Beauty

Face Oil First or Moisturizer? Top Dermatologists on How to Layer

Written by: Brianna Peters

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Updated on: April 2, 2024

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The short answer: It’s kind of up to you. Many dermatologists advise starting with the thinnest-consistency formula and layering thicker ones on top, but this isn’t always the best strategy. “If it’s a more water-based moisturizer, apply it before oil,” says Robert Anolik, MD, an NYC dermatologist and professor of dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. What to apply when also depends on your skin and how much moisture you’re looking for, explains NYC dermatologist Elyse Love, MD: “Face oils don’t really add hydration to the skin, but they can help support the skin barrier and lock in the hydration that you’d get from a serum or moisturizer.”

“Face oils feel thin consistency-wise,” says Anolik. “But they should still be applied after water-based products like lotions.” Love agrees: “Face oils are occlusive, helping lock in the good stuff (hydration) and lock out the bad (irritants and pollutants), all of which helps support the skin barrier.” While face oils and balms (essentially thicker, more-occlusive versions of face oil) can penetrate many moisturizers, serums, and creams, few of those treatments can penetrate an oil or balm. Keep that in mind as you layer. And note that while thicker emulsions like creams can often be too much for oily skin, oils—even rich ones—are different. In fact, certain oils, like rose hip and jojoba, can help combat excess oil in acne-prone skin.

If you’re dry, definitely layer both. “Often moisturizers are some type of emulsion,” says Anolik. So creams can contain skin-barrier-supporting ingredients like linoleic acid or squalane (just as oils can) but also typically include water-based hydrating ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid. An oil over the top delivers extra nourishment and seals in moisture at the same time. But if the cream you’re using is super occlusive, you might want to layer it over the oil.

  1. Cream

    goop Beauty
    72-Hour Supercharged Hydrating Water-Cream
    goop, $68/$61 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
  2. Oil

    goop Beauty
    All-in-One Super Nutrient Face Oil
    goop, $98/$89 with subscriptionSHOP NOW

What about lotions and serums? “Lotions and serums have more water and less oil than creams, so they feel lighter on skin and absorb more easily,” says Anolik. “Creams tend to contain less water and more oil.” So if you plan to layer a serum with a cream, start with the serum.

  1. Serum

    Tata Harper
    Superkind Bio-Barrier Serum
    goop, $146SHOP NOW
  2. Lotion

    Saint Jane
    Hydrating Petal Cream
    goop, $68SHOP NOW

BEST FACE OIL AND MOISTURIZER COMBINATIONS BY SKIN TYPE

SKIN TYPE: DRY

If you regularly battle dryness, layering a rich, thick moisturizing cream under or over a face oil or balm can make a noticeable difference.

  1. Balm

    Monastery Made
    Attar Floral Concentrate Balm
    goop, $168SHOP NOW
  2. Oil

    Furtuna Skin
    Due Alberi Biphase Moisturizing Oil
    goop, $225SHOP NOW
  3. Thickest Cream

    Surya
    Balancing Collagen Cream
    goop, $195SHOP NOW

SKIN TYPE: OILY OR ACNE-PRONE

“Most people with acne-prone skin do better with relatively lighter creams or lotions,” says Anolik. Again, the right oil, even on its own, can help, too. And hyaluronic acid delivers hydration without any oil at all.

  1. Featherweight Moisturizer

    goop Beauty
    Glow Lotion
    goop, $58/$52 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
  2. Hyaluronic Acid

    Dr. Barbara Sturm
    Hyaluronic Serum
    goop, $320SHOP NOW
  3. Treatment Oil

    Vintner’s Daughter
    Active Botanical Serum
    goop, $195SHOP NOW

SKIN TYPE: SENSITIVE

Those with sensitive or reactive skin benefit from calming extracts and formulas free of fragrance and other common irritants. Oils like primrose and green tea can help soothe.

  1. Made without Common Skin Irritants

    tata harper
    Fortifying Moisturizer
    goop, $130SHOP NOW
  2. Made with Evening Primrose

    Augustinus Bader
    The Ultimate Soothing Cream
    goop, $300SHOP NOW
  3. Made with Green Tea Oil

    True Botanicals
    Renew Pure Radiance Oil
    goop, $110SHOP NOW

THE 4 P.M. MAKEUP-REFRESH TRICK

Pat on face oil over your makeup to give your skin an instant pick-me-up (smooth a few drops between your palms, then pat onto your skin lightly, avoiding eye shadow and mascara). This trick is especially great in the late-afternoon doldrums, when you’re thinking you might need a little extra makeup—a little oil is actually all you need.

  1. Le Prunier
    Plum Beauty Oil
    goop, $72SHOP NOW

AN EASY GUIDE TO SKIN-CARE ORDER

LAYER 1

Flood skin with active ingredients in a light serum.

  1. goop Beauty
    20% Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Glow Serum
    goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW

LAYER 2

Moisturize (and add more actives).

  1. Augustinus Bader
    The Rich Cream
    goop, $300SHOP NOW

LAYER 3

Pat on oil for more moisture and actives.

  1. goop Beauty
    All-in-One Super Nutrient Face Oil
    goop, $98/$89 with subscriptionSHOP NOW

LAYER 4

Mineral sunscreen for clean sun protection.

  1. Grown Alchemist
    Natural Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 30
    goop, $42SHOP NOW