The Correct Order to Apply Your High Thyme FARMacy Skincare Products for Maximum Results

Originally published January 10, 2022. Substantially updated July 2026.

Skincare does not need to involve ten different serums, several harsh treatments, or an elaborate routine that takes half an hour to complete.

Here at High Thyme FARMacy, we prefer a simpler ritual built around cleansing, botanical hydration, nourishing oils, rich moisture, and consistent sun protection.

The order in which you apply those products still matters.

Applying your skincare in the right sequence helps each formula spread properly, keeps rich products from interfering with lighter ones, and leaves sunscreen as the final protective layer during the day. The American Academy of Dermatology also notes that the order in which products are applied can affect how well they work.

The goal is not to force every ingredient deep into multiple layers of skin. It is to give each formula the best opportunity to perform the cosmetic job for which it was created.

The Complete Fountain of Youth Skincare Order

For the full High Thyme FARMacy ritual, use your products in this order:

1. Fountain of Youth Moroccan Beldi Face Cleanser
2. Fountain of Youth Queen of Hungary’s Water
3. Fountain of Youth Firming Face Oil
4. Jade Roller and Gua Sha Facial Massage Tools — optional
5. Fountain of Youth Face Cream
6. Fountain of Youth Under Eye Corrector Stick — optional
7. Broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher — mornings only
8. Makeup — if worn

Your evening routine follows the same order, minus the sunscreen and makeup.

Step 1: Cleanse With Fountain of Youth Moroccan Beldi Face Cleanser

Cleansing gives every product that follows a clean surface on which to work.

Throughout the day, your face collects makeup, sunscreen, oil, perspiration, dirt, and other residue. At night, cleansing removes that accumulation before you apply your Fountain of Youth products.

Our Fountain of Youth Moroccan Beldi Face Cleanser is a rich, paste-like gel cleanser inspired by traditional Moroccan Beldi soap. It is handcrafted with Spilanthes-infused olive oil, nourishing plant oils, glycerin, mango butter, panthenol, and a warm aromatic blend of lavender, patchouli, and frankincense essential oils.

Unlike a harsh cleanser that leaves the face feeling tight and stripped, our Beldi cleanser was created to leave skin feeling clean, soft, smooth, and refreshed—especially dry or mature skin.

How to use it

Using a clean cosmetic spatula, remove a small amount from the jar and apply it to your face. Add a little warm water and gently massage the cleanser into your skin using circular motions.

Avoid the eye area, rinse thoroughly, and gently pat your face dry.

Hot water is unnecessary and may leave mature or dry skin feeling more uncomfortable. Warm water is enough to loosen residue and rinse away the cleanser.

When you are wearing especially heavy or water-resistant makeup, you may prefer to remove that first with your usual makeup remover before following with the Beldi cleanser.

Step 2: Tone and Refresh With Queen of Hungary’s Water

After cleansing, apply our Fountain of Youth Queen of Hungary’s Water.

This is not an ordinary commercial toner made primarily from water and fragrance. It is a whole-herb facial tonic inspired by one of history’s most famous botanical beauty preparations.

Here at High Thyme FARMacy, we infuse Spilanthes, Gotu Kola, yarrow, lemon balm, chamomile, roses, calendula, rosemary, and sage into a traditional base of apple cider vinegar, rose water, and witch hazel. Many of those herbs are grown and harvested right here on our Tennessee farm.

Queen of Hungary’s Water helps:

• Refresh and tone the skin
• Remove traces of residue left after cleansing
• Refine the appearance of pores
• Leave the complexion looking fresh and balanced
• Prepare the skin for the facial oil and cream that follow

How to use it

Mist it lightly over your face and neck, or apply it to a cotton round and gently sweep it across the skin.

Allow the tonic to absorb naturally before moving to the next step.

You do not need to stand in the bathroom with a five-minute timer. That advice appeared in the original version of this article because it was written as a general skincare guide. It is not necessary when following our Fountain of Youth ritual.

Give Queen of Hungary’s Water a few moments to settle. Once your skin is no longer dripping wet, move on to the facial oil.

Step 3: Nourish With Fountain of Youth Firming Face Oil

Next comes the heart of our Fountain of Youth ritual: the Fountain of Youth Firming Face Oil.

Here at High Thyme FARMacy, we grow and harvest our own Spilanthes, also known as paracress, and slowly infuse it with Gotu Kola, calendula, and rosemary into a nourishing blend of Sunflower Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, and Jojoba Oil.

After the infusion is complete, we finish the formula with Rosehip Oil, Vitamin E, Frankincense Essential Oil, and Lavender Essential Oil.

The result is a silky botanical oil created to help skin feel:

• Softer
• Smoother
• More supple
• Deeply nourished
• Comfortable rather than dry
• Healthy and radiant-looking

Our face oil is concentrated, so you do not need to coat your face in an entire dropperful. Apply two to three drops to the face, neck, and décolleté, then massage gently using upward strokes.

You can use it morning and evening.

Why does the oil come before the cream?

You may have seen general skincare guides that say facial oil must always be applied last.

That rule can be useful, but it is not absolute. The directions for the particular products you are using matter more than a one-size-fits-all infographic.

Our Fountain of Youth Face Cream contains a rich combination of botanical oils, butters, beeswax, and lanolin. It was designed to follow the facial oil and help seal in the nourishment underneath.

For our collection, the correct order is:

Queen of Hungary’s Water → Firming Face Oil → Face Cream

Step 4: Use Your Jade Roller and Gua Sha Tools

Facial massage is optional, but this is the ideal point in your routine to use our Jade Roller and Gua Sha Facial Massage Tool Set.

The facial oil gives the tools the slip they need to glide across the skin without pulling or dragging.

Use the large end of the jade roller across the forehead, cheeks, jawline, and neck. The smaller end is helpful around delicate areas such as beneath the eyes.

Follow with the gua sha tool along the jawline, cheekbones, brow area, and forehead.

Use gentle pressure and glide the tools upward and outward rather than aggressively scraping the skin. The goal is a relaxing skincare ritual, not to leave your face red, sore, or bruised.

Facial massage may help temporarily reduce the appearance of puffiness, relax facial tension, and leave the skin looking refreshed. Our tools can also be stored in the refrigerator for an especially cooling morning ritual.

A simple massage sequence

1. Apply two to three drops of Fountain of Youth Firming Face Oil.
2. Roll gently upward over the neck, jaw, cheeks, and forehead.
3. Use the smaller roller beneath the eyes without pressing heavily.
4. Glide the gua sha tool along the jawline, cheekbones, and brow.
5. Follow with Fountain of Youth Face Cream.

Always use facial oil or another product that provides adequate slip. Do not repeatedly drag a dry stone across bare skin.

Clean the tools after use and allow them to dry before storing them.

Step 5: Seal In Nourishment With Fountain of Youth Face Cream

Follow the facial oil, and your massage tools, when used, with our Fountain of Youth Face Cream.

This is a rich, concentrated botanical moisturizer inspired by old-fashioned herbal creams. We make it with farm-grown Spilanthes, Gotu Kola, calendula, rosemary, rose water, aloe vera, nourishing botanical oils, Rosehip Oil, Babassu Oil, Kokum Butter, beeswax, lanolin, Vitamin E, frankincense, and lavender.

It was created especially for skin that benefits from lasting nourishment and softness, including dry or mature skin.

How to use it

Start with a tiny amount.

This is not a lightweight commercial lotion designed to disappear after using a large pumpful. It is a concentrated botanical cream, and a little goes a long way.

Warm the cream lightly between your fingertips, then massage it over the face and neck using gentle upward and outward motions.

There may be a brief dewy feeling immediately after application. That softens as the cream settles into the skin.

You may prefer:

• A very small amount during the day
• A slightly richer application before bed
• Extra cream on especially dry areas
• The facial oil alone when you want a lighter routine
• Both oil and cream when your skin needs more nourishment

The face cream completes the central four-product Fountain of Youth ritual:

Cleanse → Tone → Nourish → Seal

Step 6: Apply the Paracress and Caffeine Under Eye Corrector Stick

Our Fountain of Youth Paracress and Caffeine-Infused Under Eye Corrector Stick is an optional targeted step.

Unlike a thin, water-based eye cream, our corrector is a concentrated solid balm made with coffee- and Spilanthes-infused Jojoba Oil, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Rosehip Seed Oil, beeswax, Vitamin E, and Coffee Essential Oil.

Because it is a rich balm rather than a lightweight eye serum, we recommend using it near the end of your routine after your facial oil and face cream, but before daytime sunscreen.

The stick helps moisturize the delicate under-eye area and leaves tired-looking eyes appearing smoother, brighter, and more refreshed.

How to use it

Twist the bottom of the tube just enough to raise the balm slightly above the rim.

Gently glide or dot the balm beneath the eyes, moving from the inner corner outward along the orbital bone. Tap lightly with your ring finger to blend it, if needed.

Do not apply it directly to:

• The eyeball
• The waterline
• The eyelid
• The inner corner of the eye

You may use it in the morning, at night, or whenever your under-eye area needs a little extra care.

Step 7: Finish Your Morning Routine With Sunscreen

Sunscreen is always the final skincare step in the morning.

High Thyme FARMacy does not currently make sunscreen, so choose a product from a reputable company that is:

• Broad spectrum
• SPF 30 or higher
• Suitable for your skin type
• Water resistant when swimming or sweating
• Comfortable enough that you will actually use it consistently

Apply sunscreen after your Fountain of Youth oil, cream, and under-eye balm and before makeup. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends placing sunscreen after other skincare products, while FDA advises applying it approximately 15 minutes before sun exposure.

Apply it not only to your face, but also to exposed areas such as your:

• Neck
• Upper chest
• Ears
• Hairline
• Hands

Reapply at least every two hours while outdoors and more often after swimming, sweating, or towel drying.

No botanical oil, antioxidant herb, moisturizer, hat, or makeup product replaces properly applied sunscreen.

Step 8: Apply Seint Cream Makeup, If Desired

Once your sunscreen has had time to settle, you may apply your makeup.

Here at High Thyme FARMacy, we personally recommend Seint cream makeup, especially for mature skin. Lynnette uses and genuinely loves Seint - not because of an affiliate relationship, but because she believes it works beautifully with her skin and complements the hydrated, healthy-looking finish she gets from the Fountain of Youth ritual.

Seint’s complexion system uses cream Highlight, Contour, and Lip + Cheek colors designed to work together in a single, strategically placed layer. Instead of covering the entire face with one heavy color and then stacking several more products on top, you place different shades only where they are needed to add coverage, warmth, dimension, and color. Seint officially describes its cream complexion products as being designed to work together in a one-layer application.

We especially like that approach for mature skin.

As skin changes with age, heavy layers of makeup can collect around fine lines, settle into texture, cling to dry areas, and leave the face looking flatter or more made-up than intended. Makeup professionals frequently recommend lighter, targeted application for mature skin because using less foundation can create a softer, more natural-looking result.

Cream makeup can also blend attractively over skin that has been properly moisturized and prepared. When applied lightly, Seint can help even the appearance of the complexion while preserving some of the softness, dimension, and natural radiance underneath.

How to apply Seint after Fountain of Youth

After completing your morning skincare routine:

1. Allow your Fountain of Youth Face Oil and Face Cream to settle.
2. Apply a separate broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.
3. Allow the sunscreen to form an even, settled layer.
4. Apply small amounts of Seint cream makeup only where needed.
5. Blend gently rather than repeatedly adding more product.
6. Add setting powder sparingly, if at all, concentrating only on areas where you need it.

Seint’s IIID Foundation does not contain SPF, so it should never replace the sunscreen step in your morning routine.

Because both Fountain of Youth and Seint are rich, concentrated products, more is not necessarily better. Too much facial oil, cream, sunscreen, and cream makeup layered together can leave the face feeling slick or cause makeup to move.

Begin with very small amounts.

If your skin still feels overly dewy when you are ready to apply makeup, give the products more time to settle, gently blot away any excess, or use a little less Fountain of Youth Face Cream during your morning routine. You can always use a richer application at night.

The goal is not to cover the healthy-looking skin you have worked so hard to nourish.

It is to enhance it.

Why we believe Seint and Fountain of Youth work well together

Our Fountain of Youth ritual was designed to leave mature skin feeling soft, moisturized, supple, and conditioned. Seint’s cream-based, one-layer approach can then add coverage and dimension without requiring a thick mask of makeup.

Together, they support the look we personally prefer:

• Healthy-looking rather than heavily covered
• Radiant rather than dry and powdery
• Dimensional rather than flat
• Soft rather than cakey
• Polished while still looking like yourself

No makeup formula works perfectly for everyone, and proper shade selection and application technique make a considerable difference. But based on Lynnette’s own experience, we believe Seint is well worth considering for women who want flattering cream makeup that pairs naturally with a nourishing mature-skincare ritual.

Your Morning Fountain of Youth Routine

For the full morning ritual:

1. Cleanse with Fountain of Youth Moroccan Beldi Face Cleanser.
2. Tone with Fountain of Youth Queen of Hungary’s Water.
3. Nourish with two to three drops of Fountain of Youth Firming Face Oil.
4. Massage, if desired, with the jade roller and gua sha.
5. Seal with a tiny amount of Fountain of Youth Face Cream.
6. Target the eye area with the Under Eye Corrector Stick.
7. Protect with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher.
8. Apply makeup, if desired.

Your Evening Fountain of Youth Routine

At night:

1. Remove heavy makeup, when necessary.
2. Cleanse with the Beldi Face Cleanser.
3. Apply Queen of Hungary’s Water.
4. Apply Fountain of Youth Firming Face Oil.
5. Use your jade roller or gua sha, if desired.
6. Apply Fountain of Youth Face Cream.
7. Finish with the Under Eye Corrector Stick.

No sunscreen is needed when you are going to bed.

The evening routine is a wonderful time to use a slightly richer amount of face cream and turn the process into an intentional moment of care rather than one more chore to rush through.

Do You Have to Use Every Product?

No.

The full collection was designed to work together, but skincare should fit your skin, preferences, budget, and lifestyle.

Your simplest Fountain of Youth routine might be:

Simple morning routine

Cleanser → Queen of Hungary’s Water → Face Oil or Face Cream → Sunscreen

Simple evening routine

Cleanser → Queen of Hungary’s Water → Face Oil or Face Cream

Complete ritual

Cleanser → Queen of Hungary’s Water → Face Oil → Massage Tools → Face Cream → Under Eye Corrector → Morning Sunscreen

Consistency matters more than creating such a complicated routine that you stop using it after three days.

Common Skincare Layering Mistakes

Using far too much product

More is not automatically better. Our facial oil and face cream are concentrated. Start small and add more only when your skin genuinely needs it.

Rushing while each layer is still dripping wet

You do not need to wait five full minutes between every step, but give Queen of Hungary’s Water, the facial oil, and the cream a brief chance to settle.

Using massage tools without enough slip

A jade roller or gua sha should glide. Apply facial oil first so the tool does not repeatedly drag across dry skin.

Applying facial oil over sunscreen

Sunscreen should remain your final morning skincare layer. Adding oil over it may disturb the even protective film you worked to create.

Ignoring the neck and décolleté

Your skincare ritual does not have to stop at the jawline. Use the facial oil, cream, and sunscreen on the neck and exposed upper chest as well.

Applying the under-eye balm too close to the eye

Keep the corrector along the orbital bone rather than applying it to the waterline or eyelid.

The Right Order, High Thyme Style

The original version of this article tried to cover nearly every type of skincare product someone might own: toners, serums, spot treatments, retinoids, eye creams, oils, moisturizers, and more.

That no longer reflects who we are or the simpler skincare collection we offer today.

Our current Fountain of Youth ritual is intentionally straightforward:

Cleanse with whole-herb Beldi soap.

Refresh with Queen of Hungary’s Water.

Nourish with farm-grown Spilanthes facial oil.

Massage, when desired.

Seal with our rich botanical face cream.

Care for the under-eye area.

Protect with sunscreen every morning.

Here at High Thyme FARMacy, we believe the best skincare routine is not necessarily the one with the most bottles.

It is the one you understand, enjoy, and use consistently.

Important Note

High Thyme FARMacy products are cosmetics intended to cleanse, moisturize, condition, soften, and improve the appearance and feel of the skin. Patch-test new products before regular use and discontinue use if irritation develops. Follow the advice of your healthcare provider or dermatologist when using prescribed topical medications or managing a diagnosed skin condition.