The short answer: It’s kind of up to you. Many dermatologists teach starting with the thinnest-consistency formula and layering thicker ones on top, but this isn’t unchangingly the weightier strategy. “If it’s a increasingly water-based moisturizer, wield it surpassing oil,” says Robert Anolik, MD, an NYC dermatologist and professor of dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. What to wield when moreover 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 windbreak and lock in the hydration that you’d get from a serum or moisturizer.”

If you’re really dry, definitely layer both. “Often moisturizers are some type of emulsion,” says Anolik. So moisturizer can contain skin-barrier-supporting ingredients like linoleic wounding or squalane (just as oils can) but moreover typically includes water-based hydrating ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid. An oil over the top delivers increasingly nourishment and seals in moisture at the same time.

1. Cream

   
   goop Beauty GOOPGENES All-in-One Nourishing Face Cream goop, $98/$86 with subscription

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2. Oil

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

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What well-nigh lotions and serums? “Lotions and serums have increasingly water and less oil than creams, so they finger lighter on skin and swizzle increasingly easily,” says Anolik. “Creams tend to contain less water and increasingly oil.” So if you plan to layer a serum with a cream, start with serum.

1. Serum

   
   Tata Harper Superkind Bio-Barrier Serum goop, $146

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2. Cream

   
   Pangea Ultra Rich Nourishing Moisturizer goop, $54

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3. Lotion

   
   Plantkos Phyto A Squatter Lotion goop, $67

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“Face oils finger thin consistency-wise,” says Anolik. “But they should still be unromantic without 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 squatter oils can penetrate many moisturizers, serums, and creams, few of those treatments can penetrate an oil, so alimony 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, unrepealable oils, like rose hip and jojoba, can help gainsay glut oil in acne-prone skin.

1. Rose Hip Oil

   
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2. Jojoba Oil

   
   Tata Harper Retinoic Nutrient Squatter Oil goop, $165

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3. Plum Oil

   
   Le Prunier Plum Eyeful Oil goop, $72

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