In what order should you apply your skincare products? A step-by-step guide to getting your skincare routine right

Order of Application for a Skincare Routine

1. Cleaner 🧼
2. Tonic 💦
3. Serum or concentrated treatment ✨
4. Eye Contour Care 👁️
5. Moisturizing Cream 🧴
6. Sun protection (in the morning only) ☀️

🔄 Additional step: exfoliation and/or face mask (after cleansing and before toning) (frequency of use depends on your skin type)

Step 1: Cleanser 🧼

Cleansing is the first and essential step in any skincare routine. It should be done morning and night to remove impurities, excess oil, traces of makeup, and pollution residue that can build up on the face throughout the day or night. Clean, well-cleansed skin absorbs subsequent skincare products more effectively.

Application Tips

✔️ Apply using gentle circular motions.
✔️ Rinse with cold or lukewarm water (avoid hot water, which can irritate the skin).
✔️ Let air-dry or pat dry with a clean towel.

Recommended products

• Dull, uneven complexion → the Gentle Cleansing Foam or theCleansing Micellar Water (no-rinse).
• Combination or oily skin, prone to acne → the Dermo-Purifying Gel Cleanser.
• Loss of firmness and radiance, wrinkles → the Vitamin C Cleansing Foam.

Step 2: Toner (optional) 💦

Applying a toner as the second step in your skincare routine can help complete the cleansing process. It also helps brighten, hydrate, and rebalance the skin’s pH, while preparing it for the next steps in your skincare routine.

Application Tips

✔️ Apply to clean, dry skin.
✔️ Pat in with a cotton pad or directly with your hands.

Recommended products

A floral water or toner suited to your skin type and specific needs.

Step 3: Serum or concentrated treatment ✨

A serum or concentrate is essential in a skincare routine for addressing specific skin concerns. These products contain a high concentration of active ingredients, making them highly effective at treating specific issues, such as:

• Hydration: hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, aloe vera, urea derivatives...
• Hyperpigmentation: Alpha-Melight™, licorice extract rich in glabridin, Delentigo™, nopal flower…
• Anti-aging: vitamin C, peptides, hyaluronicacid …
• Excess sebum and blemishes: niacinamide, salicylic acid, bakuchiol...

Unlike a cream, which acts mainly on the skin’s surface to protect and moisturize it, a serum or concentrate penetrates deeper thanks to its light, melt-in texture. It does not replace a moisturizer, but rather complements and enhances its effects.

Application Tips

✔️ Apply preferably to slightly damp skin.
✔️ Massage in with your fingertips or gently press with your palms.
✔️ Wait a few seconds before moving on to the next step to ensure optimal absorption.

Recommended products

• Dark spots, uneven skin tone → the Anti-Dark Spot Power Factor 4 Serum, the Brightening Anti-Dark Spot Serum and/or the Anti-Dark Spot Concentrate.
• Combination or oily skin, prone to acne → the Anti-Imperfection Serum and/or the Blemish Eraser.
• Loss of firmness and radiance, wrinkles → the Anti-Wrinkle Firming serum.

Step 4: Eye Contour Care

The skin around the Eye Contour Care is fragile and delicate, as it is 4 to 5 times thinner than the skin on the rest of the face. It is also the first area to show signs of fatigue, skin aging, and dehydration. That’s why the skin around the eyes needs special care as part of your skincare routine.

Application Tips

✔️ Usually, a small amount (about the size of a grain of rice) is enough.
✔️ Gently pat and smooth the product on—without rubbing—starting from the inner corner of the eye and moving up toward the cheekbones.

Recommended Product

The Eye Contour Care to moisturize while brightening dark circles and reducing puffiness.

Step 5: Moisturizer 🧴

This is the second-to-last step in your skincare routine: the moisturizer. Essential for maintaining supple, comfortable skin, it should be applied right after the serum—and always before sunscreen—to protect, nourish, and lock in moisture. You can choose a moisturizer that, in addition to hydrating, addresses a specific skin concern (dark spots, anti-aging, radiance, blemishes, etc.). Opt for a lightweight moisturizer in the morning and a richer texture—if your skin needs it—in the evening.

Application Tips

✔️ Warm a small amount of cream between your hands before applying it.
✔️ Spread the cream from the center of your face outward to smooth the skin and avoid stretching it.
✔️ Use upward strokes, moving your palms from the lower part of your face toward the top for a lifting effect.
✔️ Don’t forget to apply your cream to your neck and décolletage as well, smoothing downward.

Recommended products

• Dehydrated skin → the Hydra Intense Cream.
• Dry skin → the Pure Radiance Cream.
• Dark spots, uneven skin tone → the Brightening Blemish Cream.
• Combination or oily skin, prone to acne → theAnti-Blemish Emulsion or the Matifying and Unifying Fluid.
• Loss of firmness and radiance, wrinkles → the Replumping & Unifying Care.

Step 6: Sunscreen (in the morning only) ☀️

In the morning, finish your skincare routine with sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays (skin aging, dark spots, cellular damage, etc.). It’s recommended that you apply it every day, regardless of the season, since UV rays are present year-round, even on cloudy days.

Application Tips

✔️ Ideally, use SPF 50 for maximum protection.
✔️ Apply generously to your face and neck.
✔️ Reapply every 2–3 hours during prolonged sun exposure.

Recommended products

• Invisible Sunscreen → the Invisible Cream.
• Tinted Sunscreen →Tinted Cream SPF 50+ - Light, Medium, or Dark (choose the shade that matches your skin tone).

Additional step: exfoliation and/or face mask 🔄

To perfect your skincare routine, it’s recommended that you regularly use an exfoliating scrub and/or a purifying mask between step 1 (cleansing) and step 2 (applying a toner). This will help your skin start fresh by removing dead skin cells and stimulating cell renewal.

Application Tips

✔️ Apply to clean, dry skin.
✔️ Apply gently, taking care not to rub too hard.
✔️ Follow the specific instructions for the product.

Recommended products

• Normal, combination, and oily skin → the Gentle Scrub and/or the Purifying Radiance Mask (1–2 times a week).
• Particularly dry or sensitive skin → the Gentle Scrub and/or the Purifying Radiance Mask (once every two weeks).
• Acne-prone skin with pimples → the Purifying Radiance Mask (1 to 2 times a week). 

Does the order in which you apply skincare products really matter?

Yes, the order in which you apply your skincare products is essential to maximizing their effectiveness. Each product has a specific function and a texture that affects how well it is absorbed. If applied incorrectly, some products may become ineffective or even clog pores and prevent active ingredients from penetrating properly.

For example, if you apply a cream before a serum, there’s a good chance the serum won’t be able to penetrate the occlusive barrier formed by the cream. As a result, it will be less effective.

That’s why it’s important to apply sunscreen as the last step in your morning skincare routine—it forms a protective barrier against the sun’s UV rays. If you apply another product on top of it, you risk reducing its effectiveness. 

If you're unsure about the step in which to apply one of your products, check the label directly. In any case, by following this order of application, you'll get the most out of each product and boost their effectiveness!