Skincare routine order: what to apply first, and why it matters

The general rule is to go from thinnest to thickest texture, so each product can absorb before the next one seals it in. A typical morning routine runs: cleanser, toner (optional), antioxidant serum such as vitamin C, moisturiser, then sunscreen as the final step, applied generously and reapplied if you're outdoors for hours. A typical evening routine runs: cleanser (or double cleanse if you wore makeup or sunscreen), toner, treatment serum such as retinol or niacinamide, then a richer moisturiser or facial oil to lock everything in overnight.

Cleansing removes the day's sunscreen, oil and pollution before anything else can work; skipping it means every following product is fighting through a barrier of residue. Toner (when used) re-balances the skin's pH after cleansing and preps it to absorb serums better, though many modern routines skip a separate toning step in favour of a hydrating essence. Serums carry the highest concentration of active ingredients — vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, retinol — and should go directly on cleansed, slightly damp skin so they penetrate rather than sit on top of a moisturiser barrier. Moisturiser then locks in the serum and adds its own hydrating or barrier-repairing ingredients. Sunscreen is not optional in a morning routine: it is the single product that protects everything else you've just applied and prevents new sun damage, applied even under makeup and on cloudy days.

Not every active belongs in the same routine slot. Vitamin C degrades in light, so it works best in the morning under sunscreen where it also boosts UV protection slightly. Retinol breaks down in sunlight and increases sun sensitivity, so it belongs strictly in the evening routine, introduced two to three nights a week at first rather than nightly. Mixing retinol and vitamin C in the same application can irritate skin — most routines separate them into morning (vitamin C) and evening (retinol) rather than layering both together.

The Latvian heating season (roughly October to April) dries indoor air significantly, which shows up as tighter skin, flaking and product that seems to 'sit' rather than absorb. During these months it's worth switching to a richer moisturiser, adding a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid before it, and cutting back retinol frequency if skin starts flaking, since a compromised barrier absorbs actives unevenly. In summer, a lighter gel moisturiser and stricter SPF reapplication matter more than in winter.