Skincare routine order: which product goes first, morning and night

The right order for skincare products, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD): gentle cleanser, pat dry, then your doctor's product or one goal product, then moisturiser, sunscreen in the morning, makeup last. At night, the same order without sunscreen, so moisturiser closes. The rule behind any routine: thinnest to thickest, moisturiser on still-damp skin, sunscreen at least fifteen minutes before going out.

By Amina, the skincare expert on the SOLEMOSA team · 31 October 2026 · Last updated: 31 October 2026

In what order should I apply skincare products?

The AAD says it plainly: the order you apply products in affects how well they work. The order dermatologists recommend is four steps, and there is no fifth unless your doctor gave you a product, which goes right after cleansing. Around the eyes, use your ring finger, the weakest one, so it does not pull the delicate skin.

• 1. A gentle cleanser, then pat dry; no rubbing.
• 2. Your doctor's product or your one goal product (acne, dark marks, texture) if you have one: one, not three.
• 3. Moisturiser, with sunscreen on top in the morning, or a moisturiser with SPF inside.
• 4. Makeup, if you like, last.

The morning routine in order

The morning's job is to prepare the skin for the day and protect it. The AAD says wash your face when you wake, because dirt and bacteria settle on it while you sleep: a gentle cleanser without alcohol, lukewarm water, your fingertips rather than a cloth, then pat dry.

After cleansing, moisturiser on skin that is still damp; the AAD says to leave a little water on the face first so it traps the moisture. Then a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher: the AAD says the skin needs about fifteen minutes to absorb it, so apply it before you go out, about a teaspoon for the face. A moisturiser with SPF inside folds the two steps into one.

Makeup goes last, over the sunscreen. Outdoors, the AAD and the NHS say the same thing: reapply sunscreen every two hours, and straight after sweating or water.

The night routine in order

The night's job is to remove the day and repair. The first step is taking all makeup off; the AAD says no exceptions, because even non-comedogenic makeup causes spots if you sleep in it. Then the same gentle cleanser, your second wash of the day, and after sweating.

After cleansing, your goal product if you have one. Retinol belongs at night only, because it makes the skin more sensitive to the sun according to the AAD; start with the lowest strength, every other night, then moisturiser. There is no sunscreen at night, so moisturiser is the last layer: a cream or ointment for dry skin, a light non-comedogenic one for oily skin.

How long should I wait between products?

Less than you expect. Moisturiser does not wait: the AAD, the NHS and DermNet all say it goes on straight after patting dry, while the skin is still damp, because the water that entered the skin stays there. Sunscreen needs time before the sun, not before the next product: fifteen minutes according to the AAD, and thirty according to the NHS if you will be out long enough to burn.

The one wait with a source behind it: the NHS says that if you use a cream from your doctor, leave twenty to thirty minutes between it and your moisturiser so it is not diluted, and ask your doctor which goes first. Beyond that, no source asks for a set wait between layers: let a layer settle for a moment and carry on.

What should not go on together?

Exfoliants with retinol: the AAD says exfoliating while you use a product with retinol or benzoyl peroxide can worsen dryness and bring on spots, so they do not share a night. DermNet says leave-on AHAs (such as glycolic acid) belong at night and alternate with retinoids and vitamin C on different nights, not layered on top of each other.

Two products for the same goal: the AAD says using more than one product for the same problem irritates the skin and can make what you are trying to calm show more. One goal product, six to eight weeks before you judge it, then change it if nothing moved.

Does the order change with skin type?

The order stays the same; what changes is texture and amount. Dry skin: the AAD says a cream or ointment rather than a lotion, because it gives more moisture, and DermNet ranks them from heaviest to lightest: ointment, then cream, then lotion. Oily skin: a light non-comedogenic moisturiser and a sunscreen without oils, and the moisturiser is never skipped even though the skin is oily.

Combination skin: the same routine for the whole face, with more moisturiser on the cheeks and less on the nose and forehead. Sensitive skin: fewer layers, no fragrance, and one new product at a time, tried on a small patch for seven to ten days as the AAD advises. Not sure of your type? The page «What is my skin type?» in Amina's articles has a six-question test.

Why is the order alone not enough?

Because the order tells you what goes before what, but not what your own skin needs: how often, how much, on which part of the face, and when to ease a step because it left your face tight. The skin analysis at SOLEMOSA reads your face from one photo and arranges a morning and evening routine, step by step.

Then Amina, the skincare expert on the team, writes to you every day and adjusts your steps: a step eased because it tightened, a step kept because it calmed. The order is a rule; the plan is built on your skin.