As a dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Jordan Samuel Pacitti spent six hours a day “off and on, sweating then resting.” Add to that loop three performances a week under hot stage lights, in heavy makeup, and Mr. Pacitti’s once blemish-free skin revolted.

“There were extreme breakouts, sensitivity, inflammation — you name it,” Mr. Pacitti said. His efforts back then to achieve “happy — not perfect” skin became the foundation of his post-dance career as an aesthetician and founder of Jordan Samuel Skin, a collection designed to maintain balance and hydration.

“Most of us work out when we can squeeze it in throughout the day,” he said. “But that leads to a puzzle: When do I cleanse? Do I remove my makeup? When do I apply my skin care? It’s a surprisingly complex puzzle.”

To help you solve that puzzle, we consulted four skin-care experts. Developing a routine is important, they say, because of what’s happening in and on the skin as you work out.