Skincare Layering

Layering skincare is a method of applying skin care products in a specific order to maximize their benefits. With the large amount of skin care products on the market, it can be tasking to simply decide on a new serum to buy, let alone figure out where it fits in your routine. But the truth is, familiarizing yourself with the basics of skin-care layering is a great way to ensure that you are making the most of your products and catering your routine to your specific skin type.

Generally speaking, this is the order in which products should be applied: Cleanser, exfoliator, toner, essence, serum, eye cream, retinoid(if its included in your skincare routine), moisturizer, face oil and then last but most importantly SPF, But before you opt out of this seemingly long processes, Its important to let you know that there is no correct amount of products that you ‘MUST’ use. Whether your routine is two steps, three steps, or five steps is entirely up to you, more products don’t necessarily mean better results, what’s  important is that your routine and the products you use properly cater to your specific skin type and its needs.

Layering products and doing it the right way is crucial for so many reasons. Active ingredients work more effectively when layered, Skincare products combine active and inactive ingredients to solve different skin problems, from breakouts to dark circles. When you layer your skincare products correctly, you allow active ingredients to treat your skin effectively. Layering skincare products in the right order also ensures your products fully absorb into your skin and Knowing how to properly layer products Helps you combine ingredients safely, when using multiple skincare products, it’s essential to understand which active ingredients are safe to use together and which you should not mix, for instance combining brightening vitamin C serum with retinol could lead to skin irritation, or with niacinamide, could deactivate the ingredients in both products, so a good knowledge of layering would help avoid combinations like this.

When you’re starting your routine a common question is “should my face be damp or completely dry?” well, a damp face is a more permeable surface for products so its advisable for your face to be damp as you layer products ontop of it to promote greater penetration and therefore increase the efficacy of your product. However, if you are using a product with potentially irritating ingredients, such as a retinoid or glycolic acid, for example, it is advised patting the skin totally dry, otherwise you run the risk of irritation.

It may seem like a complex process but the long and short of the story is to layer starting from the lightweight product to the heavier ones and knowing what products you can and cannot combine for the best results.