Routines
9 min read
If You Could Only Use Two Skincare Products, Which Two Should They Be?
Dermatologists name sunscreen and moisturizer as the two products that do the most for visible aging. How to choose each, and when your second slot changes.
Key Takeaways
For most people, the two are a broad-spectrum sunscreen and a moisturizer. The American Academy of Dermatology says dermatologists agree these are the two most effective products you can buy for visible signs of aging.
Sunscreen earns its slot because sun exposure is the biggest single driver of visible skin aging, and it can affect the collagen and elastin that may help give skin its structure and bounce.
Moisturizer earns the other because it helps hold water in the skin, which can make fine lines look softer within days and may help support the moisture barrier.
If you choose a moisturizer with broad-spectrum sunscreen for the day, your second slot opens up. A Retinoid at night may suit you if visible fine lines are your goal; a gentle cleanser may suit you if your skin is oily.
Two well-chosen products used every day can make a visible difference. Neither one lifts or tightens skin.
The Short Answer
If you could only use two skincare products, make them a broad-spectrum sunscreen and a moisturizer. The American Academy of Dermatology says dermatologists agree these are the two most effective products you can buy for visible signs of aging, and that using them every day can make a noticeable difference.
Why Two Products Can Be Enough
A long routine isn’t required for healthy-looking skin. A Cleveland Clinic dermatologist interviewed about skincare order advises keeping a routine simple and sticking to gentle products with fewer ingredients. His minimum is three steps: cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
So two products is one fewer than that minimum, and it’s worth being honest about the trade. What you give up is a dedicated cleanser, which matters more for some skin types than others (more on that below). What you keep are the two steps the AAD ranks above everything else.
Slot One: Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen
What Sun Exposure Does to the Look of Skin
MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine’s health reference, calls sun exposure the greatest single factor in skin aging, and says you can see it by comparing skin that gets regular sun with skin that’s usually covered. It describes collagen fibers that give skin support and elastin fibers that give it flexibility, and notes that the loss of strength and elasticity it calls elastosis is more noticeable on sun-exposed skin.
A Cleveland Clinic dermatologist explains in an article on aging skin that UV light can break down elastin over time, which can leave skin looking slack and less able to snap back. Cleveland Clinic’s overview of premature aging goes further: In its words, photoaging is responsible for 90% of visible changes to skin.
That’s the case for sunscreen in one line: it’s the step that addresses the cause most of the other products are working around.
What to Look For
The AAD’s guide to applying sunscreen points to a few features worth checking on the label:
Broad-spectrum coverage: This means protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
Water resistance: This is useful if you sweat or spend time outdoors.
A tint with iron oxide, if visible dark spots bother you: The AAD says a tinted sunscreen made with iron oxide can better protect skin from the visible light that contributes to dark spots.
A mineral formula, if your skin is sensitive: The AAD’s Retinoid guide suggests a physical sunscreen with Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide for sensitive skin.
Amount matters as much as formula. The AAD advises at least 1 teaspoon for the face, about enough to cover the length of your index and middle fingers, and reapplying every two hours outdoors, as well as after swimming or sweating. Remember the neck and ears.
Slot Two: A Moisturizer Matched to Your Skin
What a Moisturizer Does
The AAD’s tips for getting results from your products put it simply: Moisturizer traps water in your skin, and that extra moisture can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and brighten your complexion. The same page notes that fine lines may look plumper after just a few days of moisturizing, the quickest visible change on this list.
The Cleveland Clinic dermatologist adds that moisturizers lock in moisture and help prevent transepidermal water loss, his term for water evaporating from your skin. That’s the moisture barrier at work, and it’s why a moisturizer pairs so well with sunscreen: One helps limit the sun exposure that can affect collagen and elastin, the other helps keep skin hydrated-looking while the rest of the work happens.
Choosing One for Your Skin Type
The AAD says sunscreen, moisturizer, and other products work best when they’re made for your skin type, and suggests looking for “non-comedogenic” on the label. Cleveland Clinic’s guide to skin types offers a simple at-home read: Wash and dry your face, wait about 30 minutes, and notice how it feels.
Dry skin: It still feels tight or dry after 30 minutes. Cleveland Clinic suggests a moisturizer made with humectants, which help draw moisture to skin. The AAD’s dry-skin tips add that creams and ointments add more moisture than lotions. Our roundup of Hyaluronic Acid moisturizers compares humectant-led formulas.
Oily skin: It looks shiny or feels oily. The AAD suggests choosing a moisturizer made for oily skin.
Combination skin: Some areas, often the T-zone, feel oily while others feel dry. Cleveland Clinic notes you may need to treat those areas differently.
Sensitive skin: It reacts easily. Cleveland Clinic suggests avoiding dyes and fragrances, and the AAD recommends products labeled “fragrance-free” over “unscented.”
If the moisture barrier is your main concern, a formula with Ceramides is worth a look; our comparison of Ceramide moisturizers sorts them by texture and what else they include.
When Your Second Slot Should Go to Something Else
Here’s the flexibility in the two-product rule. The AAD says using a moisturizer with sunscreen in it is fine, as long as it offers broad-spectrum coverage. If one daytime product can do both jobs, the second slot is free for whatever your skin needs most. Use this guide to decide.
Your skin is dry or sensitive: Keep it simple. Wear a moisturizing sunscreen by day and use a richer, fragrance-free moisturizer at night.
Visible fine lines are your main concern, and your skin isn’t sensitive: Wear a moisturizer with broad-spectrum sunscreen by day and add a Retinoid at night. The AAD says a Retinoid product is a good option for mild fine lines and wrinkles, mild visible discoloration, or mild acne, and advises choosing the mildest version available when you begin. The same page says people with skin allergies, visible dryness, or a lot of visible redness are probably not good candidates.
Your skin is oily or breakout-prone: Wear a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer with broad-spectrum sunscreen by day and use a gentle cleanser as your second product. Cleveland Clinic notes that oily skin may have more trouble with clogged pores, and the AAD suggests washing after sweating.
Visible dark spots bother you: Choose a tinted sunscreen with iron oxide for your daytime product and a plain moisturizer for night.
A note on option two: Because Retinoids can make skin more sensitive to the sun, the AAD advises using them at night and wearing sun protection during the day. The two belong together.
A Two-Product Day, Step by Step
Morning: Rinse your face with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel, as the AAD’s face-washing guide suggests. Apply your moisturizer if you’re using a separate one.
Before you go outside: Apply sunscreen about 15 minutes ahead, since the AAD says that’s roughly how long it takes to start protecting you. Use enough to cover your face, neck, and ears.
During the day: Reapply sunscreen every two hours if you’re outdoors, and after swimming or sweating.
Evening: Rinse or wash, then apply your second product: your moisturizer, or a Retinoid followed by moisturizer if you’ve gone that route.
Once a week: Take a look in good light. If something still bothers you after a few weeks of consistent use, the AAD suggests tackling it on its own, with a product made for that concern.
What Two Products Can and Can’t Do
These two can help skin look smoother, more hydrated, and more even over time. What they can’t do is lift or tighten skin. The AAD’s guide to firming the look of sagging skin explains that lotions and creams don’t reach deep enough to lift skin, and calls the results of firming creams subtle at best. If firmness is your goal, a Retinoid may produce a small change, according to the same page, because it can help the body make more collagen. For anything beyond that, in-office treatments are a separate conversation.
How Long Before You See a Difference
Moisturizer is the fast one, with the AAD describing a visible softening of fine lines in days. Everything else is slower: The same AAD tips put most products at six weeks or more of consistent use, and some at three months. Sunscreen works on a longer clock still. Its payoff shows up as change that doesn’t happen, so it’s the product most people undervalue.
Signs It’s Time for a Board-Certified Dermatologist
If your skin still looks dry or irritated, or feels itchy, despite a steady routine, or a spot is new or changing, see a board-certified dermatologist. According to the AAD, persistent dry skin can be a sign of an underlying condition, and a dermatologist can help you decide whether a prescription product belongs in that second slot.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I could only use two skincare products, what should they be?
Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen and a moisturizer that fits your skin type. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologists agree these are the two most effective products you can buy for visible aging. If you choose a moisturizer with broad-spectrum sunscreen for the day, you can use your second slot for a night moisturizer, a Retinoid, or a gentle cleanser, depending on your skin.
Is a moisturizer with sunscreen in it enough on its own?
It can be, if it’s labeled broad spectrum and you apply enough of it. The AAD says a moisturizer with sunscreen is fine as long as it offers broad-spectrum coverage. If you’ll be outdoors for long stretches, a dedicated water-resistant sunscreen reapplied every two hours is the safer choice.
Do I need a cleanser if I only use two products?
Not everyone does. If your skin is dry or sensitive, you might keep both slots for sunscreen and moisturizer and rinse with lukewarm water. If your skin is oily, you sweat heavily, or you wear makeup or water-resistant sunscreen, a gentle cleanser earns a slot, and a moisturizer with sunscreen can cover the other two jobs.
Should my second product be Retinol?
It may be, if visible fine lines are your main concern and your skin isn’t sensitive. The AAD calls a Retinoid a good option for mild visible fine lines and wrinkles, suggests a gentle strength to start, and advises using it at night with sun protection by day. The AAD says it may not suit you if your skin is dry, allergy-prone, or often red.
If I could only use one skincare product, which should it be?
A broad-spectrum sunscreen, or a moisturizer with broad-spectrum sunscreen built in. MedlinePlus calls sun exposure the greatest single factor in skin aging, so daily sun protection is the one habit the rest of a routine depends on.