just don’t get crazy and over-exfoliate, as this can lead to irritation and worsen oiliness.

5 Bonus Skincare Tips for Combination Skin

Now that you got the full rundown of combination skincare, let’s unpack some extra pro tips to take care of that moneymaker of yours:

1. Use Oil-Free Products: Opt for oil-free or non-comedogenic skincare products to prevent clogged pores and breakouts in oily areas, while still providing hydration to drier areas
2. Layer Your Products Properly: Apply lighter products before heavier products. For example, put your sunscreen on after your moisturizer.
3. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated from the inside out, which can help balance oil production and maintain overall skin health.
4. Limit Hot Water Exposure: Hot water strips the natural oils off your skin, so wash your face with lukewarm or cool water instead to prevent excessive dryness.
5. Spot Treat as Needed: Instead of applying acne treatments all over your face, spot treat only the areas prone to breakouts to avoid drying out the rest of your skin.

Speaking of combination, Revival packs all the skincare products dudes need into one formula. Each pump rebalances your moisture levels and fights wrinkles, beard itch, razor burn, redness, and dark spots. Give it a try and see why dudes and doctors alike are obsessed with PrettyBoy.