Does It Really Matter In Which Order You Apply Your Skincare?

A skincare routine is only as effective as the formulas within it, right? Not quite. While choosing the right products for your skin is essential, how you apply them can also influence how well they perform.

With serums, eye creams, elixirs, moisturisers and SPF all playing a different role, the order in which they are layered is far from arbitrary. Each formula is designed with a particular texture, composition and delivery system, and applying products in the right sequence helps ensure that each can perform as intended.

As a general rule, our Clinic therapists recommend working from the lightest texture to the richest, allowing each layer to sink in before moving on to the next. This creates a considered sequence in which targeted treatments are applied before the formulas that work to hydrate, nourish and protect the skin. While simple in principle, it can make a meaningful difference to your routine.

Why Layering Matters

Think of your skincare routine as a carefully choreographed sequence. Each formula has a purpose, and each step prepares your skin for what follows. Lightweight serums, for example, are typically formulated to deliver concentrated actives and are best applied before richer creams and oils. Heavier formulas can then help replenish, soften and support skin, while SPF creates the final protective layer in a morning routine.

Applying a rich product too early can make it harder for lighter formulas to spread evenly across your complexion. Conversely, layering a lightweight treatment beneath progressively richer textures allows each product to sit where it is intended and helps prevent the products you apply on top  from becoming unnecessarily heavy or difficult to absorb.

It’s  also important to remember that absorption is not simply about a product sinking in. Different formulas feature different molecular sizes, delivery systems and ingredients, allowing them to interact with the skin in different ways. Layering them thoughtfully helps targeted ingredients to reach the areas where they’re intended to work, without unnecessarily compromising the performance of the products that follow. The result is a routine that works with your skin rather than simply sitting on top of it.

The SC Sequence

In our Clinic, our expert facialists follow a considered order when applying skincare – moving from cleansing and targeted treatments through to nourishment and protection.

Step 1: Cleanse

Every effective routine begins with clean skin. Thorough cleansing removes make-up, excess sebum, impurities and the build-up of daily products, creating a clean surface for the rest of your skincare. Without this essential first step, any formulas that follow have to work through a layer of residue before they can properly come into contact with your skin. At night, double cleansing can be particularly beneficial when removing make-up, SPF and the day's accumulation of environmental impurities while in the morning, a single cleanse helps remove overnight build-up and prepares your skin for the day ahead. In both instances, the goal is not to leave skin feeling stripped or squeaky clean, but fresh, comfortable and ready for targeted formulas to follow.

Try:

Ultimate Cleanse Our signature cleansing balm for a thorough and sensorial first step.

Cleansing Cushions For controlled, precise removal across the face, neck and eye area.

Step 2: Serum

Next comes your serum which is the most concentrated treatment step of your routine. With lightweight textures and high levels of targeted actives, serums are designed to address specific skin concerns, from dehydration, dullness and fine lines to an uneven-looking tone and texture. Applying serum directly after cleansing means its carefully-selected ingredients can come into contact with freshly cleansed skin before richer textures are introduced. This is also why choosing a serum according to what your skin actually needs is so important. 

Try:

Age Repair Serum For targeted skin optimisation and a more advanced treatment step.

Stem Cell Collagen Activator To target firmer, smoother-feeling skin.

Step 3: Eye Cream

When it comes to the eye contour it deserves its own dedicated step. The skin around the eyes is delicate and structurally different from much of the rest of the face, which is why eye-specific formulas are designed with this area in mind. Applying eye cream after your serum allows you to target the area with a dedicated formula before moving into richer facial treatments. Take a small amount and gently press it around the under eye area and up along the brow bone, being mindful of not dragging or rubbing skin. And remember: the eye area is small, so a little product really does go a long way.

Try:

Eye Recovery  Our bestselling eye treatment for the delicate eye contour.

 

Step 4: Elixir

Where serum is typically focused on targeted treatment, an elixir can provide a richer infusion of nourishing oils and oil-soluble ingredients, helping to soften and hydrate skin while supporting the benefits of the layers underneath. Applying it after your serum and eye cream follows the light-to-rich principle, allowing the lighter treatment formulas to be applied first before introducing a more emollient texture. This is particularly important with oil-rich elixirs and facial oils. 

Try:

Morning Facial A lightweight serum-oil treatment to nourish, hydrate and boost skin’s natural radiance.

Overnight Facial A nourishing serum-oil treatment to replenish and rejuvenate skin while you sleep.

Step 5: Moisturiser 

Next, it’s time to seal in your routine with your choice of moisturiser. This step provides hydration while helping to support the skin barrier too. The skin barrier plays an important role in maintaining hydration and protecting the skin from external stressors, so ensuring it’s intact is fundamental to healthy-looking skin. What’s more, your moisturiser is the final treatment layer of your evening routine while in the morning,  it’s the penultimate step before protection.

Try:

R&R Glow Recovery Cream For replenishing, comforting and restoring the skin barrier.

Dynamic Defence SPF 15 Day Cream For daytime hydration and daily defence.

Step 6: SPF 

In the morning, or after a clinic treatment there is one final and non-negotiable skincare step which is an application of sunscreen. Unlike the other products in your routine sunscreen has a specific protective role, which is why it needs to be applied as the final step of your skincare sequence so that it can form an even protective layer over your skin. SPF should never be mixed into your moisturiser or applied underneath your treatment products because this can interfere with how evenly the sunscreen is a layered over your skin and, as a result, it might not be as effective in protecting from UV rays and environmental damage. 

Equally important to remember is that using an SPF is not just for summer. UV exposure is part of everyday life, whether the sky is bright and sunny or overcast, making daily broad-spectrum protection an important part of any long-term skincare routine.

Try:

Skin Insurance SPF50 Invisible For high broad-spectrum protection with an invisible finish.

Skin Insurance SPF50+ Tinted  For high protection with a natural-looking tint.

Skin Insurance SPF30 Tinted For daily broad-spectrum protection with optical-blurring benefits.

More isn’t always more

When it comes to skincare, it’s easy to think that adding more products means better results. Another serum, another active, another treatment… but a great routine isn’t necessarily the one with the most steps. What matters is how well your products work together and that’s why applying them in the right order is so important. 

It’s also worth remembering that your routine does not need to be identical every morning and evening. Your skin's needs can change with the seasons, your environment, your lifestyle and even how your skin feels from day to day. So adapting your routine accordingly is key - just be sure to follow the order above when swapping or omitting any new products into it. Our clinicians can help you determine which formulas complement each other and how frequently to use them.