We can all fight it, but it happens to the best of us. Aging. I don’t know about you, but I wish I would have started a skincare routine sooner than I did. It is never too late to start! But did you know that it can make a difference with your results with the order you apply your skincare products? Today I am going to cover some skincare product layering basics!
I have mentioned before that last year I had an infiltrating basal cell carcinoma removed from my forehead. Going through something like that puts prevention at the forefront. I have noticed that this generation seems much more aware of the importance of skin health & maintenance than when I was young. And that is awesome! I did a blog post awhile back that you might want to read; The Art of Layering Hair Products. You can read that here.
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Step 1 – Cleanse
The first step in your skincare routine should be to cleanse your skin. In the evening, if you are a makeup wearer be sure to do a 2-step cleansing process. I prefer using a separate makeup-removing balm. Always be sure to be gentle around your eye area, never tugging too hard. The skin around our eyes is thinner and we don’t want to encourage fine lines and wrinkles! After removing all your makeup follow up with a gentle face cleanser.
I always recommend washing your face in the morning also. You would be surprised how much dirt & oil can accumulate while we sleep! Start the day with a clean slate, lol!
Step 2 – Prepare
This step is important and unfortunately, a lot of people skip this step. They see it as unnecessary. Let me tell you why it is important!
The preparation step is for the products like toners, essences, or boosters. These products help to soothe skin. They also prepare and enhance the effectiveness of the products that you are preparing to apply.
Step 3 – Target
This is an important one! It is exactly the was it sounds! These would be your products like your serums, nectars, eye creams, or spot treatments.
Are you targeting fine lines around your eyes or those dark spots? You know the ones some people refer to as age spots?! Use the products that you are using to improve your troubled spots.
Step 4 – Replenish
Morning or night we want to replenish and hydrate our skin. So, this is the step to use your moisturizers or night creams. You have prepped your skin and now you are going to hydrate & moisturize your skin. Depending on if you have normal, sensitive, oily, or combination skin will decide the amount your skin needs. If you need help figuring out your skin type I would love to help you! You can start here.
Keeping our skin hydrated helps to prevent fine lines and wrinkles. And I think we can all agree that we want less of those!
Step 5 – SPF Protection
Always apply your SPF protection last. If you are not using daily sun protection, I highly recommend it and so do dermatologists! If you are looking for a new one that is approved by the Skin Cancer Foundation and me, lol you should check out Monat’s Sun Veil. It is the last step in my daily skincare regime. And if you want more information, click here.
Important Tips!
Now that you know the order to apply your skincare products, I want to share a few important tips with you!
It is important that you allow each product to dry or absorb into your skin before applying the next product. The reason for this is it allows the active ingredients to work properly. If you do not you could potentially prevent the product from working to its highest performance or worse not work at all. One thing I do is keep a small handheld fan on my bathroom vanity and fan myself between “layers”. And it helps to speed up the process a bit!
If you are in doubt which products to apply first the general rule of thumb is thinnest to thickest. Of course, there are exceptions but if you can’t remember; cleanse, prepare, target, replenish, then go with thinnest to thickest!
Did any of this surprise you? Up until a few years ago, I had no idea that we should apply skin care products in specific order never mind letting them absorb before applying another! If you would like help with finding a new skincare routine that is perfect for you, please click here. I would love to work with you!
Please share your thoughts below in the comments!
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