What order to layer on your skin care products?
Inundated with skin care products and don’t know which one to use first? Applying your skin care products in the right order ensures that your skin receives the full benefits of each product.
As a general rule, you want active treatment products like serums on as close to skin as possible. And you want moisturising, protecting products layered on top, which are usually heavier than treatment products.
Below is a general order of operations for a skin care routine.
Step 1 Prepare – Exfoliants & Masks
Exfoliating regularly allows treatment products to get into your skin better. Exfoliate every few days and apply a mask on a weekly basis. This step makes sure the dead skin cells, dirt, and everything else has been wiped away, so the products in your routine are going to go right in and work harder, for better results.
Step 2 - Cleanse
For the love of the beauty gods, please remove your makeup and wash your face before applying any other skin care product. Always use a good cleanser or double cleanse in the night. For double cleansing - use an oil-based cleanser first, followed by a water-based or an aloe-vera-juice-based cleanser to avoid over-washing and over-drying your skin.
Try La Mav Marula Face Cleansing Oil 80ml $39.95
Step 2 – Toner
We love a good toner or a mist. After cleansing, spray and press the toner/mist into your skin. When you press it into your skin, all the good ingredients in the toner/mist go to work, leaving your skin smooth, soft and fresh and your pores practically invisible. They also provide, much needed moisture to your skin, specially if you are travelling in a plane or in air-conditioned environments. Remember, there is no such thing as too much moisture, irrespective of your skin type, it keeps your skin happy.
Try La Mav Rose Hydrating Mist 100ml $36.95
Step 3 – Serum
Serums are essentially shots of extremely concentrated active ingredients that amp up your skin health when you apply them. Because of their small molecule size, serums have the ability to go deeper into the skin and work their magic. Depending on what your skin needs, feel free to use a different serum for day and night. Definitely add a serum to your skincare routine, if you are over 30.
Try La Mav Hyaluronic Acid Hydra-Max Serum 30ml $69.95
Step 4 – Eye Cream/ Moisturiser
Both eye creams and moisturisers are moisturisers (you know what we mean, right?), just different product for different areas of your face. Apply an eye cream before you apply a moisturiser. Simply because eye creams are thinner and lighter than a moisturiser. Then layer a moisturiser on top of everything. Use a hyaluronic acid based moisturiser, if your skin is dry or a vit-c based for brightening your skin tone as there is nothing like a glowing face.
Step 5 – Sunscreen
Never skip a sunscreen. Daily use of a good SPF prevents degeneration of skin and NOTHING optimises your daily skin care routine without the use of a mineral sunscreen. Mineral sunscreens sit on top of your skin to deflect rays, so they are the last to be applied.
Choose your skin care products wisely and adapt products as your skin changes. You might already know you are a general skin type, but for serums and treatments, choose products that are going to target your particular concerns. Weather does impact your skin in different ways. Maybe you experience more breakouts as the weather gets more humid? Your skin might get more oilier than usual in summer? In winter, a dry patch seemed to have appeared out of nowhere? Or pigmented spots due to pregnancy or extreme sun exposure? Identifying exactly what your skin needs first is key to choosing the right products to layer.
Image courtesy: Photo by Alina Schelkanova