In what order should skincare products be used? A good rule of thumb is to start with cleansing, continue with lighter products such as toner, essence, and serum, and then apply face cream. In the morning, the skincare routine is finished with sunscreen.
A complete order can therefore be cleansing → toner → essence → serum → Eye cream → face cream → sunscreen. But not every step needs to be included in your skincare routine. If you only use cleanser, serum, and face cream, you follow the same principle and simply skip the steps you do not need.
Here we go through a skincare routine step by step and explain where everything from exfoliation to facial oil fits in.
Skincare routine in the correct order
If you have several skincare products at home, it can be difficult to know what should be used first. The table below gives a quick overview of a more complete skincare routine.
| Order | Product | When? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oil-based cleanser | Evening, as needed |
| 2 | Water-based cleanser | Morning and/or evening |
| 3 | Exfoliation | Selected days |
| 4 | Toner | Morning and/or evening |
| 5 | Essence | Morning and/or evening |
| 6 | Serum or ampoule | Morning and/or evening |
| 7 | Eye cream | Morning and/or evening |
| 8 | Face cream | Morning and evening |
| 9 | Facial oil | As needed |
| 10 | Sunscreen | The last step in the morning |
Do not see the list as ten steps you must follow. It shows where the products are placed if you use them. For many people, a much simpler routine is enough.
The different steps of a skincare routine
Step 1: Start with cleansing
Cleansing comes first because makeup, sunscreen, sebum, and dirt need to be removed before the rest of the skincare is applied.
In the morning, a mild water-based cleanser can be used if needed. In the evening, cleansing is more important because the skin needs to be cleaned of what has accumulated during the day.
If you wear a lot of makeup or water-resistant sunscreen, you can double cleanse. Then the order is:
Oil-based cleanser → water-based cleanser
The oil-based cleanser helps dissolve, among other things, makeup and sunscreen and is followed by a water-based cleanser.
Double cleansing is not a requirement for everyone, however, and mainly needs to be used when there is actually something that needs to be removed.
Step 2: Exfoliation is used after cleansing
If you exfoliate your skin, it is done on cleansed skin. Exfoliation therefore differs from most other steps in the list: it can have a clear place in the order without being part of every daily routine.
How the product is used also depends on what type of exfoliation it is. An exfoliating product that should be rinsed off is not used in the same way as a leave-on product with, for example, AHA or BHA.
Therefore, follow the instructions for the specific product and adjust how often you exfoliate based on the product and your skin.
Step 3: Toner comes after cleansing
Toner is applied after the skin has been cleansed and before essence and serum.
A toner often has a thin and light consistency and can, for example, be used to provide a first layer of hydration. Depending on the product, it can be applied with your hands or with a cotton pad.
Toner is an optional step. If you do not use toner, you can go directly to the next product in your routine.
Step 4: Essence is used after toner
Essence is especially common in Korean skincare and is usually applied between toner and serum:
Toner → essence → serum
An essence often has a light consistency and is used to provide additional hydration and nourishing ingredients before more concentrated serums are applied.
If you do not use toner, essence can instead be applied directly after cleansing.
Step 5: Serum and ampoule
After toner and essence comes serum or ampoules. This is often where the routine becomes more individual, since the products are chosen based on what your skin specifically needs.
Serums can, for example, be used for extra hydration, radiance, or to complement the routine with specific ingredients.
Which serum comes first if you use several?
If you use several serums, a common starting point is to apply the thinnest and lightest one first, followed by products with richer textures.
But texture is not the only thing that matters. Some serums contain active ingredients that have specific recommendations for how and when they should be used. Therefore, always follow the instructions for the products instead of trying to combine as many serums as possible.
There is also no inherent value in using several serums at the same time. One well-chosen serum that suits your skin’s needs may be entirely sufficient.
Step 6: Eye cream
If you use Eye cream, it can be applied after serum and before or together with your face cream.
Eye cream is not a mandatory step in a skincare routine. It is developed for the area around the eyes and may be relevant if you want to use a separate product there.
Apply gently and follow the product’s instructions for how close to the eye it should be used.
Step 7: Face cream
Face cream usually comes after toner, essence, and serum. It often has a richer consistency and helps the skin retain moisture.
The order therefore is:
Serum → face cream
Which face cream is suitable depends on your skin type and the rest of your routine. A light gel cream may, for example, suit someone who wants light hydration, while a richer cream may be a better option for dry skin.
If you have a very simple skincare routine, you can go directly from cleansing to face cream. You do not need to add toner, essence, and serum just to fill the steps in between.
Step 8: Facial oil
Facial oil is usually used late in the skincare routine. Since oils can have a more occlusive function, they are often used after water-based serums and other lighter products.
If you use both face cream and facial oil, a common order is:
Serum → face cream → facial oil
However, there are products intended to be used in other ways or mixed with a cream. Therefore, follow the recommendation for the specific facial oil you are using.
Step 9: Sunscreen is the last step in the morning
In the morning, the skincare routine ends with sunscreen.
The order is therefore:
Skincare → sunscreen → makeup
Sunscreen should not go under serum or face cream just because it has a thinner consistency. It is a good example of why the rule "thinnest to thickest" is only a rule of thumb and not something that always determines the order.
If you do not use anything else in the morning, the routine can be as simple as moisturizing followed by sunscreen.
The correct order of skincare in the morning
A more complete skincare routine in the morning can look like this:
Cleansing → toner → essence → serum → Eye cream → face cream → sunscreen
That does not mean you need seven products every morning. A simpler routine can, for example, be:
Cleansing → face cream → sunscreen
The morning routine is mainly about giving the skin what it needs for the day and finishing with sunscreen. Products such as serum can be added based on the skin's needs.
The correct order of skincare in the evening
In the evening, sunscreen disappears as the last step and cleansing becomes more important.
A complete evening routine can, for example, be:
Oil-based cleansing → water-based cleanser → toner → essence → serum/treatment → Eye cream → face cream
If you use facial oil, it can be added near the end of the routine.
In the evening, you can also use products that are not included in every daily routine, for example exfoliation or certain treatment products. This means that the evening routine does not have to look exactly the same every day.
Should skincare always be applied from thinnest to thickest?
Applying skincare from a thinner to a thicker consistency is a useful rule of thumb, but it should not be followed blindly.
It works well for understanding why a thin essence is usually used before a serum and why serum often comes before face cream. But the product's function and instructions are more important than its consistency.
Therefore, think of the order in three parts:
- Cleanse the skin first. Products that should be used on cleansed skin come early in the routine.
- Apply skincare products in the right layers. Here, a lighter to richer consistency is often a good starting point.
- Finish the morning routine with sunscreen. SPF comes last in skincare regardless of whether the sunscreen feels lighter than, for example, the face cream.
If a specific product has different instructions, you should follow them.
How long should you wait between skincare products?
You usually do not need to wait several minutes between each step in a regular skincare routine.
Let the product spread over the skin and settle before moving on to the next step. If the next product causes everything underneath to pill, clump, or move around, you can try using a smaller amount or letting the previous layer absorb a little longer.
So there is no general rule that you should, for example, wait exactly 30 seconds or two minutes between toner, essence, serum, and face cream.
The exception is if a specific product has instructions on how it should be used. In that case, you follow the product's recommendation rather than a general skincare routine.
Where do products that are not used every day fit in?
Not all skincare products fit into the usual list of toner, serum, and face cream. Some products are only used occasionally or have a specific way of being used.
| Product | Where in the routine? |
|---|---|
| Exfoliation | After cleansing, depending on the product |
| Wash-off mask | After cleansing and then rinsed off |
| Sheet mask | Usually after cleansing and toner |
| Sleeping mask | Toward the end of the evening routine |
| Spot treatment | Depends on the product and instructions |
The most important thing here is to read the instructions for the product. An exfoliant that is rinsed off, for example, cannot be treated in the same way as an exfoliating leave-on product.
Common mistakes with the order of skincare
You use sunscreen too early
Sunscreen should be the last step in the morning skincare routine. Serum and face cream are therefore used before SPF.
You apply face cream before serum
Serum usually has a lighter consistency and is applied before face cream. The cream is used later in the routine to moisturize and help the skin retain moisture.
You think all steps must be used
A list of ten possible steps does not mean that a good skincare routine must contain ten products.
If you skip toner and essence, the order is simply:
Cleansing → serum → face cream
And if you do not use a serum:
Cleansing → face cream
In the morning, you add sunscreen last.
You use all products every day
Exfoliation, face masks, and certain active ingredients do not need to be used every day. How often they are suitable depends on the product and the skin.
You follow the order instead of the product instructions
The general order is a good starting point, but skincare products can be formulated to be used in different ways.
If the packaging states that the product should be applied in a special way, then it is the product's instructions that apply.
Common questions about the order of skincare
What comes first, serum or face cream?
Serum is usually used before face cream. Serum often has a lighter consistency and is applied earlier in the routine, while the face cream comes toward the end.
What comes first, toner or serum?
Toner comes first. The usual order is cleansing → toner → serum. If you use an essence, it is usually placed between toner and serum.
What comes first, essence or serum?
Essence is usually used before serum. The order is then toner → essence → serum.
Should facial oil be used before or after face cream?
Facial oil is often used after face cream because it comes late in the skincare routine. However, this can vary between products, so follow the instructions for the oil you are using.
When do you use Eye cream?
Eye cream is usually used after serum and before or together with face cream. It is an optional step and does not need to be included in every skincare routine.
When should SPF be applied?
Sunscreen is applied as the last step in the morning skincare routine and before makeup.
Do you have to use all the steps in a skincare routine?
No. The order shows where different products fit if you use them, not which products you must have. A simple skincare routine can consist of just a few steps and then be expanded according to the skin's needs.
