We’ve seen the vlogs and TikTok videos painstakingly detailing 7, 10 or even 15-step skincare routines. While most of us don’t have the time, patience, or countertop space for that many steps, there is something to be said about the order in which their products are applied. We all know to shampoo before conditioning, but when serums, toners and retinols are involved, we might not know which order to apply them in. Here, we get down to the details of what order to apply skin care products.
Some days might require more products or steps than others, but for the most part many of us can benefit from keeping three key products in our skincare routine — cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF.
Then, when it comes to adding in more specialty products, this is the order it should go in:
While this might seem like a lot of steps, to make it easier think about applying products in order from lightest to heaviest to ensure they penetrate properly. The exception for this is a product like Retinol, because it can tend to be very harsh for many skin types, it is best for application and your skin to apply after moisturizer and follow with a face oil if you like.
Other steps you might need to address will have to do with makeup application and removal. Typically when applying makeup, you might want to skip a few of the excessive layers to ensure your makeup application goes on smoothly and stays in place. Alternatively, when removing makeup at night time, this might involve the addition of a micellar water or a double cleanse to ensure you’ve removed all of your makeup before beginning your nighttime routine.
There are a million and a half products on the market to choose from. If you’re really unsure about where to begin, consider booking yourself a facial with a trusted esthetician and asking them about what is best for your skin type. From here, you might go through trial and error as you find products that work. You don’t need the most expensive or trendiest products on the market, simply pay attention to the active and inactive ingredients in each formulation.