Field Notes · April 2, 2026 · 5 min · By Annika Falkenrath
A daily routine for sun-prone and sun-damaged skin
The simple regimen that both repairs and prevents.
Whether you are repairing existing sun damage or protecting skin that gets a lot of sun, the daily routine is largely the same, and it is refreshingly simple, the discipline is in doing it consistently.
Morning: a gentle cleanser, an antioxidant serum (vitamin C is the classic) to neutralize free radicals, a moisturizer suited to your skin, and the keystone, a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, applied generously and reapplied through the day if you are outdoors. Evening: cleanse, then a retinoid a few nights a week to rebuild collagen and improve texture and pigment, buffered with moisturizer to limit irritation, building up frequency slowly. Hydration and avoiding peak-sun exposure round it out.
This routine does double duty: the retinoid and antioxidants repair and improve existing damage, while the sunscreen prevents new damage from accumulating. Skipping the sunscreen undermines everything else, which is why it is the non-negotiable centerpiece. People who follow this consistently see steady improvement in tone, texture, and spots over months, alongside meaningfully lower ongoing damage. It is not elaborate or expensive, it is the unspectacular, daily protection-and-repair habit that does more for sun-damaged skin than any single treatment.
Related reading: How sunburns raise your skin cancer risk.