What Order Should You Apply Skincare? A UK Guide

Most skincare mistakes are not about which products you own. They are about the order you put them on. Get the sequence wrong and a thin serum ends up sitting on top of a thick cream, or sunscreen gets buried under something that stops it spreading properly. This guide sets out the order that works for most routines, why it works, and what the UK labels on the packaging actually tell you.

The basic rule: thinnest to thickest

The general method is to apply products from the thinnest texture to the thickest. Light, watery products go on first so they can reach the skin. Creams and oils go on afterwards because they sit on the surface and make it harder for anything applied later to get through. A second rule sits alongside it: water-based products go before oil-based ones, because oil will repel water.

Morning routine: the order, step by step

1. Cleanser. A gentle rinse-off cleanser, or just water if your skin is dry in the morning. Pat dry with a clean towel rather than rubbing.
2. Toner or essence (optional). Watery, so it goes first. Skip it if you do not already use one. It is not essential.
3. Serum. Serums are usually the lightest, most concentrated step. A 30ml bottle typically needs only a few drops to a pea-sized amount, so more is not better.
4. Eye product. Use your ring finger and dab gently around the orbital bone.
5. Moisturiser. This seals in the layers underneath. Day creams are generally lighter than night creams.
6. Sunscreen. Always the last skincare step in the morning, because it needs to form an even layer on the surface.

If you wear makeup, it goes after sunscreen. Give each layer a minute or so to settle first, otherwise products can pill, which is when they ball up and roll off the skin.

Evening routine: what changes

At night you drop the sunscreen and, if you wore makeup or SPF, you cleanse twice. The first cleanse (an oil, balm or cream cleanser) lifts makeup and sunscreen. The second, with your usual cleanser, cleans the skin underneath. A range of cleansers, serums, moisturisers and masks is in our skincare collection if you want to build a routine from the same place.

After cleansing, the order is the same as the morning: toner if you use one, serum, eye product, then a richer night moisturiser. A facial oil, if you use one, goes last or is mixed into your moisturiser, because oil sits on top of everything else.

Where masks and exfoliators fit

Masks and exfoliators are occasional extras, not daily steps. Use them after cleansing and before your serum, then rinse off fully. Check each product's directions for how often to use it. Do not use an exfoliator and a mask in the same session unless the instructions say that is fine.

Reading the sunscreen label in the UK

Sunscreen is the step with the most useful label information, so it is worth knowing what the numbers mean. The NHS advises using a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 that also has at least four-star UVA protection.

• SPF (Sun Protection Factor) measures protection against UVB only.
• UVA stars appear as a star rating from 0 to 5 in a box on UK packaging, and they measure UVA protection separately. Look for four or five.
• Look for a UVA logo, which is a circle with the letters UVA inside it. It indicates the UVA protection is at least a third of the SPF value.

Mineral (zinc oxide) formulas work by sitting on the skin and can look slightly lighter on application, so rub them in well. If you want a moisturiser and sunscreen in one step, our skincare collection includes SPF30 mineral moisturisers in several sizes, including a 15ml travel size. Always check the star rating on the pack of whichever you choose.

Check the open-jar symbol

Under UK cosmetics rules, products that stay stable for more than 30 months show a small open-jar symbol with a number and the letter M, for example 12M. This is the Period After Opening: the number of months the product is intended to be used after you first open it. Products with a shorter shelf life carry a best-before date instead. Writing the month you opened it on the base of a jar with a marker pen is an easy habit.

Patch testing new products

Introduce one new product at a time. Many brands suggest testing a small amount on the inner forearm or behind the ear first, and following the instructions on the pack for how long to wait. If a product stings or you see redness, rinse it off and stop using it. If you have a reaction that concerns you, speak to a pharmacist or your GP.

A simple routine to start with

You do not need ten steps. A sensible starting point is three in the morning (cleanse, moisturise, sunscreen) and two or three at night (cleanse, serum if you like, moisturise). Add one product at a time so you can see what each does. If you are also looking at the wider shelf, our beauty and personal care collection covers everything from hair care to body products in one place.

Quick reference

Morning: cleanse, toner (optional), serum, eye product, moisturiser, SPF 30 or higher with 4-star UVA or more, then makeup.

Evening: cleanse (twice if you wore makeup or SPF), toner (optional), serum, eye product, moisturiser, facial oil last if you use one.

The idea behind both is the same: light before heavy, water before oil, and sunscreen on top in the morning. And if you are adding a base afterwards, our makeup collection has plenty to go on top of your SPF.