Facial skincare routine according to your skin type

There is no universal facial skincare routine: what soothes dry skin may overwhelm oily skin. The first step is identifying your skin type (dry, oily, combination, or sensitive) and then building a simple routine of cleansing, moisturising, treatment, and sun protection tailored to it.

In this guide you will learn how to identify your skin type without complicated tests, what steps a morning and evening facial skincare routine truly needs, what active ingredients such as retinol, vitamin C, and niacinamide do, and which mistakes weaken your skin barrier. It has been written from the practice of Dr. Florian A. Vallecillo Cabrera at Clínica Valorian, in Marbella, with an evidence-based medicine approach.

How to Identify Your Skin Type: Dry, Oily, Combination, or Sensitive

Knowing your skin type is the foundation of any facial skincare routine, because it determines the texture of the products and the active ingredients you can tolerate. There are four main skin types, and you can get a good indication with a simple at-home test.

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, pat it dry without rubbing, and wait two to three hours without applying anything. Then observe how it reacts:

• Dry skin: you notice tightness, roughness, or flaking. It tends to look dull and fine lines appear earlier.
• Oily skin: it shines evenly and pores appear more open. It is more prone to blackheads and spots.
• Combination skin: it shines in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) but the cheeks remain normal or dry.
• Sensitive skin: it reddens, itches, or stings easily in response to new products, cold, or sun.

Sensitive skin can coincide with any of the other types. It also changes with age, climate, and season — something very real on the Costa del Sol, where heat and radiation are intense for much of the year. That is why it is worth reviewing your routine from time to time, rather than fixing it forever.

The Essential Steps of a Daily Morning and Evening Routine

A good facial skincare routine does not require ten products. The Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology summarises skin care in four pillars: cleansing, moisturising, revitalisation, and sun protection (AEDV, Fundación Piel Sana). On that framework you can build something simple and consistent.

Morning Routine

The goal in the morning is to protect the skin throughout the day.

1. Gentle cleansing: a cleanser suited to your skin type, without leaving it feeling tight.
2. Antioxidant (optional): a vitamin C serum helps defend against environmental damage.
3. Moisturiser: lightweight for oily skin, more nourishing for dry skin.
4. Sun protection: SPF 30 or higher, every day, whether sunny or cloudy.

Evening Routine

At night the skin repairs itself, so it is the right time to cleanse thoroughly and treat.

1. Cleansing: removes make-up, sunscreen and the day's impurities.
2. Treatment: this is where actives such as retinol or niacinamide come in, depending on your goal.
3. Moisturiser: seals the skin and reinforces its barrier while you sleep.

Sticking to the same routine for weeks matters more than switching products every so often. The skin responds to consistency, not novelty.

Key actives: retinol, vitamin C, niacinamide and moisturisers

Retinol, vitamin C and niacinamide are three of the topical actives with the strongest scientific backing for improving skin quality. They do not all serve the same purpose or get used at the same time of day, so it is worth understanding their role before adding them to your facial care routine.

• Retinol (vitamin A): stimulates cell renewal and smooths fine lines and texture. It is applied at night, starting two or three times a week so the skin can adjust. It may cause irritation at first.
• Vitamin C: an antioxidant that boosts radiance and helps even out skin tone. It fits well into the morning routine, under sunscreen.
• Niacinamide: one of the most versatile actives. It regulates sebum, soothes redness and reinforces the skin barrier, which is why almost all skin types tolerate it, even sensitive skin.
• Moisturisers: ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides retain water and repair the barrier. They are the foundation on which all other actives work.

A practical rule: introduce one new active at a time and wait to see how your skin responds. If you would like to understand one of the most popular moisturising ingredients better, you can read our guide on hyaluronic acid: uses, benefits and myths.

Common mistakes that damage the skin barrier

The skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skin — the one that retains moisture and blocks external aggressors. Many skin problems do not come from doing too little, but from doing too much. These are the mistakes we see most often in our practice.

• Over-exfoliating. Using acids or physical exfoliants daily wears down the barrier and causes redness, tightness and increased sensitivity.
• Mixing too many actives at once. Combining retinol, vitamin C and potent acids in the same routine tends to cause more irritation than improvement.
• Skipping moisturiser on oily skin. Oily skin also needs hydration; without it, it produces even more sebum.
• Constantly switching products. You give nothing enough time to work and repeatedly expose the skin to new reactions.
• Forgetting sunscreen. It is the most costly mistake in the long run.

The sun is the main factor in premature ageing and skin health risk. According to the AEDV, having suffered sunburn during childhood or adolescence doubles the risk of developing melanoma in adulthood (AEDV). However, the use of sun protection remains inconsistent: a 2026 American Academy of Dermatology survey found that only 57 per cent of adults use sunscreen regularly, and that more than 16 million people reduced or stopped using it after reading false information online (American Academy of Dermatology, 2026). If you live in Marbella, where sun exposure is high for most of the year, sun protection is no longer optional. You can explore the topic further in our sun protection guide for the Costa del Sol.

When to see a doctor to personalise your skincare routine

A basic routine covers the needs of most people, but there are signs that indicate you need a professional assessment. If you have persistent acne, pigmentation concerns such as melasma, redness that does not settle, significant sensitivity, or moles that are changing in shape or colour, a cream is simply not enough.

A doctor evaluates your skin objectively, rules out health concerns, and designs a routine tailored to you — including active ingredients at medical-grade concentrations that you will not find in standard over-the-counter products. They also adjust the plan according to your age, your lifestyle, and the climate where you live.

At Clínica Valorian we approach skincare from an evidence-based medical perspective, combining skin health, aesthetic medicine and longevity. If you are not sure where to start, or you have been trying for some time without results, the most effective step is an in-person assessment. You can find out what to expect from a first visit in our article on when to see a doctor in Marbella.

Start today with the simple steps: identify your skin type using the at-home test, pare your routine back to the four essential pillars, and apply sunscreen every morning. If after a few weeks your skin has not improved, or any of the signs mentioned above appear, book an appointment to personalise your routine with a professional.