What Order Should You Apply Your Skincare In? My Simple 5-Step Guide

What Order Should You Apply Your Skincare In? My Simple 5-Step Guide

In seven years of talking skincare on TV, one question has come up more than any other:

"What order do I put it all on?"

It's a fair question. There are cleansers, toners, masks, serums, creams and oils, and nobody tells you where each one goes. So I simplified it. I've grouped everything into five stages, and once you know them you'll never have to wonder again.

Watch the whole series on YouTube →

The one rule to remember: Work through the stages in order. If there's a stage you don't use, skip to the next one.

That's all of it. You don't need all five every day, and you don't need every product. Missing out masks or toner doesn't break your routine. You just carry on to the next stage. If a stage has more than one product you want to use, go from the lightest texture to the richest.

Why order matters

Skincare works best when each step prepares your skin for the next. Lightweight products go on first so they can absorb properly, and richer ones go last to seal everything in. Put a thick cream on before a serum and the serum can't get through.

Stage 1: Cleanse

This is your clean base, and everything after it works better because of it.

  • GLOWCLEANSE: a gentle daily gel cream cleanser that removes makeup and impurities without stripping skin
  • GLOWBALM: a melting balm that dissolves even waterproof makeup, ideal as an evening first cleanse
  • BRIGHTEN Vitamin C Foam Cleanser: a light, foaming cleanser that starts the brightening process

Wearing makeup? Remove it first with TAKE IT OFF Makeup Remover, then cleanse as normal.

Stage 2: Tone

Toner restores your skin's balance after cleansing and adds a first layer of hydration. It's the step most people skip, and it helps everything that follows absorb better. I always think of it as a primer for the rest of your routine.

Stage 3: Masks & Treatments

This is your targeted stage. You don't need it every day, so use it when you want a boost or want to focus on a particular concern.

Stage 4: Serums

Serums are your concentrated, targeted step, so choose by what you want your skin to do. (I’ll bring you a more in-depth look into my serums, as they are another area that receives many questions)

Stage 5: Moisturise

Moisturiser seals everything in. Pick the one that suits your skin and the time of day.

The order at a glance

1. Cleanse → 2. Tone → 3. Masks & Treatments → 4. Serums → 5. Moisturise

Morning: finish with SPF. Evening: finish with a moisturiser or facial oil.

Where should I start?

You don't need all five stages. If you're starting from scratch, cleanse, moisturise and SPF is a brilliant routine. Add a serum when you're ready, then a toner, then masks as a treat. And if you already have products you love, keep them. Just slot them into the right stage.

A few quick answers

Does toner go before or after serum? Before. Toner is stage 2 and serum is stage 4.

Serum or moisturiser first? Serum. Lightest to richest, so serum goes on first.

Where does eye cream go? After your serum and before your moisturiser.

Can I use the same routine morning and night? Mostly yes. Use Vitamin C in the morning and retinol in the evening, with SPF as the final step every morning.

Do I have to use all five stages? No. Skip any stage you don't use and carry on to the next.