[Routine Help] AM/PM routine for brightening — what’s been working for my sensitive skin
Hi all,
I’ve been trying to figure out a brightening routine that doesn’t irritate my skin. Vitamin C has always been tricky for me (I tend to get redness and stinging), so I ended up simplifying things and trying a few alternatives.
Here’s what I’m currently doing:
AM
Cleanser
Hydrating toner
Glutathione serum (recent addition)
Moisturizer
SPF
PM
Cleanser
Barrier-focused toner
Niacinamide
Moisturizer
So far, a few things I’ve noticed:
My skin feels less irritated overall compared to when I was using vitamin C
Tone looks a bit more even, but nothing dramatic
The routine layers well and feels pretty low-maintenance
Things I learned the hard way:
My skin really doesn’t tolerate most forms of vitamin C
Over-exfoliating made my hyperpigmentation and redness worse
At this point, I feel like my skin does better with gentler, more consistent routines rather than stronger actives.
Curious what others with sensitive skin prefer for brightening — do you stick with vitamin C, or use something else?