Serum or cream? - in what order to c

You've started taking care of your skin. We are absolutely thrilled! You're paying more and more attention to facial care, and your cosmetic arsenal has grown significantly. Before you stand a serum, toner, essence, gel, foam, cream, and perhaps many other products. And you don't know where to start or in what order to apply skincare products to your face? Serum or cream – that is the question! Fortunately, as always, we are here to help. In this post, we will try to answer the questions that haunt you most regarding the order of applying facial skincare products. So that you never have to wonder again if you applied your toner and mask in the right order, or if it's the right moment to use a scrub and SPF cream!

Is the order of applying cosmetics important?

However, before we do that, let's consider for a moment if the order of applying products actually matters in reality. Will having this knowledge really translate into better quality skincare? Or will it just overcomplicate things? In our opinion, applying cosmetics in the correct order is important. In fact, it's one of the keys to proper skincare.

Think about it with us for a moment – what would be the point of applying serum and cream if you wash them off with a face gel a moment later? This is an extreme example, but it perfectly illustrates our point. The serum and cream wouldn't have time to work on your skin because they would have too little contact with it. Additionally, their absorption would be hindered because your skin would be contaminated and unprepared to receive active substances. In this way, you would waste the potential of the serum and cream.

Each cosmetic has a specific task and is responsible for individual stages in your facial care. It is worth performing these not only regularly but also maintaining a fixed order of application.

General rules for the order of applying cosmetics to the face

Since you already know that it's worth applying cosmetics in the right order and why it's worth sticking to certain rules, we can finally present the correct order using specific types of cosmetics as examples! This will make your routine systematic and logical.

The rule is simple: follow the order of the 5 stages of skincare, which you can read more about here. Perform them one by one using the cosmetics intended for those purposes. Start by applying skin cleansing products, then move on to the next steps: toning, then care, and finish everything by using protective products! On days when you'd also like to perform a scrub or apply a face mask, you need to change this order slightly. First, cleanse the skin, and immediately after that, perform additional care treatments to come full circle and return to standard care.

As you apply successive steps of care, think of it as applying another layer of cosmetic. Don't rush anything. If you want to apply both a protective SPF cream and do your makeup, first give the SPF product a moment to work! Apply one layer of protective cream, wait a moment, and only then move on to the next product (BB cream, foundation, etc.) by applying another layer.

It's also worth remembering that we usually reach for light textures first (toner, water-based serum) before moving on to increasingly heavier ones (oil serum, cream, SPF cream).

Order of applying skincare products

To slightly simplify this potentially enigmatic-sounding description, we'll break down exactly in what order to apply skincare products to your face. We'll just mention that the list includes all the products you could ever dream of. This doesn't mean you have to apply them all every day!

For example, we use a scrub at most once a week, and in many cases, once every 2-3 weeks is enough. If you wake up in the morning, you don't need to wash off SPF or makeup with a cleansing oil because it's not on the skin. However, in the evening, you might already need this product. If there's a product you don't want or don't need to apply, simply move on to the next one on the list.

Enough talk! Let's get to the specifics, which is the order of applying cosmetics:

1. Cleansing oil, milk, or butter / makeup remover / bi-phase makeup remover / micellar water – these are cosmetics responsible for the first stage, which is cleansing. More specifically, for the first step of double cleansing: makeup removal. If you need to wash off SPF, color cosmetics, or if you have serious problems with skin impurities, use one of these products before the actual washing.

2. Face wash gel / face wash foam / face wash emulsion – also responsible for the first stage of care, which is the actual cleansing (one-step or as the second step of double cleansing). Use one of these products in the morning or evening as the second step of double cleansing. And if you didn't apply makeup or SPF during the day, as a standalone step of evening cleansing.

3. Scrub / exfoliating mask – although they correspond to the fifth stage of care, meaning they belong to additional care treatments, if it's the day you want to get rid of dead skin cells, excess sebum, and impurities, evening out skin tone and stimulating regeneration processes, do it right after cleansing your skin! Otherwise, just move on to the next product.

4. Toner / toner-essence / hydrosol – time for the second stage, which is toning. Restore harmony, pH balance, hydration, and radiance to your skin!

5. Serum / ampoules – responsible for the third stage, which is care. In the morning and summer, it's worth opting for water-based, light formulas, and in the evening, especially in the autumn-winter period, for slightly richer oil forms. Serums and ampoules also work well when applied, for example, under an algae mask. Adjust the product to your skin's needs and use it as often as you feel the need. Observe your skin closely!

6. Face mask – this is another product corresponding to the fifth stage, which is additional care treatments. If you want to take care of your skin and serve it something extra, apply a mask, e.g., algae or cream-based. In the case of some masks, you will have to remove or pat the excess into the skin; in the case of peel-off products, just remove them. Adjust the frequency of their use to both your skin's needs and the method suggested by the manufacturer. Some masks are typical "special occasion" products used before a big event; others are worth applying in a series of treatments using appropriate time intervals.

7. Eye cream – responsible for the third stage, which is care. The skin around the eyes deserves special care. Not all face creams are suitable for use in this sensitive area.

8. Face cream - moisturizing facial emulsion, face cream-gel – also responsible for the third stage, which is care. Moisturizing creams with antioxidants and anti-pollution ingredients will hydrate and protect your skin during the day, while moisturizing-soothing ones will calm, quiet, and regenerate skin tired by the day and all stimuli at night.

9. SPF cream – responsible for the fourth stage, providing your skin with protection against solar radiation. It's worth remembering these types of products not only while sunbathing but also throughout the year.

10. Makeup cosmetics such as BB cream, foundation, powder – also responsible for the fourth stage, i.e., skin protection. However, they do it differently than an SPF cream, creating a physical barrier separating your skin from dust, smog, and pollutants. However, if you want to ensure proper sun protection for your skin, even if your foundation and powder have an SPF factor, apply a cream providing full protection under your makeup.

The order of applying cosmetics finally makes sense!

If you want to fully utilize the potential of your cosmetics, it's worth making sure you apply them in the correct order. This will allow them to work better and you won't waste a single gram of product. It's worth trying to remember the order we've presented and applying it to your daily skincare routine.