The Right Order for a Skincare Routine
Thinnest to thickest, actives at night, sunscreen always last in the morning — the sequence that makes a routine work.
Products are usually fine. The order is what goes wrong.
Morning
- Cleanser
- Vitamin C serum
- Moisturiser
- Sunscreen — always last, and always reapplied
Night
- Oil or balm to remove sunscreen and makeup
- Water-based cleanser
- One active — retinol or an acid, never both on the same night
- Moisturiser
The rule underneath all of it: thinnest to thickest. A serum cannot get through a cream that is already sitting there.