The 7 Best Times To Apply Moisturizer

There are various beauty rituals that go hand in hand with healthy-looking skin and applying facial moisturizer daily pretty much tops the list. Having healthy, beautiful skin is the ultimate goal, especially if you have to put on a protective face mask often一maskne is a real thing. But knowing how and when you should moisturize to maximize the benefits of your best moisturizer is just as important as the products you use. And with mask mandates seemingly changing as often as the seasons, you may be unsure about how often you should incorporate moisturizer into your regimen. What was once so simple has become puzzling. So, we’re tackling it head on and sharing the seven best times to incorporate moisturizer into your skin care routine and the best moisturizers to get the job done.

1. Use Moisturizer Right After You Wash Your Face

We’re starting with the most simple and well-known一moisturize your face right after you wash it. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the best time to apply moisturizer is when your skin is damp as this can help lock in hydration. Use your face cream before your skin has dried post-cleansing. We recommend the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Anti-Aging Moisturizer Fragrance Free, which works to plump your skin with hydration and firm and brighten your complexion in just one week.

2. Layer On Moisturizer Before Bed

Put your hard-earned beauty sleep to use by applying a super-hydrating and cooling moisturizer before getting some shut-eye. Your skin goes into repair mode while you sleep so if you layer on products with good-for-you ingredients, your skin can take advantage of the benefits while you rest. This is where the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Rosy Tone Cooling Night Moisturizer comes in. It’s formulated with imperial peony and lipohydroxy acid to gently exfoliate and stimulate surface cell renewal, reviving skin’s natural pink tone. This essential also absorbs quickly, instantly cools the skin, and provides lasting hydration with a non-greasy feel. With continued use, skin's firmness and radiance are improved.

3. Apply Moisturizer In The Morning

You may be tempted to push that night moisturizer to its limits and leave it on for the day, but if you’re washing your face in the morning (which you should be) then you need to follow up with moisturizer. Moisturizing should be the last step in your skin care routine before applying makeup primer or foundation一even in a skinimalist makeup routine. Look for a moisturizer that’s formulated with broad-spectrum sunscreen, like the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Day Lotion SPF 30, and apply it as directed.

4. Smooth On Moisturizer Pre- And Post-Flight

While most of us are just happy to be able to get back to traveling (hooray for globe-trotting) the cabin of an airplane can have very dry air. This can affect your skin so stay ahead of the game by quickly cleansing your skin with a rinse-free cleanser, like micellar water before taking off. Then, follow up with a hydrating moisturizer. Once you’ve landed, repeat this process if your skin is feeling dry.

5. Apply Moisturizer When You’re Breaking Out

We get it, moisturizer seems like the last thing you want to put on your face when you’re staring at the mirror and faced with an unexpected breakout. However, drying out your complexion won’t do you any favors. Keeping your skin care routine consistent—which includes moisturizing twice a day—is always a smart idea. Depriving your skin of necessary moisture can have an adverse effect that you may end up paying for with more than unwanted pimples. 

6. Put On Moisturizer When You Want To Skip Makeup

If you feel like going bare-faced, using a moisturizer is a solid way to leave your skin looking fresh, hydrated, and natural. While it may not give you the coverage that makeup does, it will smooth out your skin and imperfections to give you a beautiful overall complexion. One of our favorite moisturizers for this purpose is the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Rosy Tone Fragrance Free Face Moisturizer. It has a pink tone that helps skin look immediately rejuvenated and with a youthful glow.

7. Apply Moisturizer Before Virtual Calls

Whether you’re still working from home full-time, or reporting to in-person work a few days a week, virtual meetings will ensue. A facial moisturizer will hydrate and smooth out your skin, giving you the ideal complexion for applying your makeup of choice or get you computer-camera ready sans foundation and highlighter. Your skin will appear more fresh and may even have a luminous glow if you’re sitting in front of natural light.

Photography: Chaunte Vaughn, Senior Art Director: Melissa San Vicente-Landestoy, Associate Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Makeup Artist: Jonet Williamson, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Wardrobe Stylist: Adriana Perez-Bell, Digital Tech: Paul Yem, Model: Chelsea Vaughn