Guide to Layering Skin Care Products for Optimal Results
Our skin care routine can sometimes feel like a puzzle. We have all of the necessary pieces to solve it, but it takes some trial-and-error before it gets done correctly.
You can own the highest quality skin care products, but if you’re applying them wrong, you aren’t going to garner the results you’d like. Layering your skin care products correctly is a key factor in achieving optimal results.
A general rule of thumb is to apply skin care products from the lightest consistency to the heaviest. If you start off your routine with a thick moisturizer, your acne-fighting serum won’t be able to absorb into your skin. This will leave you wondering why your skin isn’t clearing up. Applying thicker formulas before lighter formulas can also cause product pile up. Product pile up is when your skin care products ball up and flake. This usually occurs when a product is unable to absorb into the skin.
Rest assured, there is a technique for applying skin care products that will help avoid any issues.
Here’s a quick and easy-to-follow guide to layering your skin care products for optimal results. Your skin will thank you!
1. Cleanser
Kick off your skin care routine by cleansing your face. This is the first and most important step of your skin care routine. Dirt and sweat can build up throughout the day and overnight. The worst thing you can do is apply creams and serums without washing your face first. These products cannot penetrate though clogged pores, and will therefore, sit on your face and do absolutely nothing. If you’re thinking about waking up and slapping a serum on your face and calling it a day, think again! Who wants to invest in a $50 serum just to have it provide zero results? No one! Always cleanse your skin first. If you wore makeup during the day, you should probably do a double cleanse.
2. Exfoliator or Face Mask
If you want to exfoliate your skin or apply a face mask, now is the time to do it. It’s best to exfoliate or apply face masks to freshly cleansed skin for the strongest results.
This step is not meant to be an everyday thing. You don’t want to over-exfoliate or go too crazy with the face masks, because that may end up irritating your skin. I usually exfoliate or apply a face mask 2x a week.
3. Toner
The next step is to apply a toner. This will remove lingering dirt or debris, rehydrate your skin, and balance your skin’s PH level to ensure that it’s protected from bacteria and pollution in the air. I know this step is easy to skip, but it’s an important one because it works to protect your skin. If you’re looking for additional hydration, test out utilizing an essence after toning.
4. Active Ingredient Serum/Treatment
Apply any serums/treatments with active ingredients after you tone your skin. By active ingredients, I’m referring to acids, retinol, etc. These are the products that aggressively target acne, dark spots, fine lines, etc. Applying serums/treatments with active ingredients directly after toning will ensure 100% absorption. You’ll likely see greater results with this method.
Tip: Save more potent treatments for night time.
Another Important Note: Don’t go too crazy when it comes to using products with active ingredients. You shouldn’t layer too many of these products on top of one another unless your regimen has been approved by a doctor or dermatologist. This includes ALL products with active ingredients by the way (I.E serums, toners, masks, etc.) Utilizing too many products with active ingredients in one day may cause severe irritation. I would recommend sticking to one active treatment in the morning and one at night. Sensitive skin folks, you may have to pull back to a once a day or an every other day cadence. If you don’t have sensitive skin, you may be able to bump it up to two in the morning and two at night, but gradually build yourself up to that to safely see if your skin can truly handle it. If you want to stay on the safer side, but you have multiple active treatments you like to use, just alternate them throughout the week. Pleaseeeeee don’t cause harm to your skin by packing them all on at once.
5. Non-Active Ingredient Serum/Treatment
If you have a basic, all-over-the-skin serum you use for hydration, radiance, etc., apply this after you’ve let your active serum sink in for 1-3 minutes. Stick with light or water-based serums for this step. If it’s a thick, oil-based serum, I would apply it after moisturizing (or mix it with your moisturizer). You don’t want to apply something too thick at this stage just yet. You still need your eye cream and moisturizer to absorb.
6. Eye Cream
Apply your eye treatment after you’ve let your serums absorb for at least 1-3 minutes. This is a step I know most young people like to skip, especially if they don’t have dark circles, wrinkles, or fine lines, but I encourage you not to skip this step. The eye area is very sensitive, and one of the first areas of the skin to show signs of aging. Treating that area and keeping it well moisturized is recommended for preventative measures. This will also help makeup apply more smoothly under-the-eye.
7. Moisturizer
Apply your moisturizer after your eye cream has had at least 1-3 minutes to absorb. The type of moisturizer you use is up to you, and highly dependent on your skin type and skin concerns. I like to stick to hydrating, lightweight moisturizers. The ones I reach for are usually gel-cream based with relatively simple ingredients.
8. Morning: SPF | Night: Face Oils
Morning Routine: Finish off your morning skin care routine with SPF. I recommend cream or spray mist SPF products. Yes, this step is necessary. Yes, you should complete this step every single morning. This will protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. If you find yourself forgetting this step often, look into moisturizers that already include SPFs.
Night Routine: You don’t need to apply SPF at night, but this is a good opportunity to lock in your night time skin care routine with a moisturizing face oil. This will ensure that your skin is hydrated in the morning. Oily skin folks, you can probably skip this step, or use a light hydrating mist. Dry skin folks, finishing off with a face oil will change your life for the better.
***Note
Please ensure you aren’t applying too much product. Think quality over quantity. Using too much of one product will likely cause product pile up because your skin will not be able to absorb the excess amount.
The standard amount of a serum, treatment, eye cream, etc. you should be using is a pea-sized amount. The standard size of a moisturizer is a nickel-sized amount.