How long to wait between skincare steps

Some skincare steps need a wait before the next one, and some work best with no wait at all. This guide is the reference for those waits. It gives the times that the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and drug labels set, the times used in an acne routine with two gels, and what to do when there is no set time. It belongs to the guide to starting a skincare routine.

The short answer

Moment in your routine	How long to wait	Source
Washing, then moisturizer	No wait; apply on damp skin	AAD
Washing, then a treatment	Until the skin is dry	Differin label, MedlinePlus
Washing, then a retinoid	20 to 30 minutes	AAD
Washing, then an acne gel	Until the face is fully dry, 10 minutes	Acne plan
One acne gel, then a second	5 minutes	Acne plan
Thin layers such as toner or serum	Until the layer no longer feels wet	No fixed time in the sources
Daytime treatment, then sunscreen	Until the treatment is dry	Differin label
Sunscreen, then going outdoors	15 minutes	AAD, federal sunscreen labels

The two rows marked "Acne plan" come from Skinli's acne plan, which uses a benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel and an adapalene 0.1% gel at night. The Differin adapalene gel label says to pat the skin dry before applying the gel, and gives no number of minutes. The rest of this page explains each row.

Steps that need no wait: moisturizer on damp skin

Moisturizer works best right after washing. The AAD's acne advice says to leave some water on your skin after washing your face, then apply moisturizer. Its budget advice says to get the most from your moisturizer by applying it to damp skin, because moisturizer traps water in the skin. Its advice for men says the same about the body: apply moisturizer right after bathing, showering or shaving, while the skin is still damp.

So in a routine with no treatment, there is no wait at all. Wash, pat lightly so the face is damp and not dripping, and moisturize.

This matters most for dry skin. The AAD's moisturizer page says to apply moisturizer right after you get out of the shower to prevent water loss.

Steps that need dry skin: treatments

Treatments are the opposite. They go on dry skin.

The Differin adapalene gel label says to clean the skin gently and pat dry before applying the product. MedlinePlus gives similar directions for tretinoin, a prescription retinoid: wash the skin with a mild soap, then let it dry as directed. The AAD's page on product order says to wash your face with a gentle cleanser and gently pat dry before applying any medicine.

For retinoids, the AAD gives a number. Its page on skin care in your 20s quotes a dermatologist who recommends applying a retinoid before bed, 20 to 30 minutes after washing. If you use a retinoid, start your night routine early enough to fit that wait.

The same page gives one planned change. If a retinoid dries your skin too much, put a moisturizer on right after washing, then apply the retinoid 20 to 30 minutes later. When to use retinol in your routine covers this in more detail.

For an acne gel, wash, then wait until your face is fully dry, 10 minutes, before the gel goes on.

Waiting between two acne gels

If you use two acne gels at night, space them out. Wait 5 minutes between them. In the acne plan, the benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel goes on first, then after 5 minutes the adapalene 0.1% gel goes on the same area, then moisturizer. Both gels start every other night for two weeks before moving to every night.

Two treatments can irritate skin even with a wait between them. The AAD's advice on anti-aging products is to start with one product, because using several at the same time can irritate your skin. For a combination you choose yourself, outside a plan, add a second treatment only after the first is going well. The complete acne skincare routine explains a routine with two acne treatments, and what order to apply your acne products shows which one goes first.

Thin layers: toner and serum

Toners and serums are thin liquids. The AAD and the drug labels give no fixed wait for them. Wait until each layer no longer feels wet on the skin before the next one goes on.

If a product's label gives a wait time, follow the label. The AAD's advice on anti-aging products is to read the instructions and use a product as directed, because some active ingredients cause problems when used differently.

Sunscreen: 15 minutes before you go out

Sunscreen has the clearest timing rule. The AAD's sunscreen FAQ says to apply sunscreen to dry skin 15 minutes before going outdoors. Its page on how to apply sunscreen explains why: your skin needs time to absorb sunscreen before it protects you, and if you wait until you are in the sun, your skin is unprotected and can burn.

Federal rules set the same timing on the label. Under 21 CFR 201.327, the section of U.S. federal regulations that covers sunscreen labels, the directions on a sunscreen must tell you to apply it 15 minutes before sun exposure. They must also tell you to reapply at least every 2 hours.

If you use a treatment in the daytime, let it dry before the sunscreen. The Differin label says that if you use the gel during the day, you should allow it to dry before applying sunscreen.

Makeup

Makeup goes on last, on top of sunscreen. The AAD says to always put sunscreen on after other skin care products and beneath your makeup. It gives no set number of minutes between the two. Let the sunscreen dry first. If you are heading outside, the 15 minutes before you go out is a good time to let it settle before your makeup.

How long a whole routine takes

A basic routine has three steps: cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. Each one takes little time to put on, so the hands-on part is short.

The waits are what add time:

• Morning: sunscreen goes on 15 minutes before you leave. You can get dressed or eat breakfast during that time.
• Night, with a retinoid: 20 to 30 minutes between washing and the retinoid.
• Night, with two acne gels: 10 minutes for the face to dry after washing, then 5 minutes between the gels.

If time is short, keep the steps and plan around the waits. Washing your face earlier in the evening covers the retinoid or acne gel wait while you do other things.

Other steps with their own timing

Exfoliating. The AAD's advice is to apply moisturizer immediately after exfoliating, because exfoliating can dry the skin. There is no wait here. If you use a scrub or a chemical exfoliator, the AAD says to apply it gently for 30 seconds and then rinse with lukewarm water.

Face masks. A mask's label tells you how long to leave it on. The AAD says to follow that time, because leaving a mask on longer than intended can irritate the skin. Moisturizer goes on after you wash the mask off.

Shaving. The AAD's advice for men is to apply moisturizer right after shaving, while the skin is still damp.

The longer wait: weeks between new products

The waits above are minutes. The most important wait in skincare is counted in weeks: the time between adding one new product and adding the next.

The AAD's patch test advice is to try a new product on a small area twice a day for seven to 10 days before using it on your face. Its page on skin care in your 20s says it takes at least 30 days to know whether a product is working, unless it irritates your skin. An AAD dermatologist advises introducing one new product at a time. How to patch test a new skincare product explains the test step by step.

Mistakes to avoid

Putting a treatment on wet skin. Drug labels such as the Differin label say to pat dry first. For an acne gel, wait until the face is fully dry, 10 minutes.

Waiting too long before moisturizer. In a routine with no treatment, moisturizer goes on damp skin, as the AAD advises.

Putting sunscreen on as you walk out the door. The AAD says your skin needs time to absorb it, and advises applying it 15 minutes before going outdoors.

Using a wait to squeeze in more products. A long routine can irritate skin even with waits between the layers. The AAD's page on product order says using too many products may irritate the skin.

When a product still stings

If a product stings or burns even when you follow the timing, look at the product itself. The AAD advises stopping a product that stings, burns or tingles. For something your doctor prescribed, ask your doctor first. See a doctor if your skin hurts, bleeds, blisters or does not get better with gentle care. For the order the steps go in, see skincare routine order for every skin type, and for the acne version, see what order to apply your acne products.