Skincare · 5 min read
The right order for your skincare routine
Cleanser, serum, moisturiser, sunscreen: the order to layer skincare in the morning and at night, and a few simple rules that make every step work better.
The order you apply skincare in matters as much as what you use. The simple rule: thinnest to thickest, water-based before oil-based, and sunscreen last in the morning.
Morning
- Cleanse with a gentle cleanser, or simply rinse if your skin is dry.
- Tone or mist (optional) to add a layer of hydration.
- Serum, the most concentrated step. Pat it in while skin is still slightly damp.
- Eye cream (optional), tapped gently with your ring finger.
- Moisturiser to soften and seal in the layers below.
- Sunscreen, always last. Use a generous amount and reapply when you are outdoors.
Evening
- Remove make-up and sunscreen first, with a cleansing balm, oil or micellar water.
- Cleanse again with your usual cleanser.
- Treatments and serums: night is the time for richer or stronger formulas.
- Eye cream, then moisturiser.
- Face oil (optional) goes last, because oils sit on top of everything else.
A few rules that help every step
- Give each layer a minute to settle before the next.
- Introduce one new product at a time, and patch test it first on a small area such as behind the ear.
- Go gently with strong actives. Using several exfoliating or resurfacing products together can leave skin feeling tight or irritated.
- If anything stings or irritates, stop using it. For ongoing skin concerns, speak to a dermatologist or pharmacist.
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