We’re all about a completely personalised approach to skincare – what’s right for one person won’t be right for another - which is why we usually steer clear from terms like ‘correct’. That being said, some aspects of skincare are pretty standardised, no matter the complexion. And that includes the order you apply your skincare products.
Sure, you might prefer the feeling of a certain serum sitting closer to your skin than another. But as a general rule of thumb (and to get the most out of each formula), the best way to apply your products is to start with the thinnest, most watery formulas (liquid exfoliants, for instance) and gradually work your way up to the thickest products (like oil-based formulas and heavy creams) and always, always finish with SPF in the morning.
But – and it’s a big but – targeted treatments (say, vitamin C serums) need to go before your oil or moisturiser, no matter their texture, to ensure your skin gets the full hit of the active ingredients.
As a guide, the best order to apply your skincare products is as follows. But note, not every routine will contain each of these steps and you might not use all of them every single day, so consider this your loose but helpful guide.
Cleanser
Liquid exfoliant / toner Active serum (retinol, vitamin C etc)Hydrating serum (hyaluronic acid, etc)
Eye cream
Moisturiser / Facial oil
SPF
The other complication is that no two routines should ever be the same. If you have dry skin, you might choose to skip over toner, for instance. And if you have oily skin, you might not want to finish with the kind of moisturiser that drier skin types would.
The only way to know for sure the skincare order that’s right for you? A Lion/ne Holistic Skin Session. Our Skin Mentors will decode your skin concerns, type and current Skin Mood™ to not only come up with an unbiased shopping list of products perfect for you, but we’ll also map out your full routine (what to use, when) on a dynamic skincare calendar that changes as your skin does. Click here to unlock all that and more.
