Serum, cream, oil: When does WHAT come on the skin?

Serum, cream, acid peeling - depending on the texture, skin care products must be applied one after the other. But how do you actually layer skincare products correctly?

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Whether your skin care routine consists of two items or five, the order in which you apply your serum, oil, moisturizer, and sunscreen will make sure they work even better.

We know the picture: Influencers or YouTubers complete their skincare routine with a few sprays of rose water after serums, creams and the like. Totally wrong approach. Thermal water sprays or horse water are, among other things, intended for in-between care, but skin care products are generally layered in a completely different order. As? In short: from the thinnest to the thickest texture. So far have you applied your face oil BEFORE your hyaluronic acid? Then watch out:

Skin care step by step: Products work better in this order

First step: cleaning and toner

At the beginning there is cleaning. How you do this is of course up to you. Whether washing gel, cleaning oil or foam: Make-up and dirt have to be removed. If you want to use a tonic afterwards - go ahead. For many, facial tonic is too irritating, for others it can help to absorb the following products better. Important: Make sure you use alcohol-free toner.

Here is a possible routine for the day:

1. Cleaning (plus toner)
2. Serum (thinnest texture first)
3. Day care (cream or facial oil - if you use both, you should first apply the oil, then the cream)
4. Sun protection (if your day cream does not contain an SPF, be sure to apply extra)

Here is a possible routine for the night:

1. Cleaning (plus toner)
2. Serum (thinnest texture first)
3. Acids such as AHA or BHA (depending on the texture, the acid can also be applied BEFORE the serum)
4. Night cream or face oil (if you use both, you should apply the oil first, then the cream)

Why does moisturizer always come in the last step?

One of the most important steps in your beauty routine: Moisturizer not only hydrates, but also seals in the other conditioning ingredients that you previously added to your skin.

Sun protection

During the day, sun protection is mandatory to stop the aging process of the skin, which is accelerated by UV damage, and to prevent unsightly pigmentation. If you use chemical peels, you should definitely use sunscreen every day. We have tested here which products are particularly suitable for the face.

By the way: Everything you guys know about Acid peels need to know, you can find out here.

How do I incorporate extra treatments?

Eye cream

If your eyelids are rather oily, opt for a gel-based formula. Moisturizing care is recommended for the dark circles - especially caffeine-containing products ensure that thick eyelids swell faster. Tip: Always work in with your ring finger and lightly tapping. This creates the least amount of pressure on the delicate skin around the eyes. The skin around the eyes is a little thinner, but basically you can apply your day or night care and don't need to get an extra eye product. Pay attention to fragrance-free products - especially around the eyes (this can cause irritation more easily). Otherwise, you can apply eye cream immediately after day or night care.

Masks / mechanical peelings

Face masks or mechanical peelings should always be used after cleaning. The toner (toner) is applied after the mask or mechanical peeling.

Vitamin C, niacinamides, retinol, chemical peels

You shouldn't use active ingredients of this kind every day, and certainly not mix them together. Important: Start slowly and increase the applications until your skin develops a tolerance. Otherwise, treatments of this type can cause irritation or skin diseases such as Perioral dermatitis (by the way, all information is available here). In principle, you can also use serums with niacinamides or vitamin C during the day. It is better to apply retinol or chemical peels in the evening. The texture decides whether you apply these active ingredients BEFORE or AFTER your moisturizing serum.

For example, retinol can be dissolved in squalane and therefore has a more oily texture, which is why you should use this treatment AFTER the moisturizing serum and BEFORE your night cream. If your vitamin C serum has a thinner texture, you can use it right after cleansing and BEFORE your day care. With these active ingredients in particular, it is important to use sunscreen every day (even in winter).