Skincare routine

[LittleAsian]

Which comes first to use for skincare routine? alpha arbutin or snail mucus essence. Currently I am doing toner, eye cream, spot treatment, alpha arbutin serum, snail mucus essence.

I’d appreciate anyone who can help me correctly put in order a skin care routine!😊

[WinglessOne]

@LittleAsian  Order of application doesn't matter much for alpha arbutin and snail mucin. I mean, those 2 ingredients won't counteract if one's applied before the other one. You can apply most serums and essences in pretty much any order you want. Many people insist essences should be applied before serums, and there's nothing wrong with following that order if you want. 

Is your skincare routine for morning or night? I don't see a moisturizer or sunscreen in your product list... do you use those 2 products? If you're using alpha arbutin to treat hyperpigmentation, then you'll need to also stop the sun from causing more hyperpigmentation and undoing that ingredient's work. 😉 Eh, we should all wear sunscreen daily anyway, all year long, regardless of weather or season. 

Were I to put the products you listed in a usable order, based on my personal preferences, I'd apply 'em this way: 

1. Cleanser (PM, optional AM) 
2. Toner (PM and/or AM, depending on exactly which toner we're talking about; AHA exfoliating toners shouldn't be used daily, for instance) 
3. Snail mucin essence (PM and/or AM) 
4. Alpha arbutin serum (PM and/or AM) 
5. Spot treatment (PM or AM) 
6. Moisturizer (PM and AM) 
7. Eye cream (PM and/or AM) 
8. Broad spectrum sunscreen (AM) 

Also, if you have dry skin, you can actually apply moisturizer at step 3 and then apply everything else afterward. All those products should still work unless your moisturizer contains lots of petrolatum. (Petrolatum is the most occlusive—water loss preventing—skincare product on the market, aside from hydrocolloid patches. It forms a protective barrier, which is why dermatologists and estheticians apply it around patients' eyes before applying chemical peels. It's a dang good moisturizing ingredient.) 

[LittleAsian]

I’ve always known that sunscreen was last but I currently do not use a moisturizer. My skincare is for night. I’m not sure what is a simple morning routine before I put on make up. Thank you so much for the list you provided!🤗

[sofyy]

Hi! A great way to remember which order to apply skincare is from thinnest (density/ feel of the product) to thickest! Usually essences/ toners come before serums, after cleansing. Serums come before eye creams and moisturizers. I also prefer doing spot treatments as the last step of my skincare routine, as it is usually the thickest. I hope this helps!