What Order to Apply Serums in Your Skincare Routine (The Ultimate Layering Guide)

December 5, 2025

If you’ve ever lined up several serums and thought, Okay… which one goes first?, you’re definitely not alone.

With Vitamin C, Retinol, Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic Acid all in the mix, the order you apply your serums can make a huge difference to your results.

At Hollyberry Cosmetics, we’re all about smart, science-backed routines that actually work. In this guide, we’ll walk you through:

The correct order to apply serums in your skincare routine
How to layer multiple serums without irritation
Exactly where your Hollyberry favourites fit in (Retinol, Niacinamide + Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid, and Pure Hyaluronic Acid)

Why Does Serum Order Matter So Much?

Serums are highly concentrated treatments designed to deliver active ingredients deep into the skin. But if you apply them in the wrong order, you can:

Decrease absorption
Cause pilling or stickiness
Trigger irritation or redness
Waste product (and time)

Get the order right, and you’ll:

Support better penetration of actives
Improve glow, texture, and hydration
Help actives work with your skin, not against it

The golden rule: thin to thick, water-based to oil-based, gentle to strong.

ORDER OUR HYALURONIC ACID SERUM HERE

Step-by-Step: The Correct Order to Apply Serums

1. Cleanser (Always First)

Start with a gentle cleanser to remove makeup, SPF, and impurities. Clean skin allows your serums to sink in instead of sitting on top of oil and debris.

2. Apply Water-Based Active Serums

These are usually the thinnest and most “watery” serums. They should go closest to the skin so they can work effectively.

Hollyberry Picks for This Step

1. Hollyberry Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Use in the morning for:

Brighter, more even skin tone
Help fading dark spots and post-acne marks
Extra antioxidant protection under SPF

2. Hollyberry Niacinamide Serum with Hyaluronic Acid
Great for both morning and night:

Helps reduce the look of large pores
Balances oil and improves texture
Soothes redness and strengthens the skin barrier

If you use both in the morning:

Apply Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum first.
Then apply Niacinamide Serum with Hyaluronic Acid.

Why?
Vitamin C is most effective closest to the skin, and Niacinamide plays beautifully on top—calming, balancing and barrier-supporting.

ORDER OUR RETINOL SERUM HERE

3. Hydrating Serums (Hyaluronic Acid)

Hydrating serums come after your “treatment” water-based actives. Their main job is to pull moisture into the skin and keep it there.

Hollyberry Hero:

Hollyberry Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
(also available in bulk sizes – perfect if you go through it quickly or use it in professional treatments)

Benefits:

Intense hydration and plumping
Helps reduce the appearance of fine dehydration lines
Boosts the comfort of your routine, especially when using actives like Retinol

Pro tip: Apply to slightly damp skin (after cleansing or a mist) to supercharge hydration.

4. Treatment Serums (Like Retinol)

Next up: your more powerful treatment serums. These are often a bit thicker or more potent, so they belong after lighter serums.

Hollyberry Night Treatment Star:

Hollyberry Retinol Serum

Targets:

Fine lines and wrinkles
Uneven texture
Congestion and breakouts
General “tired” or dull-looking skin

Apply your Retinol Serum at night, after Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid. This layering helps:

Cushion the skin and reduce irritation
Keep your moisture barrier happier
Support retinol’s resurfacing action with hydration

5. Moisturiser

Once your serums are on, lock everything in with a moisturiser suited to your skin type (light gel, balancing lotion, or richer cream).

Moisturizer:

Seals in your serums
Adds an extra layer of comfort
Supports the skin barrier overnight or under your makeup

ORDER OUR VITAMIN B3 NICINAMINDE HERE

6. Morning Only: Sunscreen (SPF 30+)

If your routine includes Vitamin C or Retinol, daily SPF is a must.

Sunscreen:

Protects against UV damage and premature ageing
Prevents dark spots from getting darker
Boosts the brightening effects of Vitamin C

No matter how good your Hollyberry serums are, you won’t see their full potential without consistent sun protection.

How to Layer Multiple Hollyberry Serums: Easy Routine Examples

Morning Routine: Glow + Protection

Goal: Bright, even, hydrated skin all day.

Cleanser
Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Niacinamide Serum with Hyaluronic Acid
Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum (if your skin loves extra hydration)
Moisturizer
SPF 30 or higher

Why it works:

Vitamin C brightens and protects
Niacinamide refines and balances
Hyaluronic Acid plumps and hydrates
SPF guards all that progress

Night Routine: Repair + Anti-Ageing

Goal: Smooth, refined, well-hydrated skin by morning.

Cleanser
Niacinamide Serum with Hyaluronic Acid
Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Retinol Serum
Moisturizer

Why it works:

Niacinamide preps and soothes the skin
Hyaluronic Acid adds a protective cushion of hydration
Retinol gets to work on texture, fine lines, and clarity
Moisturiser seals everything in overnight

Can You Mix All These Serums Together?

Here’s a simplified compatibility chart using Hollyberry’s key actives:

Active	Works Well With	Use Carefully With
Vitamin C	Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid	Retinol (use the same day but usually AM/PM split for sensitive skin)
Niacinamide	Vitamin C, Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid	Generally safe with most activities
Hyaluronic Acid	All serums	None – it’s extremely friendly
Retinol	Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid	Vitamin C in the same routine if your skin is easily irritated

If your skin is sensitive, try:

Vitamin C in the morning
Retinol at night

This separation keeps your routine powerful but gentle.

Why Hollyberry Serums Are So Easy to Layer

All Hollyberry Cosmetics serums are designed to be:

Lightweight and fast-absorbing
Non-greasy and non-sticky
Thoughtfully formulated to layer well together
Focused on high-impact active ingredients + skin-loving hydration

Whether you’re targeting texture, brightness, dryness, or early signs of ageing, Hollyberry serums are made to work as a team in your routine.

Final Takeaway: Thin to Thick, Gentle to Strong

If you remember just one thing from this guide, let it be this:

Cleanser → Water-Based Actives → Hydrating Serum → Treatment Serum → Moisturizer → (AM) SPF

And when those steps feature Hollyberry Cosmetics serums—like our Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide + Hyaluronic Acid, Pure Hyaluronic Acid, and Retinol Serum—you’re giving your skin a routine that’s not just trendy, but truly effective.

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