Pre-cleanser, essence, concentrate, hydrator, stimulating masque… if skincare sometimes feels like a foreign language, you're not alone. These are the questions I answer in my treatment room every single day, so let's decode it together: what each product is, what it does, who it's for, and the why behind it.
The golden ruleApply your skincare from lightest to heaviest: thinnest texture first, richest last, so every layer can do its job.
Your routine at a glance
Tap any step to jump straight to it.
01Step 1 · CleansePre-cleanser
The first cleanse that removes "the day."
NightStep 1 of your double cleanse
My nightly must: Stone Crop Cleansing Oil. Shop it
What it isThe first cleanse in your nighttime double cleanse, usually a cleansing oil.
What it doesIt removes "the day": makeup, daytime skincare, sunscreen, sweat, dirt, oil and bacteria that build up from morning to night.
Who it's forEveryone. Even if you don't wear makeup, and even if you never left the house, your skin is still carrying the day.
The whyYour pre-cleanse does the prep work so your cleanser can truly clean. At night your skin rests, repairs and regenerates, so you want a clean canvas before bed.
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From the treatment roomCleansing isn't only a physical removal, it's an energetic one too. Washing your face before bed is one of the simplest ways to let go of the day. Massage onto dry skin with dry hands, add a little water to emulsify, then rinse.
02Step 2 · CleanseCleanser
Step two of the double cleanse, where the deep clean happens.
Morning + nightGel · foam · cream
A cleanser for every skin: Clear Skin Probiotic, Coconut Milk and Calm Skin Chamomile. Shop cleansers
What it isYour daily face wash, in gel, foam or cream textures, plus hybrids like an exfoliating cleanser.
What it doesRemoves impurities: sweat, oil, bacteria, and the environmental stressors and pollutants that can age the skin.
Who it's forEveryone, morning and night. Your skin type decides the texture.
The whyIt deep cleans your skin and pores, and removes anything your pre-cleanse left behind.
03Step 3 · PrepMists, toners, toniques & essences
The step that makes everything after it work better.
Morning + nightSpritz, swipe or press
What it isLightweight, watery products you spritz, swipe or press on after cleansing.
What it doesRebalance your skin's natural pH (which can get thrown off after cleansing or exfoliating), hydrate, and help everything you apply next absorb better.
Who it's forEveryone, especially if you use a serum or any corrective treatment.
The whyAn essence especially helps pull ingredients deeper into the skin, where we actually see change. Skip this step, and your serum, masque and moisturizer can't work as well.
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My favorite comboSpritz a hydrating mist first, then press in an essence. Lightest to heaviest, always.
04Step 4 · RenewExfoliants
For bright, smooth, soft skin, at any age.
1 to 4x a weekPhysical · enzyme · peel
What it isProducts that remove the dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin.
What it doesKeep skin bright, smooth and soft. Healthy skin renews itself about every 28 days, but that slows as we age, so exfoliating becomes key in our 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.
Who it's forEveryone, even sensitive skin. The Calm Skin Chamomile Exfoliating Peel is so gentle it soothes redness while it exfoliates.
The whyWithout it, dead cells pile up, leaving skin dull and keeping your treatment products from sinking in.
PhysicalGently buffs away dead skin, like the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant.
EnzymeDissolves dead skin cells while it sits on the skin, then self-neutralizes once its job is done, like the Yam & Pumpkin Enzyme Peel.
PeelSwiped on with a cotton round and left on, no rinsing, like the Bright Skin Licorice Root and Clear Skin Willow Bark peels.
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Find your rhythmStart with every couple of days and see where your skin lands. Not enough? Try every other day. Feeling sensitive or tender? Back off to every three-ish days.
If you don't have a serum in your routine, you're not working on correction.
Tiffanie, your esthetician
05Step 5 · TreatSerums, concentrates & hydrators
Where correction actually happens.
Morning + nightTreat + correct
What it isYour treatment step. Serums, along with masques, carry the highest levels of active ingredients and nutrients of any skincare product.
What it doesTreat and correct concerns like hyperpigmentation, scarring, fine lines and wrinkles.
Who it's forAnyone who wants to improve something about their skin.
The whyA cleanser removes impurities, an exfoliant removes dead skin cells and a moisturizer seals the deal, but correction comes from treatment.
SerumLightweight (usually gel or water based) with a smaller molecular structure, so it reaches deeper into the skin.
ConcentrateA serum and moisturizer hybrid, unique to Éminence: a serum's correction plus deeper hydration. The best of both worlds.
HydratorLike a lightweight moisturizer with a serum's ability to treat and correct.
Serums, booster-serums, concentrates and hydrators, side by side. Shop all
06Step 6 · Treat + unwindFace masques
An extra layer of correction, and a moment that's just yours.
1 to 2x a weekOvernight friendly
That post-stimulating-masque glow (Lime Stimulating Masque). Shop it
What it isA concentrated layer of correction, chosen for your skin goals.
What it doesÉminence stimulating masques increase oxygen and blood flow to the skin's surface, plumping the skin and the look of fine lines, kickstarting a detoxifying process and bringing a glow that can last for days.
Who it's forEveryone. There's a masque for every skin goal.
The whyHealthier skin is the bonus. The real benefit is ten or fifteen minutes to pour into your own cup, so you can keep pouring into the people you love without feeling depleted.
A Sweet Cheeks traditionFace Mask Monday
For years, we've started every week with a masque, because it sets the tone for the whole week. Make it yours:
🛁 In the bath with a candle and a little chocolate🎬 On the couch, snuggling your kiddos on movie night☕ In the morning, before the day takes hold📖 With a good book and nowhere to be
The overnight secretSleep in your masque
Every Éminence cream-based masque doubles as an overnight treatment. Use it in place of, or under, your moisturizer. Your skin regenerates while you sleep, and it warms up overnight, which helps products sink in deeper.
Night is also when your skin loses the most moisture (called transepidermal water loss, or TEWL), so an overnight masque once a week helps your skin hold on to hydration.
My favorite masque to sleep in. Shop it
07Step 7 · Protect the delicateEye cream
The skin around your eyes is the thinnest on your face.
Morning + nightA rice grain for both eyes
What it isA treatment made for the delicate skin under your eyes and around your orbital bone.
What it doesTargets dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, crepiness and dryness. Different eye creams target different concerns.
Who it's forEveryone. Truly.
The whyPrevention. Starting early and staying consistent is what keeps this delicate skin smooth.
I've used eye cream every single day since I was 18. I'm 40 now, and when I'm not smiling, I don't have fine lines around my eyes.
Consistent eye cream + diligent SPF
08Step 8 · SealMoisturizer
The step that seals the deal.
Morning + nightGel · gel-cream · cream · rich
What it isThe layer that locks in everything you applied before it.
What it doesTraps hydration into the skin for dewier, plumper, softer and healthier skin.
Who it's forEveryone. Your skin type and goals decide the texture.
The whyWithout it, all that hydration and treatment can evaporate right back out of your skin.
09Step 9 · NourishFacial oil
Not just for dry or mature skin.
Night (or morning + night)1 to 2 drops
What it isAn extra layer of hydration and nourishment, applied under or over your moisturizer.
What it doesDeepens hydration and nourishment, and the right oil can balance the skin too.
Who it's forAlmost everyone. The Facial Recovery Oil is a dry, balancing oil with a matte finish, beautiful for acne-prone and hormonal skin.
The whyOils help balance, nourish and heal, including breakouts and sensitivity.
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How to applyWarm 1 to 2 drops between your fingertips, then press or smooth over your skin. Typically at night, or morning and night if your skin runs dry or mature.
10Step 10 · ProtectSunscreen
The cheapest, most effective anti-aging product in the world.
Every morningReapply every 2 hours in the sun
My daily duo: Daily Defense Tinted SPF 50 and Radiant Protection SPF Fluid. Shop SPF
What it isYour daily shield, and the most underrated product in skincare.
What it doesProtects against UV damage, which is cumulative. Small daily doses add up, on rainy days, cloudy days and days you barely go outside.
Who it's forEveryone, year round.
The whyWant to age with grace? This is the product. I recommend a mineral, broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, like the Daily Defense Tinted SPF 50 or the extra-hydrating Radiant Protection SPF Fluid. That said, any sunscreen is better than none. No shame here.
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My on-the-go secretSun Defense Minerals is a powder SPF you can toss in your bag for easy reapplication on your face, hairline, ears and body. It comes in sheer and tinted shades, it's great for kids, and men love it because it isn't sticky or heavy.
11Your very last stepShiitake & Ashwagandha Bi-Phase Mist
A mist unlike any other.
Over SPF or moisturizerBlue light protection
What it isNot your typical hydrating mist, toner or essence. It's your final spritz, over sunscreen in the morning or over your moisturizer or overnight masque at night.
What it doesAdds a final layer of hydration plus blue light protection.
Who it's forAnyone who spends time on a phone, computer or TV, which is most of us.
The whyBlue light reaches deeper into the skin than UVB rays and can contribute to lines, dark spots, texture and dullness over time. The bonus: adaptogens help calm the nervous system, so you spritz and instantly feel calmer.
The bottom lineYou don't need everything
You need the right products for your skin, used consistently. Start with the basics (cleanse, hydrate, treat, moisturize and protect), then add the extras that fit your goals and your life.
Take the skin quiz for a curated ritual, or ask me at your next appointment. That's what I'm here for.
