Believe it or not, the sequence in which you apply your skin care products truly matters. While an effective skin care regimen doesn’t require dozens of steps, it does necessitate incorporating essential steps tailored to your specific skin type. However, with numerous products available, understanding the correct order for application can be confusing. Does the order truly impact results? Absolutely. The order of your skin care routine significantly influences product efficacy. Consistency is key in any skin care routine, and while complexity isn’t necessary, adhering to the right application sequence for your products is crucial. To help you maximize the benefits of your skin care, we consulted dermatologists to establish the ideal order for product application and how to create a skin care routine that delivers that coveted healthy glow.
Decoding Your Skin Type
Our skin is unique, and our skin care routines should always be tailored to its individual needs. Some skin types crave hydration, while others require targeted solutions for breakouts, and some benefit from addressing uneven texture. Skin types—dry, oily, combination, normal, or sensitive—dictate product choices. Regardless of your skin type, identifying its primary concerns is the foundation for a beneficial routine. If you’re uncertain about your skin type—understanding this is crucial for the correct order of your skin care routine, as we’ll explain below—resources are available to help you determine your skin type accurately.
Dr. Heather Rogers, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, emphasizes that applying products in the correct order ensures your skin absorbs the full benefits of each formulation.
“The order of application is incredibly important,” Dr. Rogers states. “Skin acts as a barrier, designed to keep substances out. However, many skin care products contain beneficial ingredients that we want to penetrate the skin. Even with optimal formulation and application, only a small fraction of these key ingredients can be absorbed. Incorrect product order can significantly hinder the effectiveness of your entire skin care regimen.”
Building a Basic Skin Care Routine
The cornerstone of any effective skin care routine lies in these fundamental steps: cleansing, toning, moisturizing, and sun protection. Each step plays a vital role in maintaining healthy skin. Cleansing removes impurities like dirt, oil, and makeup. Toner further purifies and balances the skin. Moisturizer replenishes essential hydration, and sun protection shields against photoaging and sun damage. Your skin type will guide your product selection for each step. For instance, oily skin often benefits from gels and lighter lotions, while dry skin prefers richer creams and balms. Sensitive skin types should prioritize fragrance-free, gentle formulas, and normal skin can typically tolerate a wider range of products. Beyond these basics, you can incorporate additional steps to target specific skin concerns and further enhance your routine.
Your nighttime skin care routine will likely incorporate more treatment-focused products designed to repair and rejuvenate skin overnight, addressing daytime environmental stressors. While the steps largely mirror your daytime routine, remember to omit sunscreen in your nighttime regimen, as it’s unnecessary while you sleep.
Elevating Your Routine: Advanced Skin Care Steps
Once you’ve established a solid basic routine, you can explore advanced steps to optimize your skin care benefits. These additions, such as specialized serums, masks, targeted treatments, and sunscreen, are key to creating a comprehensive and effective regimen.
Serums are a popular and potent addition, often packed with antioxidants or active ingredients to address specific concerns. Serums can be used both morning and night, depending on their formulation. For example, retinol serums are generally reserved for nighttime due to sun sensitivity, while vitamin C serums are ideal for daytime antioxidant protection. Serums are applied after toning but before moisturizing. Allow each serum to fully absorb into the skin before proceeding to the next step. Targeted treatments, including retinols and spot treatments, can also be incorporated into both morning and night routines, again, depending on the specific product ingredients.
After serums and treatments, consider incorporating skin care tools and devices like microcurrent devices or gua sha tools. Usage varies per tool, but many are recommended for use alongside skin care routines, particularly after serum or moisturizer application to provide glide and enhance product absorption.
Sunscreen is a non-negotiable step in every daytime skin care routine. It should always be the final step in your morning regimen. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Ensure thorough application to your face, neck, hands, and any other skin exposed to sunlight.
Step-by-Step Guide to Correct Skincare Application Order
If you’re wondering, “What is the correct order to apply my skincare products?”, we’ve simplified it for you. The general principle is to apply products from thinnest to thickest consistency, or from liquids and gels to creams. This approach ensures lighter, more fluid products are absorbed effectively without being blocked by heavier creams. Allow adequate time for each product to absorb fully before applying the next. Begin with products designed to penetrate deeply and finish with those intended to create a protective barrier on the skin’s surface, like moisturizers and sunscreens. This order optimizes ingredient penetration and maximizes results.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the proper order for skin care product application:
Morning Routine
Step 1: Cleanse
Begin your morning routine by rinsing your face with lukewarm water. Alternatively, use a gentle facial cleanser formulated for your skin type. A morning cleanse removes any sebum and impurities that accumulated overnight, prepping your skin for the products to follow.
Alt: iS Clinical Cleansing Complex, a gentle facial cleanser in clear gel form, ideal for the first step in a morning skincare routine.
Related Article: The Different Types of Face Cleansers, Decoded
Step 2: Tone
Toners are often skipped, sometimes due to outdated perceptions of harsh, skin-irritating formulas. Modern toners, however, are often gentle and beneficial. While they don’t physically shrink pores, they can deliver antioxidants, vitamin derivatives, and mild exfoliating acids. Different toners target different skin concerns, so choosing the right one for your needs is important.
However, Dr. Rogers suggests that if your skin is healthy without a toner, it’s not a mandatory step. “Toners were initially designed to restore skin’s pH balance after cleansing with harsh, alkaline soaps,” she explains. “Modern facial cleansers are now much better pH-balanced, making toners less essential.” That said, if you enjoy using a toner and it benefits your skin, continue to include it.
Alt: PCA SKIN Nutrient Toner, a liquid toner in a spray bottle, shown as a step in a balanced skincare routine.
Related Article: The Best Toners for Oily and Combination Skin
Step 3: Serum
Serums are highly concentrated treatments packed with nutrients to address specific skin concerns. Applying them early in your routine, as close to clean skin as possible, maximizes their absorption. For daytime use, Dr. Rogers recommends antioxidant serums. These offer diverse benefits, including reducing inflammation and neutralizing damage from UV rays and environmental pollutants.
Alt: Obagi Medical Professional-C Serum 20%, a Vitamin C serum in a dropper bottle, used to protect skin from daily environmental damage as part of a skincare routine.
Related Article: Antioxidants in Skin Care: How Do They Work and Which Ones Are the Best?
Step 4: Eye Cream
Dr. Annie Chiu, a board-certified dermatologist, recommends applying eye cream nightly, or ideally twice daily starting in your 20s. “It’s about maintaining the health and thickness of the delicate eyelid skin,” she explains. “Early attention to skin quality in this area helps prevent laxity and maintain a smooth appearance as you age.”
Consistency is key for eye cream efficacy. “Regular use of eye cream helps maintain eyelid skin elasticity and can minimize fine lines and collagen loss over time. Remember, results are gradual, not instant,” Dr. Chiu emphasizes. “Enhance protection by choosing an eye cream with SPF for daytime or applying sunscreen around the eyes. Sunglasses are also crucial for shielding the delicate eye area from UV damage and preventing squint lines.”
Alt: SkinMedica Instant Bright Eye Cream, a white cream in a small pump bottle, designed for application to the delicate under-eye area in a morning skincare order.
Related Article:The Best Eye Creams for Your Under-Eye Concerns
Step 5: Spot Treatment
Dr. Diane De Fiori, dermatologist at Rosacea Treatment Clinic, advises that prescription medications and acne spot treatments should be applied early in the routine, directly to the skin, to maximize their effectiveness.
Application instructions can vary based on the active ingredients in your spot treatment. Always refer to product packaging or consult your dermatologist for specific directions. Benzoyl peroxide, a common acne treatment ingredient, has an active working time of one to three hours, according to esthetician Ashley Wiley. Applying creams too soon after benzoyl peroxide can interfere with its efficacy.
Acne spot treatments can be drying, so apply them only to affected areas.
Alt: Dermalogica Retinol Clearing Acne Oil, shown as a targeted treatment for blemishes, applied directly to the skin in a morning skincare routine.
Related Article:The Best Products to Get Rid of Pimples, FAST
Step 6: Moisturizer
Moisturizer is essential for everyone, even those with oily skin. Dr. Sandra Kopp, a board-certified dermatologist, explains, “While our skin has its own natural lubrication system with oil-secreting glands to protect against environmental stressors and infections, most of us need additional hydration due to sun exposure, weather, and harsh chemicals.”
Apply moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp to help lock in hydration. Ideally, this should be shortly after serum and treatment application.
If using an acne spot treatment, avoid applying moisturizer directly over those areas to prevent potential interference with the spot treatment’s active ingredients.
Alt: SkinMedica Rejuvenative Moisturizer, a white cream in a jar, demonstrating the moisturizing step in a morning skincare routine.
Related Article:The Best Moisturizers for Your Skin Type
Step 7: Sunscreen
Sunscreen is the final, crucial step in your daytime skin care routine, especially if you use a physical or mineral sunscreen that works by creating a physical barrier against UV rays. The timing differs slightly for chemical sunscreens.
Dr. Rogers clarifies, “Chemical sunscreens need to absorb into the skin to be effective. Applying them after moisturizer can delay or hinder absorption. Conversely, applying moisturizer after chemical sunscreen can also compromise the moisturizer’s effectiveness, as the sunscreen creates a coating.”
To circumvent this, Dr. Rogers recommends using a physical sunscreen with zinc oxide, applied after moisturizer. “Zinc oxide is safe, effective, and provides broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays.”
For those preferring chemical sunscreens, look for moisturizing formulas that combine hydration with sun protection, streamlining your routine.
Alt: EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 sunscreen, a white lotion in a pump bottle, shown as the final step in a morning skincare routine for sun protection.
Related Article:12 Face Sunscreens So Good, You’ll Want to Wear Them Every Day
Night Routine
As your skin repairs itself overnight, your nighttime routine should prioritize treatment and address your skin’s specific needs, according to Dr. Rogers. “If your skin appears dull, exfoliate. If it’s irritated, focus on hydration and protection.” Here’s the optimal order for nighttime product application:
Step 1: (Double) Cleanse
To remove the day’s accumulation of makeup, dirt, oil, and pollutants, many experts recommend double cleansing. Start with a dedicated makeup remover or cleansing oil to dissolve makeup, followed by a gentle facial cleanser to thoroughly cleanse the skin. Double cleansing ensures all impurities are removed, allowing subsequent products to penetrate effectively.
Step 2: Tone, Essence & Boosters
If you use a toner, apply it after cleansing, as you would in the morning.
Nighttime is also a good time to incorporate skin care boosters, such as essences, beauty waters, or hydrating serums (like hyaluronic acid serums). These lightweight formulas often contain active ingredients to hydrate and nourish the skin.
Apply these boosters after toner, starting with the thinnest formulas first. “[If using both toner and essence,] apply toner first, then essence,” advises Dr. Rogers. “Toner is primarily for cleansing and balancing, while essence focuses on delivering treatment and hydration.” If using multiple boosters, layer them from thinnest to thickest consistency.
Related Article: What Are Essence, Toner, Ampoules and Beauty Water?
Step 3: Eye Cream
Beyond addressing concerns like dark circles and crow’s feet, eye cream can also protect the delicate eye area from potentially irritating ingredients in other treatment products.
“[Generally, it’s best to apply eye cream before treatments] to shield the eye area from potent ingredients that could cause irritation,” advises Dr. Rogers.
Related Article: The Best Eye Creams for Your Under-Eye Concerns
Step 4: Treatments, Serums & Peels
Skin undergoes significant repair and regeneration during sleep. Therefore, nighttime is the ideal time to use targeted treatments such as prescription medications (tretinoin, rosacea or acne creams), retinol creams, exfoliating treatments (peel pads and masks), and anti-aging serums (containing peptides, growth factors, and other active ingredients). However, Dr. Rogers recommends selecting your evening treatment based on your skin’s current needs, rather than layering multiple treatment products.
“Too many steps can increase irritation risk and reduce the likelihood of desired results,” she cautions. “Choose your evening treatment based on your skin’s needs that night, not simply what you have available. Some nights, a simple cleanse and moisturize is sufficient. There’s always another day to give your skin more targeted care.”
Consider these points when choosing nighttime treatments:
- Alternate between prescription medications (for acne or rosacea) and exfoliative treatments (AHA/BHA pads, peels, or detoxifying masks). Using both on the same night significantly increases the risk of skin irritation.
- Avoid using retinol creams (prescription or over-the-counter) on the same nights as exfoliative treatments.
- Use exfoliative treatments sparingly, one to three times per week.
Related Article: How to Pick the Best Retinol Cream and Serum for You
Step 5: Moisturizer or Night Cream
While some prefer to use the same moisturizer day and night, night creams are typically richer and designed for prolonged absorption overnight.
“Night moisturizers, especially heavier formulations, create a protective layer to prevent water loss while you sleep,” explains Dr. Rogers. “Maintaining skin hydration is crucial for healing and overall skin health. A good moisturizer should be your final step, creating a barrier that prevents other products from penetrating it.” For very dry skin, consider adding a facial oil before your night cream for extra nourishment.
Related Article: The Best Moisturizers for Your Skin Type
Application Tips
Consistency and correct order are essential for maximizing the benefits of your skin care routine. Prioritize daily practice and follow the proper application sequence. The key to layering products effectively is to minimize skin irritation.
Generally, follow the lightest to heaviest rule for product order. However, exceptions exist. Potent active ingredients like retinol can be “sandwiched” between moisturizer layers to reduce irritation and desensitization, particularly beneficial for sensitive skin.
When applying each product, gently massage it into your skin and allow for complete absorption. This prevents product mixing, pilling, and makeup oxidation.
Sunscreen should always be the final step in your daytime routine, followed by makeup application, if desired.
Skin Care Routine Order Cheat Sheet
For quick reference, here’s a simple guide to your skin care routine order:
Morning:
- Cleanser
- Toner (optional)
- Serum
- Eye Cream
- Spot Treatment
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
Night:
- Makeup Remover (optional, for makeup wearers)
- Cleanser (or second cleanse in double cleansing)
- Toner (optional)
- Essence/Boosters (optional)
- Eye Cream
- Treatments/Serums/Peels
- Moisturizer/Night Cream
By Elise Minton Tabin Writer and beauty expert
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and expert with over 16 years of experience in the beauty industry. Formerly Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine, she covered beauty, plastic surgery, anti-aging, health, and wellness. She also played a key role in launching the beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush. A self-proclaimed beauty enthusiast and advocate for retinol and sunscreen, Elise is knowledgeable about the latest beauty trends, effective products, and leading professionals in cosmetic procedures. Follow Elise on Facebook, Instagram, and her beauty blog, elisetabin.com
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