When it comes to achieving healthy, glowing skin, what you use matters—but how you use it matters just as much. The truth is, even the most effective natural skincare products won’t deliver their full potential if they’re applied in the wrong order. Layering your skincare correctly ensures each formula absorbs properly, ingredients don’t cancel each other out, and your skin barrier stays balanced.
If you’ve ever wondered, “What’s the correct skincare routine order?” or “How do I layer skincare products for the best results?”, you’re in the right place. This guide walks you through the fundamentals of skincare layering, morning vs. night routines, and how to build a simple, effective clean beauty skincare routine that helps your skin thrive.
Why Proper Skincare Layering Matters
Think of your skincare routine like a recipe: the ingredients work together in harmony when added in the right sequence. Layering products correctly allows lightweight, water-based formulas to penetrate deeply, while thicker creams and oils create a protective seal on top. Reversing the order can block absorption, reduce effectiveness, or even cause irritation.
For example, applying a moisturizer before a serum prevents the active ingredients in your serum from reaching the skin’s deeper layers. The result? Dull, congested skin that doesn’t see the full benefit of your clean skincare products.
The golden rule of natural skincare layering is simple:
Start light and watery, end rich and creamy.
Morning Skincare Routine Order
Your morning skincare routine should focus on hydration, protection, and preparation. The goal is to balance your skin barrier and defend against environmental stressors like pollution and UV rays.
Step 1: Cleanser
A gentle, sulfate-free cleanser removes impurities and excess oil that accumulate overnight without stripping your skin’s natural moisture. If you're removing a full face of makeup, we recommend starting with an oil-cleanse (ex: our Makeup Remover) followed by a water-based cleanser (ex: one of our Foaming Face Washes).
Pro Tip: In the morning, a single cleanse is usually enough—especially if you cleansed the night before.
Step 2: Toner
Toners are often misunderstood, but in a clean beauty skincare routine, they play a vital role. Modern toners are formulated to rebalance your skin’s pH after cleansing and prep it to absorb the next layers.
Spray your toner directly on your face, or apply with your hands instead of a cotton pad to avoid unnecessary waste and ensure full absorption.
Step 3: Water-Based Serum
This is where you deliver concentrated hydration and barrier support. Our water-based serum, Barrier + Beyond is lightweight and rich in humectants like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, or lactobacillus ferment that draw moisture into the skin.
Because they absorb quickly, always apply your water-based serum before thicker treatments or oils. These serums act as your daily multivitamin, restoring balance and protecting against environmental stress.
Step 4: Moisturizer
Your moisturizer acts as the barrier that keeps hydration in and environmental aggressors out. If you need help choosing the right moisturizer for your skin type, check out our blog, "How to Choose the Right Moisturizer for Your Skin" or take our skincare quiz.
Step 5: Sunscreen
The most important part of your morning skincare routine order. SPF is your daily defense against UV damage, premature aging, and hyperpigmentation. Apply sunscreen as your final layer (and reapply every two hours if you’re outdoors).
Pro Tip: Don’t rely on tinted moisturizers or foundations alone—always use a dedicated SPF.
Nighttime Skincare Routine Order
Your evening routine is about repair and renewal. This is when your skin regenerates, so you want to focus on cleansing thoroughly, exfoliating when needed, and nourishing deeply.
Step 1: Makeup Removal + Cleanser
Always start by removing makeup and SPF before cleansing. Double cleansing—using an oil-based cleanser first, followed by a gentle cream cleanser or foaming face wash—helps ensure pores stay clear and skin stays soft.
Step 2: Exfoliator (2–3x a Week) & Masks
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells that block pores and prevent product absorption. Depending on your skin type, you can choose:
- Chemical exfoliants (like glycolic or lactic acid) for smoothing texture and brightening.
- Physical exfoliants (with fine granules or natural clays) for gentle polishing.
Luckily, our Cream Exfoliator checks all boxes as it has both physical and chemical exfoliants in the formula.
Tip: Don’t exfoliate every night. Over-exfoliating can weaken your barrier and cause redness or breakouts.
This is also the same step where you would apply one of our natural face masks. We recommend alternating your mask with your exfoliator so that you aren't over-exfoliating.
Step 3: Toner
Just like in the morning, toner preps the skin for better absorption and balances pH. After exfoliating, this step also soothes and hydrates the skin, setting the stage for your serums.
Step 4: Water-Based Serum
At night, this step supports deep hydration and barrier repair. A water-based serum replenishes moisture lost throughout the day and strengthens your skin with nutrients like niacinamide and probiotics.
Think of this as your foundation for overnight skin recovery.
Step 5: Treatments (Under-Eye + Targeted Care)
Nighttime is the perfect time for treatments to shine. Use your under-eye gel or blemish spot treatment after your water-based serum for best results. At night, the skin is more receptive to actives like caffeine, niacinamide, or hyaluronic acid, allowing your treatments to work while you sleep.
Step 6: Oil-Based Serum
Now that your treatments have absorbed, it’s time to seal everything in with an oil-based serum or facial oil. Natural plant oils like jojoba, grape seed, or baobab mimic your skin’s own sebum, locking in hydration and leaving your complexion soft and supple.
If you’re using multiple serums, remember: water-based first, oil-based last.
Step 7: Moisturizer
Finish with your night moisturizer or balm to create a protective layer that traps in all the nutrients from your serums. This is especially important in colder months or for dry skin types.
At night, your skin loses more moisture (a process called transepidermal water loss), so sealing in hydration helps your skin wake up plump and refreshed.
Now, when we refer to moisturizers in this step, we're specifically talking about our heavier moisturizers such as Blue Dew and Face Cream.
Important: If you use one of our lighter moisturizers (Face Jelly, Face Lotion Normal/Combo, Face Lotion Acne Prone), apply these before your oil-based serum as they are a lighter consistency.
Common Layering Mistakes to Avoid
Even seasoned skincare lovers can make simple layering mistakes that undermine their routine. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Skipping toner: Without it, your serums may not absorb as effectively.
- Applying thick products too early: Oils or creams create a barrier that blocks lightweight serums.
- Mixing actives without research: Combining strong exfoliants or retinol with acids can irritate your skin. (We don't recommend using retinol at all due to its possible carcinogenic side effects.)
- Neglecting sunscreen: It’s the #1 anti-aging product—and non-negotiable in your morning routine.
- Overloading your skin: More isn’t always better. Stick to what your skin truly needs.
Final Tips for a Balanced Skincare Routine
- Always apply products from thinnest to thickest consistency.
- Give each layer 30–60 seconds to absorb before applying the next.
- Listen to your skin—adjust frequency and product types based on how it feels.
- Stay consistent. Skincare is cumulative; daily habits matter more than occasional treatments. Give your skin at least 28 days to adjust to a new product and to fully reap its benefits.
Building a clean skincare routine doesn’t have to be complicated. When you understand how to layer skincare products the right way, every step works in harmony to hydrate, nourish, and protect your skin barrier. Whether you’re focusing on minimalism or love a multi-step ritual, proper layering ensures that your natural ingredients can do what they do best—restore your skin’s balance and bring out your healthiest, most radiant glow.
