expert advice, skincare How to layer your products

Serums, oils, cleansers, moisturisers, sunscreens, exfoliators - the list of products in your skincare routine may be long. Let’s take a look at how to layer your products to get the most out of your skincare.

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So, first things first. Do we even need that many products that we need to think about how to layer them? 

Well, no. We don’t. Or… At least not always.

But some people - like those struggling with (multiple) skin concerns - may need a little extra layer of somethin’ somethin’ to help them (and their skin) out.

Others like to just treat themselves to a little self-care moment once in a while and go all in with a full 10-step routine.

In any case, it’s important to know how to get the very most out of your skincare (and your hard earned 💰). 

So, let’s start from the beginning.


How many products do you need in your routine? 

This seems like a good opportunity to talk about what our skin needs and why we even need skincare products in the first place. 

Everyone’s skin is different (it’s not, like, unique-unique, but unique enough for you to feel special). Hence the customised skincare we’re making. So the number of products in your routine won’t necessarily be the same as others’. If you’re not quite sure what your skin needs, take a look at our guides to skin types and skin concerns.

So, obviously skincare isn’t something you need to survive (despite what the skincare companies are telling us).

However, we put our skin through a lot. And most of that is just by existing. We’re exposing ourselves to changing environments and temperatures and our general way of living affects the skin as well (hello smoke, hello alcohol, hello good food). 

And that’s why a 3-step philosophy is often considered the bare minimum within skincare: cleanse, moisturise, protect (that’s sunscreen, if you’re wondering). 

So, to answer the initial question: How many products do you need? 

Well, there kinda is no answer.

But a simple skincare routine will get you a long way. Think of those 3 essential steps first and then consider whether you need an additional boost. 


How to layer your products 

In order to get the most out of your skincare, you need to consider which order you apply the different products. 

“And why does the order matter?” you may think. Excellent thinking! 

The order matters because it directly affects the efficacy of the products. Cleansing your skin allows for better absorption of the following products in your routine, just like a serum can work to prep your skin before you apply your moisturiser. 

It’s synergy, baby. 

So, in what order should you actually apply your products?

A great rule of thumb is to let the consistencies of your products dictate the order you apply them in, going from the thinnest to thickest consistency.

Combined with your “cleanse, moisturise, protect” mantra, you’re kinda almost there. 

But it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so of course we’ll give you an example (and an actual list, because lists are nice): 

1. Cleanser

2. Toner/essence

3. Serum

4. Moisturiser

5. Face oil

6. Sunscreen 


You may not use all of these at the same time - this is just to give you an idea of how the light-to-heavy system works. 

If you’re into K-beauty, you may have a toner or an essence in your routine, but it’s also totally fine to go straight from cleanser to moisturiser. Or it may be that in the evening, you wanna top off your moisturiser with a face oil to really lock in the moisture, whereas you may wanna skip the oil in the morning and finish off with your sunscreen instead (always finish off with your sunscreen). Again, this is just to exemplify. 

“But what about spot treatments and eye creams and…?”

Phew, these 10-step routines, am I right? 

Okay. Spot treatments are tiny jokers. They can be used after cleansing or after your serum (if you use one) or even on top of everything if you need some damage-control during the day. They’re usually lightweight consistencies, so generally they go before your moisturiser (again, think light to heavy).

As for your eye cream, since it’s a type of treatment (although it resembles a mini-moisturiser), you’ll want to apply it before your moisturiser. 

That was quite a bit. And we're aware that there's a bunch of other products out there.

But we promise, it doesn’t have to be so complicated. 

If you’re relatively new to the world of skincare, start out easy with your cleanse, moisturise, protect routine and build up from there if needed. 

We can (with a lot of confidence) tell you that you won’t need to layer all of these products mentioned above at the same time.

Customised skincare that works. Really.

It's time for a new approach to problematic skin:
one that's smart, helpful,
and above all - honest.