What to use before applying makeup

What order should you apply everything in?

1. 1Wash your hands, then wash your face with a gentle cleanser. Gently pat your face dry.
2. 2Apply your skin medication or treatment after cleansing. Treatment belongs before moisturizer in the general application order.
3. 3Apply moisturizer. Use moisturizer in both your morning and evening routine.
4. 4During the day, apply sunscreen after moisturizer and before makeup. Cover your neck and other exposed skin as well as your face.
5. 5Give sunscreen a few minutes to dry and settle before applying makeup.

Makeup comes after skincare, so foundation does not get to chair the meeting. If you apply cream around your eyes, use your ring finger to avoid pulling too hard on the delicate skin. Sunscreen is the final daytime skincare step; you do not need sunscreen at night.14

What is a good face moisturizer to use before makeup?

Start with a gentle moisturizer without heavy fragrance, and test a new product before making it part of your routine. Moisturizer helps keep water from evaporating from skin, a less glamorous job than its packaging usually suggests. Apply moisturizer after treatment and before daytime sunscreen. That order matters more than adding a separate product for every part of your face.4

There is no single named moisturizer to pick for every makeup routine. The useful starting point is gentle skincare rather than a promise of flawless foundation. Around the eyes, a moisturizer is generally preferable to adding an eye cream that could cause further irritation. A specific cream's effect on makeup texture or pilling is not settled by these general application principles.4

Do you need toner, serum or face oil first?

The basic morning routine is cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. Toner is optional and can cause dryness or irritation. If you use toner, apply it after cleansing. A morning serum also goes after cleansing and before moisturizer; use one serum at a time rather than stacking several. Vitamin C can support sun protection, but it does not replace sunscreen. Face oils are not a default preparation step and are generally reserved for dry skin.4

Keep makeup preparation separate from deciding which treatment your skin needs. Adding several products, especially multiple products aimed at signs of aging, can irritate skin. The general sequence places skin medication directly after cleansing, not over makeup. If you have questions about fitting a treatment into your routine, ask a dermatologist rather than adding more layers to compensate.1

Is SPF in foundation enough?

Use sunscreen underneath makeup rather than relying on foundation's SPF alone. Makeup is usually applied more thinly than the layer used to test its SPF, so the protection on the label is not necessarily the protection you get. A separate sunscreen layer also provides protection when makeup rubs off. Do not rush straight into foundation while sunscreen is still settling: starting too soon can undermine its protection.2

Look for both an SPF number and broad spectrum protection. SPF primarily describes protection against UVB, the radiation chiefly responsible for sunburn. Broad spectrum protection also covers UVA, which contributes to skin aging and can pass through clouds and window glass. Sunscreen matters on cloudy days too, and sitting beside a window is not the same as being away from ultraviolet exposure.25

Apply sunscreen generously rather than reducing the layer to accommodate makeup. SPF testing uses a defined application thickness, and applying less reduces the expected protection. SPF 30 provides about 97% protection against UVB under testing conditions, compared with about 98% for SPF 50 or higher. Neither blocks all ultraviolet radiation, so a larger number is not permission to skip reapplication.5

Reapply sunscreen about every two hours, and more frequently when swimming or sweating. Makeup does not cancel that step. Mineral powder sunscreen is an option for daytime touch ups, not a replacement for your initial traditional sunscreen layer. A tinted mineral sunscreen is another option that combines sun protection with some evening of skin tone.2

What if preparation products irritate your skin?

Introduce fewer new products and avoid heavily fragranced formulas, especially if your skin is sensitive. If a product causes skin irritation or contact dermatitis, an inflammatory skin reaction, stop using it and make an appointment with a dermatologist.4

Check your makeup and tools before applying

Use clean brushes and sponges: dirty tools can cause breakouts, rashes and skin infections. Clean brushes every 7 to 10 days and sponges after every use. Do not share makeup applied directly to skin or eyelashes, or products applied with a brush or sponge. Store cosmetics in a clean, dry place at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, and close the lids after use.3

Check sunscreen's expiration date before using it. Discard sunscreen that has changed color, smell or consistency, or separated into layers, even before its expiry date. For makeup, record when you open each product and check the open jar symbol: the number beside "M" means months after opening. Discard makeup that smells bad, changes color, separates, clumps, crumbles or feels different on your skin. Old makeup can irritate skin and become contaminated with bacteria or mold.3