Everything You Need in Your Anti-Aging Skincare Starter Kit

"Going to bed with a full face of makeup is like begging for a pimple the next day," says Dove Dermatologist Dr. Alicia Barba. So while she hopes you had already taken off the makeup from the night before, starting off your day—and your skincare routine—with a gentle cleanser is pretty consistent for everyone. 

We Love: Simple Water Boost Micellar Water

"Know that sunscreen, not matter how religious you are about it, is not a complete block," she says. "Rays still get through. When they get through, because it’s not a complete block, we want to be able to neutralize those free radicals that are getting released because UVs are penetrating, and that’s why an antioxidant underneath a sunscreen is key."

So while you’ll always want to wear a SPF, investing in a product with extra antioxidant production is needed in the line-up.

We Love: Caudalie Vine[Activ] Glow Activating Anti-Wrinkle Serum

"If under-eye wrinkles are not your problem but you want to be proactive, take care of that sensitive skin under your eye, which is probably going to be the first signs of aging that you're going to notice that are going to bother you," says Dr. Barba. 

We Love: Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb

"Consider a tinted sunscreen if you want a little coverage," says Dr. Barba. "Tinted sunscreens are nice enough that you can get away with that being your sunscreen and your foundation—a little bronzer and you’re done."

We Love: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+

"If you’re wearing a sunscreen with coverage, you need to make sure it comes off," suggests Dr. Barba. "That’s where a different cleanser comes in."

We Love: Cetaphil Normal to Oily Skin Daily Facial Cleanser

"I like a hydrating toner—alcohol-free toners just to tone and make sure all the residual is off. I look at the cotton, but I don’t get obsessed with rubbing everything off because, especially for darker skin tones, what we actually see on our cotton ball is skin cells that are pigmented and not dirt, so people can cause problems from too much rubbing," says Dr. Barba.

We Love: Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Toner Hydrating

Dr. Barba says the gold standard in this case is adding in a retinoid. You can do this effectively with serum or moisturizers. 

We Love: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night Moisturize With Retinol

Once again, you'll want to hydrate this delicate, sensitive area. 

We Love: Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum

Don't forget your lips when you're treating your skin to anti-aging TLC. This means hydrating your pout with a balm or a moisturizing treatment. 

We Love: Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Lip Balm

Along with our necks, our hands often get neglecting. Dr. Barba says it's important to hydrate your hands during your nighttime skincare routine, so leave that hand cream by your bedside table.

We Love: Chantecaille Retinol Hand Cream