How to layer your skincare products in the right order.

When structuring a skincare routine, always listen to your skin's needs: choosing the right products for your skin type is the key to the success of any routine. For example, you should not choose moisturizing cleansers if your skin is oily but prefer products with sebum-regulating properties. Before delving into the correct order to follow, it's important to highlight the three fundamental steps for a proper skincare routine: cleanse, moisturize, protect. If you don't know where to start and want a simple skincare routine, you can reduce it to just three products: facial cleanser, moisturizing cream, sunscreen. If you want to focus on specific skin issues and address imperfections, you should know that the rule for structuring a good skincare routine lies in layering: start with the lightest texture and progress to the richer one!

In What Order Do I Apply Skincare Products?
Following the layering technique and the three fundamental steps as a guideline, your morning skincare routine will follow this order:
1. Cleanser – Choose one suitable for your skin type and appropriate for the season. Also, prefer formulas that are gentle and respect your skin's pH.
2. Toner – Toner is a skincare product that can be loved or hated, perceived as essential or superfluous. There are different types of toners with different purposes (purifying, hydrating, brightening), but they often share a very watery and lightweight texture.
3. Serum – Depending on the issue you want to address, a facial serum will be a valuable ally in your skincare routine because it contains more concentrated active ingredients. Its texture is usually liquid or milky, and it should always be applied before the facial cream.
4. Eye Cream – The biggest dilemma in the skincare routine order is where to place eye cream. It does not follow the layering theory since it can have a richer formula than the serum and often even richer than the cream. It is placed between the two steps due to the delicacy of the eye area: by applying eye cream beforehand, you prevent the facial cream from coming into contact with this sensitive and irritation-prone area.
5. Facial Cream – Choose your facial cream based on your skin type and the season. You should use it even if you have oily skin, just prefer one with a lightweight texture and purifying properties: all skin types need hydration.
6. Sunscreen – The final step in your morning routine is SPF, which should be applied in the right amount to ensure proper protection.

1. Makeup Remover – Whether it's oil, micellar water, or a dual-phase solution, before starting your skincare, your face must be clean and free of any makeup traces. This step should be performed before cleansing (if you follow the Korean skincare and perform double cleansing, you can use an oil-based cleanser in the morning as well).
2. Exfoliation – Whether it's mechanical or enzymatic exfoliation, it can also be done during the day, unlike chemical exfoliation. This is an additional step to be performed once a week to regenerate the skin, remove dead cells, and accelerate cell turnover. This step should be done after cleansing and before applying toner.
3. Face Masks – If they are rinse-off masks, they should be done immediately after exfoliation, while in the case of sheet masks or hydrogel masks, they can replace the hydration steps before the cream or be applied after toner and before the cream.
4. Facial Oil – Even facial oil does not follow the layering technique: despite its viscous and liquid texture, it should be applied after the facial cream to seal in all the nutrients correctly.