skin care

noun

variants or skincare

ˈskin-ˌker 

1

: efforts made to maintain or improve the appearance and condition of one's skin especially on the face and neck

French women learn about skin care at an early age, when their mothers introduce them to aestheticians for their first facial.

—Linda Curtis

This time of the year all skin tones experience dullness from dryness or chapped skin. … as the seasons change so should our skincare.

—Jamyra Perry

—sometimes hyphenated before another noun

a skin-care routine

2

: products used to cleanse, treat, moisturize, or protect the skin

Skin care doesn't have to cost a fortune. Make a simple moisturizing facial mask with half an avocado, half a banana, and some oatmeal.

—Lesley Kennedy

… a hands-on, one-hour deep dive into Korean skincare with all products provided by the brand.

—Jaime De Haro

—sometimes hyphenated before another noun

skin-care ingredients

Examples of skin care in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Compared to skin care’s need to wait for efficacy validation, color cosmetics offer immediate gratification, lower decision-making costs, and even the promise of going viral online. —Denni Hu, Footwear News, 29 Apr. 2026

Odom took pride in educating Black people about skin care, her daughter said. —Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026

The last step in a great antiaging skin care regimen is, of course, sunscreen. —Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 Apr. 2026

And that's just one product on a short list of newness across hair, makeup and skin care that's already made a major impression. —Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026

Peptides can be administered in several ways: topically, as in skin care; orally, as supplements; or by injection, as with GLP-1s. —Lauren Finney Harden, AJC.com, 27 Apr. 2026

Each pre-soaked pad is infused with Korean skin care actives that support elasticity, hydration, and an even-looking complexion, alongside a moisturizing cream powered by NAD+ and multilayer hyaluronic acid for firmer, more radiant-looking skin. —Tory Johnson, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026

Their staff uses skin care products from the Valmont line, whose proprietary DNA/RNA cellular technology is backed by research. —Paula Conway, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2026

Covergirl’s Simply Ageless Skin Perfector Tinted Serum’s bi-phase formula addresses skin care concerns—like dryness, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation—while offering light, dewy coverage. —Essence Wiley, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1