The routine most of us follow comes from a 1967 magazine story. In the August 15, 1967 issue of Vogue, beauty editor Carol Phillips interviewed New York dermatologist Norman Orentreich for a feature that asked whether great skin can be created. His answer was a simple three-step routine, cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize, tailored to skin type and done twice a day. According to Clinique, the story caught the attention of the Lauder family, and in 1968 Clinique launched at Saks Fifth Avenue with 117 products built around that idea.

The best skincare products still fit into that frame, with two additions most dermatologists now recommend: daily sunscreen and, for most adults, one targeted treatment like niacinamide, vitamin C or retinol.

So this edit is built as a routine rather than a list of bestsellers. Each product earns its place by doing one step well for a specific skin type, and the whole thing can be as short as four products on a busy morning.

The first grid is cleanse, tone and treat. The second is moisturize, protect and treat at night. My tip: build the routine one product at a time, a week or two apart, so if something irritates your skin you know exactly what it was.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is the most reviewed product in this grid, a water-based serum for oil, pores, brightness and the moisture barrier. fresh Soy Face Cleanser is right behind it, a gentle, universal cleanser that removes everyday makeup and suits every skin type. Youth To The People Superfood Cleanser is an antioxidant gel that removes makeup, SPF and oil without drying, and it is better for oily and combination skin.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 is the descendant of that original exfoliating step, a dermatologist-developed liquid for dry and combination skin. Laneige Cream Skin Milky Toner is the gentler option, with ceramides and peptides, for skin that does not like acids.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Dew Drops is a niacinamide serum you can use morning and night or under makeup for glow. Clarins Double Serum combines 22 plant extracts and five active molecules for firmness, radiance and pores. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Lift + Sculpt is the eye cream I would pick, and it has the best rating in this grid.

What I would skip: two exfoliating steps at once. If you use the Clinique lotion, skip other acids that night, and keep the milky toner for mornings.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is the most reviewed product in this edit, an overnight lip mask with a berry fruit complex, murumuru seed and shea butter. It is the easiest place to start if you want one small step to add at night.

For moisturizer, match it to your skin. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel is the oil-free version of the brand's original moisturizer, for combination and oily skin. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is rich and whipped, for dry, distressed skin and eczema. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream has squalane and pro-ceramides for up to 72 hours of hydration. Drunk Elephant Protini uses nine signal peptides and amino acids for firmness and texture. Augustinus Bader The Cream is the high-end option, built on the professor's thirty years of stem cell research and his Trigger Factor Complex.

IT Cosmetics Hello Sunshine is a clear SPF 50 with no white cast that doubles as a hydrating primer, and it has the best rating in this grid. Kiehl's Micro-Dose Retinol is a daily-strength retinol with peptides and ceramides, gentle enough to start with.

What I would skip: retinol in the morning, or retinol without sunscreen. Use the Kiehl's retinol at night and Hello Sunshine every single day, even when it is cloudy.

I think the best skincare products are the ones you will actually use twice a day. Start with a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer that suits your skin and a sunscreen you like wearing. Add one treatment, niacinamide, vitamin C or retinol, and give it two months before you judge it. Carol Phillips and Dr. Orentreich made the case in 1967 that great skin is built with a routine, not found in a single jar, and that is still true.