The Most Effective Ways to Layer your Skincare
Applying your skin care products in a specific order is how you make the most of their efficacy. Backed by science, the specific order of applying skin care products is not widely-known among common consumers.
People often think that the act of simply using various skin care products on your skin will produce the best results, however this is far from the case. The product can’t work its magic unless it's been properly applied.
The order of your skin care products optimizes your skin care routine!
With research and experts backing it up, the most effective way to apply skin care products is in the following order: cleanse, tone, exfoliate, mask, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, facial oil, and spot treatment.
While some of these steps are optional, only you can tweak your skin care routine to best suit your needs. Follow these steps to make the most of our skin care products!
The Facial Cleanse
The grounding first step and foundation of your skin care routine is to thoroughly cleanse the skin. So many overlook the importance of this step, but without a good cleanse, the rest of your skin care routine will suffer.
Be sure to use a cleanser, like our Moisturizing Cleanser or Foaming Peptide Cleanser, that will not disrupt your skin’s natural barrier with harsh ingredients, such as sulfates and parabens.
Harsh cleansers tend to strip the skin of its natural oils, which leads to dryness and other unwanted skin concerns. If you are dealing with an irritated skin barrier, switch to a gentle cleanser to begin the repair process.
Select a cleanser purposed for your skin type to solidify a good foundation for your skin care routine.
The Toner, Deep Clean and Prep
The benefits of toning the skin include providing a deeper cleanse, improving skin tone, balancing the skin’s pH levels, and supporting the absorption of additional skin care products.
You want to use toner devoid of ingredients such as alcohol, witch hazel, and fragrance, like our Natural Lavender Toner or D20 Skin Prep Toner, to avoid skin irritation.
The Brightening Exfoliatant
Regularly voted the “favorite” step of a skin care regimen for its dramatic effects, physically or chemically exfoliating the skin is next on the list.
Physical exfoliation is the act of physically rubbing a product on your skin to remove dead skin cells. Our Skin Polish Instant Glow Microdermabraison contains bamboo stem microbeads that are purposed to manually exfoliate the skin, without irritation.
Chemical exfoliation is the use of active ingredients in skin care products to remove dead skin cells. The active ingredients in chemical exfoliants are absorbed into the skin, without manual assistance. Our Glow-On Anti-Aging Exfoliant contains 10% glycolic acid, which is a alpha-hydroxy acid naturally derived from sugarcane.
Exfoliating cleansed skin gives you the clear canvas to work with for the rest of your skin care routine. The less skin gunk to deal with, the better!
Treatment Masks
Face masks are an excellent go-to for self-care. They make you feel like you’re in a luxury spa, without the price tag! You’re not only pampering yourself, but nourishing your skin too.
What kind of mask you use is dependent upon your skin care goals. Oily skin battling acne? Try our Moisturizing Clay Mask to help regulate oily skin and prevent breakouts. Dry skin looking to appear more youthful? Try out Super Youth Anti-Aging Mask to soothe fine lines and wrinkles.
Face masks are recommended by skin care professionals to directly address skin care concerns with an at-home treatment. Because face masks are occlusive, they create a barrier over the skin that enables active ingredients to be completely absorbed into the skin over time. Therefore, you get more bang for your buck with a good face mask!
Facial Serums and Intensive Treatments
Next up in your skin care routine is a super-concentrated, nutrient-dense serum. Compared to the liquid gold of your skin care regimen, serums pack a punch!
Whether you prefer to use separate serums for morning and night, or the same serum for both occasions, do what works best for you. Educate yourself on what ingredients work in synergy with one another, and what ingredients cancel one another out.
For example, avoid applying a Vitamin C in the morning, and following it up with a moisturizer containing an AHA, like glycolic acid. Certain acids have the ability to alter the pH of vitamin C, which decreases its effectiveness due to destabilization.
Experiment with our Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid for a powerful morning serum and our Peptide Cocktail Anti-Aging Serum for a results-driven serum in the evening.
The Eye cream.
Your skin is the thinnest and most fragile around the eye area. Because this area produces less oil and collagen, it struggles maintaining hydration and elasticity. The skin surrounding your eyes should be treated gently and deeply nurtured to maintain a youthful appearance!
Commit to our Peptide Eye Serum to fight away signs of crows feet, or our Eye Bright with Argireline to improve your skin’s natural glow.
The Triple Treatment Moisturizer.
Quench your skin’s thirst with a hydrating moisturizer. Choose a moisturizer suitable for your skin type and appropriate for the season you are living in. Seasonal weather changes do make a difference in our skin’s needs!
For those wanting an extra lift in their skin, use our Ageless Advanced Peptide Moisturizer.
A moisturizer that can be used by any skin type (especially sensitive skin types) is our All-Natural Essential Moisturizer.
The Beauty of Facial oil.
Facial oil is the last product you should apply to your face, neck, and décolleté. Using a facial oil tricks the skin into thinking its produced more sebum, which then assists the regulation of the skin’s sebum production.
Pick a facial oil that will complement your skin care regimen and cater to your skin type!
Spot treatments
A spot treatment is the absolute final product you should apply to your skin. Take a small, clean cloth to remove the product that has already been applied to the spots you are going to treat. Dab on the spot treatment and allow time to dry.
If you apply the spot treatment in the morning, cover it with a little bit of sunscreen and follow up with a concealer, if desired.
There you have it: the ultimate guide to applying your skin care products (without wasting product or preventing product ingredients from showing us what they’re made of!)
Sources:
https://www.today.com/shop/skin-barrier-damage-repair-t234313
https://practicaldermatology.com/articles/2020-apr/the-effect-of-cleansers-on-the-skin-microbiome
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/what-does-toner-do#benefits
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/glycolic-acid-vs-salicylic-acid#:~:text=Glycolic%20acid%20is%20an%20alpha,pass%20through%20your%20skin%20barrier.
https://www.usdermatologypartners.com/blog/should-you-add-a-simple-face-mask-to-your-skincare-routine/#:~:text=They%20can%20hydrate,%20exfoliate,%20address,can%20boost%20your%20care%20routine.%E2%80%9D&text=There%20are%20numerous%20types%20of%20face%20masks%20available
https://www.dermstore.com/blog/best-skin-care-ingredients-pairing/
https://www.bustle.com/style/eye-cream-before-or-after-moisturizer
https://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/skincare/benefits-of-using-face-oil-on-oily-skin
https://blog.reneerouleau.com/when-in-my-routine-should-i-apply-an-acne-spot-treatment/
Article Written by Sara Katharine Creamer
Licensed Esthetician