Skincare routine order: what goes first, morning and night

Short answer: apply products from the thinnest to the thickest. In the morning that is usually cleanser → toner → serum → moisturizer → sunscreen. At night, drop the sunscreen and put any treatment (retinol, an AHA/BHA exfoliant) after cleansing and before moisturizer.

Morning routine order

1. Cleanser — a gentle wash, or just water if your skin is dry.
2. Toner (optional) — a light, watery layer.
3. Serum — vitamin C is a common morning choice.
4. Moisturizer — seals in the layers below.
5. Sunscreen — always the last skincare step, before makeup.

Evening routine order

1. Cleanser — wash off sunscreen and the day.
2. Toner (optional).
3. Treatment — retinol on some nights, an exfoliant on others.
4. Serum (optional).
5. Moisturizer, and face oil last if you use one.

Why the order matters

Thin, watery products absorb best on clean skin. Thick creams and oils sit on top and slow down whatever goes on after them, so they come later. Sunscreen has to form an even film on the surface, which is why it goes last.

Start small

A three-step routine you keep (cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen) does more than a ten-step routine you skip. Add one product at a time so you can tell what your skin likes.

How Dewday handles it

Dewday asks three questions and builds a morning and evening routine in this order. You tap each step as you apply it, move steps up or down, and get a gentle note if sunscreen is not the last morning step.

Does toner go before or after serum?

Toner goes first, right after cleansing. Serums go on next, then moisturizer.

Should sunscreen go before or after moisturizer?

After. Sunscreen is the last step of the morning routine, before makeup.

Do I need a different routine at night?

Usually yes: no sunscreen, and night is when treatments like retinol or an exfoliant go on, after cleansing and before moisturizer.