How To Layer Skincare Products

05.11.2025

The science of skincare layering

Layering your skincare correctly can transform the efficacy of your routine—allowing your skin to fully benefit from the science behind every product.

At Emma Lewisham, we believe that skincare is more than a routine—it’s a ritual. A moment to nourish your skin with intention and care. And just as the quality of the products you choose matters, so too does the order in which you apply them.

Correctly layering your skincare can significantly enhance the efficacy and absorption of each formula, allowing your skin to fully benefit from the science behind every product.

Skin Reset Serum

Why layering matters

Each product in your skincare ritual is carefully formulated with specific active ingredients. When layered correctly, these actives can penetrate to the optimal depth in your skin, working synergistically rather than competing with one another.

Improper layering, on the other hand, can dilute efficacy or create a barrier that prevents certain ingredients from absorbing altogether. Think of layering as creating a carefully structured pathway—each step designed to support the one before it.

“With the right sequence and the right formulations, your skincare ritual can become a high-performance system designed to deliver visible, lasting results.”

— Emma

How to layer skincare products

A helpful guideline to follow is to apply products from thinnest to thickest in texture. This ensures that ingredients can be absorbed most efficiently. A general order to follow is:

01. Cleanser
It’s important to remove impurities, makeup, and sunscreen, allowing your skin to better absorb what follows.

02. Serums
These are your most potent formulations and are designed to absorb quickly and deeply, making early application essential.

03. Crèmes and Moisturisers  
These provide hydration and support your skin barrier, while helping to lock in the benefits of your serums.

04. Face Oils  
These are a key exception to the "thinnest to thickest" rule—oils should be applied after crèmes / moisturisers, right before SPF in the morning or as your final step at night. They help to seal in hydration and prevent transepidermal water loss, while delivering their own nourishing benefits.

05. SPF (Morning only)  
The final layer in your morning routine. Always apply SPF last to ensure it can form an even, uninterrupted barrier on the skin’s surface for optimal protection.

Supernatural Face Oil

SPF 50 Mineral Face Crème

Combining different skincare brands

All Emma Lewisham formulations are designed to work in harmony, enhancing each other’s efficacy while being gentle on the skin.

If you’re using products from different brands, take care to avoid combining conflicting ingredients. Many active ingredients—such as AHAs (like glycolic acid), BHAs (like salicylic acid), retinol, and vitamin C when layered together, especially in high concentrations, can overload your skin, leading to redness, dryness or a compromised skin barrier—aggravating your skin instead of enhancing your results. When in doubt, keep your routine simple and intentional.

Skincare layering is both a science and an art. With the right sequence and the right formulations, your skincare ritual can become a high-performance system designed to deliver visible, lasting results.

If you’d like a more personalised approach or to explore the ideal routine for your skin concerns, visit our Routines page or reach out to our Skincare Concierge by emailing hello@emmalewisham.com or via WhatsApp.

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The science of skincare layering

“With the right sequence and the right formulations, your skincare ritual can become a high-performance system designed to deliver visible, lasting results.”

Featured products