Estheticians layer products in a specific order for a reason. Get it right and every product works harder. Get it wrong and some of them barely work at all.
Here's the order the pros use, why it matters, and the small tricks from the treatment room that make the biggest difference, plus a simple brightening routine to show it all in action.
The science
Why order matters
Thin, watery formulas carry active ingredients into the skin. Put them under a cream and they can't get there.
Creams form a light seal that holds in water. Anything applied on top mostly stays on top.
Sunscreen works as an even film on the surface. Layering over it breaks that film and leaves gaps.
Tricks from the treatment room
What estheticians do differently
Keep skin slightly damp
Hydrating serums pull in water from the skin's surface. Apply them within a minute of cleansing, or mist with toner first, and they work noticeably better.
Press, don't rub
Pressing serums in with flat palms spreads them evenly without tugging. It's how products are applied during a facial.
Warm your cream first
Rub moisturizer between your fingertips for a few seconds. It spreads thinner, absorbs faster, and you'll use less.
Use your ring finger around the eyes
It's your weakest finger, so it gives the lightest touch on the thinnest skin of your face.
A pea-sized amount is plenty
Strong actives like retinoids don't work better when you use more. A pea-sized amount covers the whole face. Anything extra just adds irritation.
Take every step down the neck
The neck and chest show age as fast as the face but rarely get the same care. Whatever goes on your face, extend it down.
Putting it together
Start simple
You don't need ten products to see results. Start with a simple regimen like our Brighten & Firm Regimen, four products made to work together for dull, uneven skin that's starting to lose its firmness. Use the same four steps morning and night.
The one rule to remember: thinnest to thickest. Sunscreen always finishes your morning.
Cleanse
Vitamin C Cleanser
Start fresh and wake up dull skin.
2
Serum
Vitamin C Ferulic Serum
Vitamin C goes on clean skin, so nothing sits between it and your skin.
3
Eye cream
Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream
Pat it on before moisturizer so it touches skin directly.
4
Moisturize
Vitamin C Cream with Stem Cells
Lock in everything underneath.
5
SunscreenMornings
Clear Zinc SPF 30 Tinted
Always last. Anything on top of it can thin it out.
See the Brighten & Firm Regimen
Ready for more?
Building on your routine
Once your skin is used to the basics, here's how the pros add to it, and exactly where each extra fits. New steps have a navy tab on the side.
Morning
Protect
Evening
RepairScrub Twice a week
Pineapple Facial ScrubMassage onto damp skin and rinse. Skip your retinoid on scrub nights.
Eye cream
Anti-Wrinkle Eye CreamApply it before your retinoid to protect the delicate skin around the eyes.
Retinoid 2 to 3 nights
Retinaldehyde Revive CreamHas moisturizer built in, so it replaces your serum and moisturizer. Other nights, use them as usual.
Make it yours
Adjusting for your skin
Switch to a lighter moisturizer like our Sensitive Skin Facial Cream, but don't skip it. Dehydrated skin often makes more oil.
Swap in our Creamy Facial Cleanser. In the morning, try our richer Intensive Clarifying Peptide Cream in place of the Vitamin C Cream. It still brightens.
Cleanse with our Sensitive Creamy Cleanser and moisturize with our Calming Moisture Cream. Start your retinoid two or three nights a week, and add new products one at a time.
Want a routine made for you?
A licensed esthetician can look at your skin and write out a personalized morning and evening plan, with exactly which products to use and when.
Find a Lucrèce Professional