Does the order I put on skincare matter? What order should I put on different skincare products?
Firstly, as you probably know, you should layer your skincare from the thinnest to the thickest formulation. As a general rule, apply water-based formulations first, then lotions, then creams, then oils. For a step by step walk through of the skincare product you can use at each step, from cleansing through to masking to using facial oil, see our
Chemical exfoliators are best applied before any moisturisers so that they are better absorbed into the skin.
If you need to put on sunscreen because you are going outside, try to apply this as a last step. This is one reason why oils and heavier creams are best included in your night time routine instead!
What skincare should go into my morning versus my evening routine?
Below is a guide to the types of ingredients you can consider including in your morning and evening skincare routines.
This is based on the fact that certain skincare ingredients are unstable, or cause your skin to become photosensitive, so it’s good to leave these to your night time routine, and apply the other skincare in the morning.
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Morning Skincare Routine
Hyaluronic acid
This is a simple hydrating ingredient that is perfect for serums and toners as it is usually not too heavy to cause breakouts.
It works to decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, plumping the skin, so is great if you have oily skin or combination skin with oily T-zone areas and want to keep it hydrated but not oily.
We recommend skincare that has other ingredients that pack a punch too, such as The Ordinary "Buffet", which is a serum containing peptide complexes which also help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and facial folds, and a range of amino acids which contribute to the stimulation of collagen production.
This serum contains sodium hyaluronate, which is a water-soluble form of hyaluronic acid.
However, focus this on dehydrated areas rather than all over your face (especially if you have an oily T zone), as it has a relatively viscous, thick consistency for a serum.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3. Depending on the concentration, topical niacinamide has been associated with skin brightening, controlling hyperpigmentation, sebum control, rosacea and redness, inflammation, acne, and the appearance of fine lines.
We recommend COSRX Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence for skin brightening.
However, higher concentrations (at least 5%) are required to fade any dark spots and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation,and for anti-aging effects, we recommend The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, but only apply it directly onto the offending areas, not all over your face, to minimise the risk of irritation.
There are a lot of skincare ingredients you shouldn’t combine with niacinamide! Read our post on skincare ingredients not to mix and breakdown of skincare ingredients for more information.
Lightweight moisturizer
It’s not easy to find a lightweight moisturizer that a) doesn’t clog your pores after a whole day out and about, b) sits well under sunscreen, and c) functions well as a makeup base.
If you have oily skin or are in a humid, moist climate, you can get away without a moisturizer if you are already applying The Ordinary "Buffet", a serum containing niacinamide, and sunscreen.
If your skin is on the drier side, then you may be able to layer the Moogoo Full Cream Moisturiser or the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream Ex Light underneath. See our rundown of the best moisturizers here.
Sunscreen
If you are going outdoors (or even if you are indoors with exposure to UV light), it’s essential that you don’t skip sunscreen in your morning routine! For example, depending on your skin tone and skin type, we like the Shiseido Anessa Essence UV Sunscreen Mild Milk if you have oily skin/combination skin, or the Shiseido Anessa Mild Sunscreen For Face if you have dry skin. Read all about the most effective and safe sunscreens to use for your skin type here.
Evening Skincare Routine
AHAs (e.g. glycolic, lactic acid) and BHAs (e.g. salicylic acid)
Make sure to only apply one AHA, BHA, or other acid at any one time! Also avoid applying AHAs and BHAs with skincare containing peptides, since the low pH of acids will interfere with peptides.
Make sure to limit the use of these chemical exfoliators to 1-2 times a week!
Some of the best chemical exfoliators are the Cosrx Whitehead Power Liquid, The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%, and the KraveBeauty Kale-Lalu-yAHA.
L-Ascorbic Acid
L-ascorbic acid is the active form of vitamin C. On the face of things, it has many benefits for the skin, including brightening the skin, improving skin tone, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, stimulating collagen production, sun protection, and fading hyperpigmentation.
However, L-ascorbic acid and other forms of vitamin C can be very unstable unless kept in optimal conditions.
It’s not not just enough to keep the formulation in a dark container. It is also a good idea to keep the product containing vitamin C in the fridge (though you need to check with the particular manufacturer of the formulation you are using, as it depends on the formulation with other ingredients).
Even taking these precautions, the vitamin C that you end up applying to your face may still have lost its efficacy over time (within 6 months).
There is some evidence that L-ascorbic acid and sunscreens can work synergistically to enhance each other’s efficacy, but because L-ascorbic acid is unstable in the presence of light, we don’t recommend applying it in the morning! One of the best organic skincare containing vitamin C is the Drunk Elephant C Firma Day Serum.
If you decide to give it a go, we recommend putting L-ascorbic acid on after toner but before other water-based ingredients.
Alpha Arbutin
Also known as glycosylated hydroquinone, alpha arbutin is a safer alternative to hydroxyquinone, which was traditionally used for skin whitening and to tackle hyperpigmentation even though it was associated with risk of serious side effects including cancer, which was exacerbated by exposure to UV radiation.
To be safe however, we recommend keeping alpha arbutin in your night time skincare routine. Also restrict your use of alpha arbutin to no more than 3 months at a time. Try our top alpha arbutin pick, which is the The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA, and sign up to our newsletter for more skincare containing alpha arbutin.
Retinoids
There are many clinical trials on the efficacy of retinoids for reducing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation,
However, retinoids are relatively strong antioxidants that are vitamin A derivatives. As such, they cause skin thinning and therefore expose the skin more to the harmful effects of UV radiation. Therefore, the risk-benefit ratio of this skincare ingredient is usually only worthwhile if you are aged in your late 20s and beyond.
Of course, this doesn’t include cases of prescription retinoids which are prescribed for clinically diagnosed acne.
The term “retinoid” includes a whole family of vitamin A derivatives, some of which are prescription medicines (like retinoic acid and isotretinoin - aka Accutane).
In this discussion, we are only considering the over the counter (OTC) forms of retinoids. These include retinoid esters (such as retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, and retinyl linoleate), adapalene, and retinol.
Retinol is weaker but also has less side effects compared to retinoic acid, and it may take months to a year to see results.
Adapalene (aka Differin) helps to slow or inhibit the developement of pore linings and skin inflammation.
OTC retinoid esters (retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinyl linoleate) are a weak form of retinoids, and thus are the ideal type of retinoid to begin with.
It is also best to discontinue use during pregnancy and while trying to conceive. See our anti-aging post for the best organic retinoid products you should try.
Azelaic Acid
If you haven’t explored this ingredient before, we recommend you consider incorporating azelaic acid into your skincare regimen! There is evidence to show that azelaic acid helps in at least three different ways to improve the condition of our skin: by (i) fading skin pigmentation by its effect on melanocytes, (ii) calming acne and rosacea because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and (iii) acting as an exfoliator.
Like AHAs and BHAs, do not use azelaic acid with other acids to avoid skin irritation. We recommend using it as a spot treatment for 1-3 times a week.
Formulations involving azelaic acid tend to sit poorly under makeup or sunscreen, so it’s easier to apply it at night, after water-based products but before moisturizer. It can also make your skin sensitive to UV light. See our Hyperpigmentation post for the specific skincare brands we recommend to get your dose of azelaic acid.
Moisturizer of your choice
As discussed above, the choice of which moisturizer to use will depend of a lot of individual factors, including your skin type, concurrent skincare products used, and climate. See our rundown of the best moisturizers here.
Facial Oil
There is a wide array of different facial oils, including rose hip seed oil, tamanu oil, marula oil, and hemp seed oil, to name a few. However, we do NOT recommend you to incorporate facial oil into your daily skincare routine if you have combination or oily skin.
If you have dry skin, we recommend the Moogoo Calophyllum Inophyllum (Tamanu) Seed Oil as a the last step in your routine. Tamanu oil is good of promoting skin healing and scarring, including postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, but use a drop at a time as a spot treatment as all oils can conversely predispose to breakouts even if you have dry skin.
You can also incorporate the ingredients from the morning routine into your night routine.
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P.S…this is probably obvious, but the information presented doesn’t constitute medical advice - always check with your own doctor!
