a simple night skincare routine, step by step

written by Riley Tonks, co-founder of arpy, 15 October 2026

a simple night skincare routine goes cleanser, serum, gel, then cream, from the thinnest product to the thickest. it's the same four steps as the morning without the sunscreen, and it takes about three to five minutes.

this guide is the night-time companion to our guide to the four-step skincare routine, which covers what each product is and why the order works. this one sticks to the night: the order before bed, what's different from the morning, how long to leave between steps, and where an eye cream or a vitamin C serum fits.

what order should a night skincare routine go in?

at night, the order is cleanser, serum, gel, then cream. the usual rule is thinnest to thickest, so the watery products go on first and the cream goes on last, over the top. our four are numbered 01 to 04 in that order, so there's nothing to remember.

1. cleanser. the hydrating ceramide cleanser. 3 to 5 full pumps, worked into a light foam in your palm, massaged over a wet face and rinsed off. after rinsing, I pat my face dry.
2. serum. the copper peptide serum. 3 to 4 drops on your fingertips, smoothed over your face. it's thin and runny, so that's enough for the whole face.
3. gel. the hyaluronic acid gel. two pea-sized amounts over your face and neck. skin looks dewy and feels hydrated afterwards.
4. cream. the nourishing barrier cream. a pea-sized amount over your face and neck, and more if your skin wants it. it goes on last and holds in the three steps before it.

how is a night skincare routine different from the morning?

the steps and their order stay the same, and the difference is at the end. in the morning, sunscreen goes on last, after the cream. at night there's no sunscreen, so the barrier cream is the final layer.

two other things change at night. the cleanser has more to do, because it's taking off oil and the day's buildup before the rest goes on. and the night is when the extras come in, if you use them. our eye cream and vitamin C serum both start at two or three nights a week. where they go is further down.

do you need a separate night cream?

not for this routine. the nourishing barrier cream is made for morning and night, as the last step both times. if your face feels drier at night, a little more than a pea-sized amount is fine. the cream's product page says to use more if your skin needs it.

should you wash your face twice at night?

you don't have to, but some people do on nights they've worn makeup or sunscreen: one wash to lift it off, then a second for the skin underneath. it's a habit rather than a rule. if your face feels tight after washing twice, once is probably enough.

how long should you wait between skincare steps?

not long. each layer can go on once the one before it no longer feels wet, and there's no need for a timer.

the step worth slowing down for is the one after cleansing: the serum goes on once your face has been patted dry. after the serum, we wait until skin feels more dry than damp, then put the gel on.

if products start to roll into little balls as you smooth them on, that usually means a layer went on too soon or too thick. giving it a bit longer, or using a little less, tends to help. the whole routine still takes about three to five minutes.

how long before bed should you do your skincare?

there's no set time, but a little while before you get into bed works better than the moment you lie down. the cream has time to settle, and less of it ends up on your pillowcase. doing it next to something you already do every night, like brushing your teeth, makes it easier to keep up.

where do eye cream and vitamin C go in a night routine?

both go on after the copper peptide serum, the vitamin C serum first and then the eye cream. on a night you use one or both, the order looks like this:

1. hydrating ceramide cleanser (01)
2. copper peptide serum (02)
3. vitamin C radiance serum, if you're using it
4. peptide eye cream, if you're using it, around the eyes only
5. hyaluronic acid gel (03)
6. nourishing barrier cream (04)

the copper peptide serum stays in on these nights. it's fine on the same night as the vitamin C serum and the eye cream.

can you use vitamin C serum at night?

yes. our vitamin C radiance serum starts at two or three nights a week, building up if your skin is comfortable. it goes on after cleansing and before moisturiser. it's runny, like the copper peptide serum, and goes on after it.

it contains glycolic and lactic acid, and its page says not to layer it with other strong actives. the notes on its product page are worth reading before you start.

how do you use an eye cream at night?

a small amount is dabbed around the bone of your eye socket, after the serum, and kept out of your eyes. our peptide eye cream is a rich, fragrance-free cream with three peptides and retinaldehyde, a form of vitamin A.

it also starts at two or three nights a week, building up if your skin is comfortable. its page asks for a patch test first, and says to seek professional advice before using it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

can you use the eye cream and vitamin C serum on the same night?

starting them on separate nights is the simplest way in. both pages say not to layer them with other strong actives, and adding one new product at a time makes it easier to tell how each one feels on your skin. if anything stings or doesn't feel right, it's best to stop using it.

can you use a copper peptide serum every night?

yes. our copper peptide serum is fine to use every day, and it's step 02 morning and night. 3 to 4 drops is enough each time.

it doesn't need to be kept in the fridge, and it's best used within 12 months of opening. it has a jasmine scent. there's more on it, including how to read a copper peptide percentage, in our guide to copper peptide serum.

what if you're too tired for the full routine?

washing your face and putting the cream on is a reasonable short version. the full four steps take three to five minutes, but on a night you don't have that in you, two steps are better than none. our four-step routine guide has more on how many steps you really need.

the core four

the core four is all four steps in one box: cleanser, serum, gel and cream, numbered 01 to 04, for morning and night. it's $159, which is $37 less than buying the four separately, and it's made in Australia.