Drowning in skincare products with no clue which to apply first? You’re not alone. Keep reading for a quick guide on how to layer your products, as well as top tips for great skin.
The basics for any skincare routine
Cleanse, tone and moisturise was the mantra we heard when growing up. Thankfully, things have moved on for the better of our skin since then, but with the advancements in formulations, new ingredients, and their combinations, we now have a myriad of products to slot in, somewhere.
Layering your skincare products is key if you want to get the most out of your products. Remember, your skin’s main job is to keep external things out. Today’s formulas are sophisticated enough to bypass the skin’s natural function, however, there are rules, you still need to apply the most lightweight and easily absorbed products first and layering up to your heaviest/thickest, ending with Sunscreen (always ending with sunscreen). The idea? To apply products that have small molecular weight first as these are more easily penetrated by the skin.
A general rule of thumb:
Cleanse your face
Swipe over a chemical exfoliant
Why? It removes dead skin cells and any remnants of your cleanser
Facial toner/mist
Why? It will boost hydration if you have dry/dehydrated skin
Vitamin C in the morning and Vitamin A at night
Why? Vitamins will regenerate the skin's layers and even out skin tone
Serums – gels
If you have more than one, make sure to allow a few seconds between each application for maximum absorption.
Serums – oils
You can apply your oil serum after your gels or if your skin is extra-dry after your moisturiser for an extra boost to lock in the hydration. Just remember if you are following with makeup, apply your oil before your moisturiser not after.
Moisturiser
Sunscreen
Top tips for great skin
While the products you use, their strength, and frequency of use are entirely personal, there are steps we should ALL try to follow every day!
Cleanse your face every night – never skip this step
If you want to achieve glowing skin, don’t miss this step! Make sure you remove all traces of makeup, dirt, grime, and other impurities built up throughout the day. Double cleanse if you’ve been wearing makeup and/or sunscreen.
If you’re like me, when it rolls around to bedtime you are just so flipping tired, taking your makeup can feel like a huge effort. Great tip, take your makeup off as soon as you get home from work (this is usually when I take my bra off!)
Cleanse your face every morning
Start the day right! Now, it doesn’t have to be as intense as your evening cleanse, but you still need to remove any overnight skin cell shedding (oh yes, that happens to everyone). A quick wash with a lightweight cleaner such as milk/gel/cream is all you need.
Wash your face with the right equipment
Please, please, please don’t use face wipes! Not only are they terrible for the environment (reason enough I hear you say), but they don’t wash your face properly – NOTE; If you don’t start with a clean canvas your serums won’t work, wasting your hard-earned money. Our preference, a clean warm flannel.
Don’t smoke
Toxins from smoking (even second-hand smoke) wreak havoc with your skin – Nuff said!
Get some Vitamin D (Sunshine)
I know it can sometimes feel like you are neither coming nor going when it comes to this topic. We hear you, one minute you’re told to avoid the sun and then you’re told your body needs natural Vitamin D! But everything in moderation is the key.
Protect your skin with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or above (SPF 50 in summer)
Try not the spend ALL day out in the sun. Not possible? Remember to re-apply SPF hourly
We recommend keeping your moisturiser and sunscreen separate. Products that have anti-ageing ingredients may be compromised if it also contains sunscreen. SPF is a strong active and will often interfere with any other actives in the product. No thank you! I want my actives to work at their optimal level.
Spend your money wisely on good-quality skincare
It really is hard to know where to spend your hard-earned cash in a sea of skincare products. We have always prioritised our money using the ‘sandwich’ approach, i.e., spend your money on the filling. Work out your skincare budget (everyone’s different), and then spend most of that on the filling – simple.
The bread
In other words, your cleansers, and moisturisers. Your cleanser will prepare your skin but isn’t on your skin long enough to do anything other than clean it. Your moisturiser is there to seal in everything that has been applied before. Some moisturisers have added benefits that will help your skin, but they can’t contain the level of actives serums can.
The filling
The stuff that will really transform your skin - serums, retinol, peptides and so on. These products are more expensive for good reason. We’re not saying you need to spend a crazy amount of money here, please don’t spend the price of an expensive handbag on a serum! However, if you want a hard-working serum that contains more than one active ingredient you will need to spend a bit more.
Always use a high SPF (30+)
A drum worth beating we feel. We can’t stress enough how important it is to use an SPF daily. Come rain or shine, slap it on!
Try to avoid stress
Honestly, we hear you. This really is harder than said. Cortisol (stress hormone) is quite simply, public enemy number 1 with regards to your body’s cells and that includes your skin, so do what you can to keep this hormone in check.
Get your beauty sleep
This too can be tricky, and like stress, it will show on your skin if you’re not getting enough. There are products that can fake a good night’s sleep in a pinch – our Hydra B5 & Hyaluronic Acid serum is our BFF for this. But nothing beats actual sleep.
Eat and drink well
Topical cream, serums, etc, are brilliant but they can only go so far. If you want the absolute best skin health, not to mention overall general health you need to make sure you’re drinking enough water and not eating too much sugar, carbohydrates, fried foods etc. There are plenty of studies to prove you really "are what you eat", BUT we try to follow the "everything in moderation" tactic. Because when I want a doughnut, I want a doughnut.
Takeaway
Above all, listen to your skin. Remember that you are unique and that nobody else has your skin. No matter what anyone says, it’s important to find what works for you and always be kind to your skin. Once you have that, consistency is key. If you’re after results stick to your skincare routine and you will see results.