Skincare in the Right Order: Cleanser, Serums, Eye Cream, Moisturizer

The order is simpler than the shelf makes it look. Morning: cleanse, a vitamin C serum, the red tea serum, eye cream, then whatever sunscreen you already use. Night: cleanse, exfoliating pads two or three nights a week, the red tea serum, eye cream, and the rich peptide cream to finish. Thinnest to thickest, every time.

That is the whole system. The rest of this page explains why it runs that way, what each Valenco product is for in plain appearance terms, how often to exfoliate, and how to build the routine one product at a time instead of starting everything on the same Monday.

Why thinnest to thickest

Lighter textures go on first because they absorb fast and have nothing on top of them to get through. Richer creams go last because they sit on the surface and seal in what is underneath. So: cleanse, then anything watery (pads, serums), then eye cream, then the thickest cream. In the morning, sunscreen is the final layer, and it is the one product in this routine Valenco does not make.

What each product is for

Every description here comes from the product's own page. Appearance and feel only.

• Face Exfoliator & Cleanser: a two-in-one that cleanses and gently exfoliates in a single step. It lifts away the day's buildup and excess oil and leaves a smooth, fresh base without the tight, stripped feeling. Gentle enough for daily use.
• Brightening Boost Exfoliator Pads: pre-soaked pads that lift away dull, tired-looking surface cells in one swipe. No scrubbing, no mess. Skin looks smoother, fresher and brighter afterward. A few nights a week, not every night.
• Vitamin C Serum: a bright, lightweight serum that absorbs fast and layers clean under everything else, for a fresh, even-looking finish.
• Vitamin C, B, E + Ferulic Antioxidant Serum: the fuller version. Vitamin C, B and E with ferulic acid, which helps the actives stay stable and work together. It helps defend the look of skin against everyday environmental stress and leaves a bright finish. Use this or the plain Vitamin C Serum, not both.
• Red Tea Moisturizing + Antioxidant Serum: a lightweight hydrating serum. Red tea is naturally rich in antioxidants, and the moisturizing base draws in hydration for a soft, calm, comfortable feel. Light enough to wear alone in the morning or under a richer cream at night.
• Firming Cucumber Eye Cream: a cooling, lightweight cream for the skin around the eyes, the first place a short night shows. It helps the eye area look firmer, fresher and more awake.
• Advanced Multi-Peptide Cream: the rich one. Peptides are chains of amino acids that skincare uses to support a smooth, firm-looking surface. This cream sinks in deep, leaves no residue, and leaves skin looking smooth, firm and well-kept. Last step at night.

The morning order

1. Cleanse. Massage a small amount of the Face Exfoliator & Cleanser onto damp skin, work it into a light lather, rinse.
2. Vitamin C. A few drops of the Vitamin C Serum or the ferulic serum on clean, dry skin, face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Give it a minute to absorb.
3. Red tea serum. A few drops over the face. It absorbs quickly and is light enough to wear straight out the door.
4. Eye cream. Pat a small amount around the eye area, without getting it in your eyes.
5. Sunscreen. Whatever you already use, last.

Why vitamin C in the morning: the ferulic serum's page calls the morning the ideal time for an antioxidant serum, applied to clean skin before moisturizer and sunscreen.

The evening order

1. Cleanse. Same cleanser, same way.
2. Exfoliating pads, two or three nights a week. Swipe one pad across clean, dry skin, avoiding the eye area.
3. Red tea serum. A few drops, same as the morning.
4. Eye cream. A small amount around the eye area.
5. Peptide cream. A small amount of the Advanced Multi-Peptide Cream over the face to finish. Richest product, last.

Why the richer cream at night: it is the heaviest texture in the line, so it belongs where it has hours to sit and nothing on top of it.

How often to exfoliate

There are two kinds of exfoliation in this line. The cleanser does a gentle version at every wash and is made for daily use. The pads are the stronger step, and their page puts them at two or three nights a week. More is not better. If your skin looks pink or feels tight the next morning, drop to once or twice a week. Thinner, drier skin wants a couple of times a week at most.

Start here

Do not buy the whole shelf and start it all on the same day. If something disagrees with your skin you will not know which product did it. Patch test first, then add one product at a time and give each one about a week before adding the next. Teenagers can stop at the starter below; the product pages say cleanser, light hydration and sunscreen are enough at that age.

The 3-step starter

1. Cleanse: Face Exfoliator & Cleanser, morning and night.
2. One serum: the Vitamin C Serum in the morning if you want a brighter, more even-looking finish, or the Red Tea serum morning and night if hydration is what you want most.
3. Finish: your usual sunscreen in the morning. At night, the serum is the last step. That is a complete routine. Run it for two weeks before adding anything.

The 5-step full routine

1. Face Exfoliator & Cleanser, morning and night.
2. Vitamin C, B, E + Ferulic Antioxidant Serum in the morning; Brightening Boost pads two or three nights a week.
3. Red Tea Moisturizing + Antioxidant Serum, morning and night.
4. Firming Cucumber Eye Cream, morning and night.
5. Advanced Multi-Peptide Cream at night, sunscreen in the morning.

Add them in this order: eye cream first, because it is a small area and easy to judge; then the pads; then the peptide cream; then trade the plain Vitamin C Serum for the ferulic version if you want the fuller antioxidant step. If you also take collagen, we have written about why collagen and vitamin C belong together and what the evidence on collagen actually shows.

FAQ

How often should I exfoliate?

With the pads, two or three nights a week. With the cleanser, daily is fine, because its exfoliation is gentle and built for every wash. If your skin looks pink or feels tight, cut the pads back to once or twice a week.

Can I use vitamin C and peptides together?

Yes. The ferulic serum's own page pairs it with the Advanced Multi-Peptide Cream, serum first and cream to seal. The simplest split is vitamin C in the morning and the peptide cream at night. If you want both in the same sitting, apply the serum, let it absorb, then put the cream on last.

How do I patch test a new product?

Put a small amount on the inside of your wrist and leave it for a day. If the skin there looks and feels normal, use the product on your face. Add one new product at a time, about a week apart, so you always know which one your skin did not like. Stop using anything that irritates your skin.

These products are cosmetics intended to cleanse, moisturize and improve the appearance of skin. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Stop use if irritation occurs and patch test new products first.