Last Updated on November 22, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
Do you know how to apply your skincare products correctly? Once upon a time, when I was young and naive and didn’t have a clue what I was doing, I thought I could just pour a bit of serum on my hand and rub it on my skin for it to work its magic. As I grew up, I realised things aren’t that easy. If you want a product to REALLY work (and why would you even buy it, otherwise?), you also need to make sure it can penetrate your skin as deeply as possible. But… how? Here are 4 way to apply your skincare products correctly to ensure maximum skin penetration:
1. Cleanse Your Skin
This is a given, but I’ll say it anyway. Applying your skincare products without cleansing your skin first is a waste of time. Makeup and other impurities creates a barrier on the skin that prevents your skincare products from penetrating it properly (dirt will do the same, by the way). Always, always, always, cleanse your skin before you put on any skincare products.
Think about everything your face picks up during the day. We’re not just talking visible makeup and dirt here. Your skin is collecting sebum, gross pollution particles, and oxidized oils that create this invisible nasty film. And here’s the kicker – this film doesn’t just block your products, it can actually grab onto some active ingredients and kill them before they ever reach your skin. Rude, right? Even on days when you’re bare-faced and staying home, your skin is still producing oils and shedding dead cells like crazy. All that buildup needs to go.
Oh, and water temperature? Yeah, that matters too. Use lukewarm water because it loosens up all that gunk without freaking out your skin or stripping away the good oils you actually need. Hot water might feel amazing, but it messes with your skin’s protective barrier, which actually makes it HARDER for your products to work later. Not what we want.
Related: How To Choose The Best Cleanser For Your Skin Type
Don’t know which skincare products you can mix and match together and which ones deactivate each other? Download your FREE “How To Layer Actives Like A Pro” cheat sheet to get the most out of your skincare products:
2. Apply Products To Moist Skin
Washed your face? Don’t towel dry it. Not completely anyway. Leave it a little damp.The extra moisture helps your skincare products get deeper into your skin. FYI, this is the secret of Korean skincare. Each product provides a layer of hydration that helps the next one better penetrate into your skin.
So here’s what’s actually happening when you do this. When your skin’s damp, the water puffs up your skin cells a bit and makes them way more receptive to letting stuff sink in. It creates these temporary pathways for ingredients to dive deeper.
Also, a bunch of skincare ingredients are basically water magnets, and they work SO much better when there’s moisture sitting on your skin to help drag them in. Hyaluronic acid? Major water magnet. Slap it on damp skin and it’ll pull that water deeper, taking all the other goodies with it.
And if you’re dealing with winter or you live somewhere super dry, this becomes even more important. The drier the air, the faster that moisture vanishes from your face. So you really want to trap it in with your products before it’s gone.
Related: 4 Things I Learned From Korean Skincare
3. Exfoliate
Makeup and dirt aren’t the only things that create a barrier on your skin. Dead skin cells do too – when they accumulate too much. Here’s a fun fact: your skin sheds something like 30,000-40,000 dead cells every single minute. EVERY MINUTE. But not all of them fall off like they’re supposed to. And as you get older, this whole shedding process slows way down, which is why mature skin can look dull and why your fancy products seem to stop working as well. Exfoliation just speeds things back up so you can see the fresh skin underneath.
If you want your skincare products to get through your skin, remove this last obstacle too. Chemical exfoliants are way different from those scrubs with the little beads. They actually dissolve the “glue” holding dead cells together, so they can slide off without all that rubbing and potential damage that scrubs can cause. This is why chemical exfoliation is usually better for getting your products to penetrate – you’re clearing the road without tearing up the pavement, you know? Here’s what you should use to exfoliate depending on your skin type:
- If you have oily skin, salicylic acid.
- If you have dry skin, glycolic acid.
- If you have sensitive skin, lactic acid.
Just, don’t do it too often! A little exfoliation enhances penetration of your skincare products. If you’re overdoing it, you’ll see more sensitivity, redness, weird shininess (not the dewy kind – the “my skin barrier is crying” kind), and sometimes even MORE breakouts. If any of that happens, back off immediately. Your skin should feel smoother and look brighter, not angry at you. Two or three times a week is usually enough for most people (I use glycolic acid 3 times a week, in case you were wondering).
One more nerdy thing: the pH of your exfoliant matters. These acids work best when they’re more acidic (pH between 3-4), which is why you use them right after cleansing. That way they can do their thing at the right pH before you layer other stuff on top.
Best Picks:
- Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ($29.00): The cult exfoliant from the brand, it unlclogs pores and treats blackheads and acne. The texture’s a little sticky, but if you can take that, this is one of the best salicylic acid exfoliants out there. Available at Cult Beauty, Paula’s Choice, Sephora, and SpaceNK.
- The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution: A simple, no-frills Glycolic Acid exfoliant that brightens the complexion and fades away dark spots. Available at Beauty Bay, Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, SpaceNK, The Ordinary, and Ulta.
- The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% ($8.90): A simple Lactic Acid exfoliant enriched with Hyaluronic Acid to exfoliate and hydrate skin at the same time. Available at Beauty Bay, Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, SpaceNK, The Ordinary, and Ulta.
Related: How To Choose The Best Exfoliator For Your Skin Type
4. Follow The Right Order
Yes, there is a proper order to apply skincare products. As a rule, products with the thinnest consistency (think toners and serums) go first, and those with a heavier consistency (i.e. moisturisers and sunscreens) go last. That’s because a thick consistency can create a barrier that would be impossible for a lightweight, runny formula to get through, preventing it from working its best.
This isn’t just some random rule someone made up – there’s actual chemistry behind it. Lighter products usually have smaller molecules that slip into your skin easier, while thick creams have bigger molecules and occlusive ingredients that are MEANT to sit on top. If you slap on a heavy cream first, you’re basically building a wall that nothing else can get through. Game over.
The thin-to-thick thing also respects how products are made. Water-based stuff won’t push through oil-based stuff, but oil-based products can usually make it through water-based layers. So yeah, that lightweight hyaluronic acid serum needs to go on before your thick night cream, not after. Otherwise you’re just wasting it.
Timing matters too. Give each product like 30-60 seconds to sink in before you add the next one. This little breather lets each layer settle and start doing its job before you pile on more. You’re not making a product sandwich here – you’re creating a sequence where each thing gets its turn to absorb.
Quick heads up though: there IS an exception to thin-to-thick. Treatments that need a specific pH to work – like vitamin C serums or retinoids – should go on clean, dry skin first, no matter how thick or thin they are. These guys need direct contact with your skin and shouldn’t have to fight through other ingredients to get there.
Oh, and here’s a little trick: warm your products between your palms before you put them on. It makes them more fluid and easier to spread, which can help with absorption. Just don’t heat them up so much that you wreck sensitive ingredients like retinol or vitamin C. We’re going for warm, not hot.
The Bottom Line
These are the basic rules of skincare. Never stray for them or all of your precious lotions and potions won’t work as claimed.
oh I am doing the last part wrong as I do rub on my face. 🙁
.-= Sherry´s last blog ..The important of cell phone =-.
Now I am a firm believer in exfoliation. If I don’t wash my face religiously, I am sure to have more zits than I can handle. This is a very good post, Gio! I enjoy reading it.
.-= Dao´s last blog ..Nail Polish Rendez-Vous: Revlon Silver Screen or $$$$$Yes Twin =-.
Sherry, that’s not good for the skin! Treat it gentle and it’ll thank you 😉
Thanks Dao, I’m glad you do. I think exfoliation is very important too and I do it regularly. If the layer of dead skin cells on the surface is too thick, pores don’t function properly and it’s hard for skincare products to penetrate skin as they should.
very helpful tips. But exfoliating 2-3 times is a little too much. Usually 1 time per week. 2 max if you really need to.
http://sparklemidori.blogspot.com
.-= Angela´s last blog ..All That Glitters: A Review of Zoya Ultra Glitter Collection =-.
Angela, thanks. I think how many times you exfoliate depends on your skin type. Those with oily skin can get away with exfoliating 3 times a week while those with sensitive skin should only do it once a week and use a gentle scrub. I have combination skin and like you, I exfoliate once a week, two at the max and only if my skin needs it.
I exfoliate my skin once a week as I have sensitive skin. I use my CeraVe hydrating cleanser with a small amount of baking soda. After I rinse with water I apply my moisturizing lotion and my skin is so.. soft 🙂
Leslee, that’s nice. I’m glad you found a way to exfoliate that leaves your skin soft without irritating it. 🙂
Hi Gio, it’s a great post. I exfoliate once a week and I doubt, I m layering wrong. I wash my face with a sulphate free gel cleanser and use diluted acv as a toner, apply cold pressed argan oil as a serum and layer it with shea butter lotion. It worked for me, But post my tired schedule, i stopped exfoliating,just on and off for a year maybe nowadays i feel like my skin’s texture is not that smooth except after exfoliating, only for a day and my complexion too is getting dull, my skin is still normal and not that dry too but it lacks that glow,looks tired and not bouncy? I used the clarisonic for two to three mins twice a week, but now i feel even more dryness.What change i ought to do?
Rashmi, stop using ACV cos it’s too drying. Instead, exfoliate 3 nights a week with an acid. This post above helps you pick the best one for your skin type.
Thank you Gio, I’m definitely gonna start using acids. I believe, I want to start with lactic, as it also hydrates. Excited to try. One question though, if I’m using acids, can I use a sonic massager like the oriflame sonic 3 in 1once a week, or will it be too much for my skin? I just want better penetration of my serums.Does a silk pillow actually allows better absorption of products or delaying wrinkles, or it’s just a myth or marketing technique? What are your opinions?Should a skincare regimen include, acids, retinols and niacinamide/euk, how to include them. I’m sorry for so many questions..😅 Just a little confused with many products out there. Thank you so much.
Rashmi, to answer your questions:
1. Only use acids. Better absorption often leads to irritation. Besides not all ingredients in a serum are meant to be absorbed by the skin.
2. They have an effect but it’s minimal.
3. A skincare regime should include what YOUR skin needs, not what’s popular at the moment.
Hope this helps.
“This should be a given, but who has never applied moisturizer over makeup after coming back home at 3pm? Come on, we all did it at least once.” Uh, no we all HAVEN’T. Why in God’s name would anyone put a moisturizer OVER makeup?? Aside from destroying your makeup, what would the result me? An oily mess?