Free printable · Skincare
Skincare Order of Application
What goes on first, what goes on last, and why the order changes whether any of it works. Thinnest to thickest, every time, with sunscreen last in the morning. Everything else is detail.
Print the card
Two pages. The morning and night order side by side on page one, with the seven rules underneath, and a blank version on page two to fill in with what you actually own. No email required.
The order, short version
Morning: cleanse, toner or essence, antioxidant serum, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen. Night: take off the day with a balm or oil, cleanse properly, toner, one treatment, eye cream, moisturizer, and a face oil last if you use one.
Two rules do most of the work. Thinnest to thickest, because a heavy cream underneath means the watery serum on top never reaches skin. And a retinoid and an exfoliating acid never go on the same night, which is the mistake behind most of the irritation people blame on a new product.
This is general routine guidance rather than medical advice. For an actual skin condition, or before starting a prescription treatment, a dermatologist is the right call.
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01
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
For the cleanse step, morning and night
A cleanser is supposed to leave your face clean, not tight. Tightness after washing means the cleanser stripped the barrier, and everything you put on afterwards is then repairing damage you caused ninety seconds earlier. This one washes off makeup and sunscreen residue without that, which is why it sits at the top of its category rather than anywhere flashier.
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02
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water
For the first cleanse, before the real one
The step most people skip. Sunscreen and makeup do not come off in one wash, so the second cleanse ends up doing a job the first one should have finished. This is the no-effort version: onto a pad, over the face, no rinse, then cleanse properly. It is also the one to reach for on the nights when the alternative is going to bed in your makeup.
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03
Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment
For the treatment step, on its own night
Step four in the evening, and only step four: this is an exfoliating acid, so it does not share a night with a retinoid. Lactic acid is the gentler end of the category, which makes it a reasonable first acid rather than a deep end to jump into. Worth knowing before you buy: it carries far fewer reviews than the other things on this page, and it is several times the price. Start twice a week.
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04
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5
For when you moved too fast
Every routine has a week where the actives win. Flaking around the nose, tightness after washing, skin suddenly objecting to products it was fine with a month ago. The answer is to stop the actives and go plain for a few days, and this is the plain thing: a thick, boring balm for dry patches, wind-burn and the corners of a face that has had enough. Useful well beyond skincare, which is most of why it earns the shelf space.
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Adding something new
One product at a time, for two weeks, before the next one. Start three at once and when your skin objects you will have no idea which one to stop. Page two of the printable has a tracker for exactly this, which sounds fussy until the third time you throw out something that was probably fine.
On prices
Amazon prices move constantly, so you won't see them quoted here. Every link goes straight to the product page where the current price is shown.