In what order should cleanser, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen be applied?

The basic order is cleanser, toner or lotion, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, and, only in the morning, sunscreen at the end. You go from the lightest texture to the densest, so that each product reaches the skin without the previous one blocking its way. At night the routine is the same, without sunscreen.

Why from lightest to densest

A serum is almost all water and active ingredients in a small amount of base; a cream contains oils and waxes that form a film on the skin. If you apply the cream first, the serum stays on top of that film and has difficulty reaching the surface. Conversely, the cream covers the serum and helps prevent the water from evaporating. The sunscreen goes on last because its filters must remain in an even, uninterrupted layer.

The morning routine

1. Cleanser. Removes sebum and traces from the night. For normal to combination skin, the Refreshing Cleansing Gel from Pure Algue is applied morning and night to dampened skin.
2. Toner or lotion. This is optional and prepares the skin. The White Botanical Seed Brightening Toner is used morning and night after cleansing. If you have blemishes, the Mattifying Toning Lotion takes this same spot, applied with a cotton pad.
3. Serum. This is the most concentrated and fluid step, applied to clean skin before the cream. For example, we recommend applying the 100H Non-Stop Moisturizing Serum morning and night to the face and neck before your face cream.
4. Eye cream. Apply with gentle taps, without dragging, because that skin is thinner. The Hydrating Anti-Fatigue Eye Gel from Hydra Végétal is a fresh gel for morning and night.
5. Moisturizing cream. This completes the routine and provides comfort. The 48H Non-Stop Moisturizing Gel Cream, for normal to combination skin, is applied morning and night to the entire face, avoiding the eye contour area.
6. Sunscreen. Always the final step in the morning, in the correct amount.

The night routine

It is the same, without sunscreen:

1. Makeup remover, if you wore makeup or sunscreen.
2. Cleanser.
3. Toner or lotion.
4. Serum.
5. Eye cream.
6. Night cream or the same cream used in the morning.

Makeup remover goes first because makeup and sunscreens are designed to be water-resistant, and a regular cleanser does not always remove them completely. If you use a night-only product, position it by texture: serums before the cream, night creams at the end.

When a product goes in a different order

The general order is a guide, but there are formulas that we designed for a different moment in the routine, and in those cases, our recommendation for that product takes precedence. The Radiance Intensifying Cream, for example, is applied morning and night before your serum. The Double Action Concentrated Serum should be shaken before use and applied morning and night before the cream.

The step almost no one takes: sunscreen

Among those who have taken our online diagnostic, almost half say they do not use sunscreen daily. It is the most forgotten step and one of the most critical, because the sun influences the appearance of dark spots and signs of aging, even on cloudy days.

It goes at the end of the morning, over the cream. The amount is what is most neglected, and it is what matters most. With the Anti-Aging Sunscreen SPF50+, we recommend the equivalent of a teaspoon for the face and a little more for the neck. The reason is laboratory-based: SPF is measured with a thick, even layer of 2 mg per square centimeter, and with half that amount, the real protection drops significantly. Reapply it after every long exposure to the sun and every time you bathe, dry off, or sweat.

If your skin is oily, the Anti-Shine Sunscreen SPF50+ has a light, fast-absorbing texture with an anti-shine finish. Both are in sunscreens.

A cream with SPF is not always a sunscreen

This confuses many people. Some of our day creams have SPF 30, such as the Anti-Âge Global Brightening Emulsion and the Bright Botanical Daily Face Emulsion, and they are not sunscreens. A cream is applied in a thin layer and is not reapplied during the day, so it does not reach the level of the number. Use them as a day cream and put your sunscreen on top.

So why do they have SPF? Because they add up. We formulate those creams with filters so that protection does not depend on a single product: they cover the short bouts of sun that no one counts, like going from the house to the car or sitting by a window, and they reinforce the layer of sunscreen when it goes on top. They are a backup, not the main shield.

To choose the sunscreen according to your skin and climate, read how to choose sunscreen in Colombia.

Three common mistakes

• Applying cream before serum: the serum ends up on a dense layer and you benefit less from its light texture.
• Accumulating products. Five serums do not add up to five benefits, and each extra layer is one more opportunity for irritation. If you are unsure if you need a serum, read serum or cream: do I need both?.
• Not letting each layer absorb. Wait a few seconds between steps, especially before sunscreen, so as not to drag the previous layer.

If you still don't know which products go in your routine, the facial diagnostic will suggest one in less than a minute. You can also see the entire facial care line.

Frequently asked questions

Does serum go before or after cream?

Before. The serum is more fluid and concentrated, so it is applied to clean skin and then the cream follows. The exception is for products that we recommend using in a different order.

Does sunscreen go before or after moisturizer?

After. Sunscreen is the last step of the morning routine, applied over the cream and before makeup.

Can I use a cream with SPF instead of sunscreen?

It depends on the product. Our day emulsions with SPF 30 protect the skin from everyday light, but they are not sunscreens: use them as a day cream and, when you are going to be in the sun, apply your sunscreen on top.

How much sunscreen should I put on my face?

With the Anti-Aging Sunscreen SPF50+, we recommend the equivalent of a teaspoon for the face and a little more for the neck. With less product, protection decreases.

Is toner mandatory?

No. It is an optional step that prepares the skin for what follows. If your skin is very reactive or you want a short routine, you can skip it.