What Order Should You Apply Skincare In?

Apply skincare from thinnest to thickest texture: cleanser, then any watery treatment, then serum, then oil, then moisturiser, and sunscreen last in the morning. The reason is simple — a thick occlusive layer applied early will slow everything you put on top of it.

The morning order

1. Cleanser — or just water, if your skin is dry and you cleansed properly the night before.
2. Watery treatments — anything with a serum-light consistency.
3. Serum — the targeted step. One is usually enough.
4. Eye product, if you use one.
5. Moisturiser — seals the previous steps.
6. Sunscreen — always last, always every day.

The evening order

1. Cleanse — twice if you wore makeup or SPF: once to break it down, once to actually clean the skin.
2. Treatment — retinol, a retinol alternative, or an exfoliating acid. Not all three.
3. Serum or facial oil.
4. Moisturiser.

Why thinnest to thickest

A rich cream is designed to sit on the surface and slow water loss. That is exactly what you want at the end of a routine and exactly what you do not want in the middle of one — anything applied afterwards has to get through it.

Texture is a good proxy for this. You do not need to know a formulation to feel whether it is watery, silky or heavy.

How long to wait between layers

Long enough that the previous layer is no longer wet — usually under a minute. The elaborate timed waits you see online are mostly unnecessary. The exception worth respecting is sunscreen: let it settle for a couple of minutes before makeup, so you do not drag it around.

Signs you are using too many products

• Pilling — products rolling into little balls. Usually too many layers, or too much of one.
• Stinging that was not there before.
• New congestion after adding a step.
• You cannot say what any individual product is doing.

The fix is the same in every case: strip back to cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen for two weeks, then reintroduce one product at a time, a week apart. Tedious, and the only method that actually identifies the culprit.

Common questions

Do I need a different routine morning and night?

Broadly: mornings protect, evenings repair the appearance of the day. Sunscreen is the morning-only step; strong actives are usually evening-only.

Where does facial oil go?

After water-based products, before or instead of moisturiser. Oils are occlusive, so putting them first blocks what follows.

Can I mix products in my hand to save time?

You can, and you will dilute both. If you are going to do it, do it with a serum and a moisturiser rather than with sunscreen — diluting SPF reduces the protection you are relying on.

If you would rather not assemble this yourself, our routine finder builds one from what is actually in the range, and tells you plainly when nothing fits a step.