How to Layer Your Skincare Products for Maximum Benefits

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Whether you’re aiming for glass skin through the seven skins method or something way simpler, you must know the right way to layer your skincare products. 

The Importance of Layering Your Skincare Products Correctly

Only a small percentage of targeted skincare ingredients will penetrate the skin. So it is important to layer your skincare products in a way that will maximize the benefits of each product. The order in which you apply products affects the efficacy of many active ingredients in skincare products. Many of these products also have varying textures, so they must be applied in a particular order so that your skin has a chance to absorb them and avoid piling. 

How to Layer Skincare Products 

The first thing to note is to keep it simple while considering the number of products involved in a routine. Most experts agree that three to four products are enough in one routine. This will reduce the probability of applying products with ingredients that can neutralize one another or cause adverse reactions when applied together. 

We realize that your routines at night and morning are pretty different and involve different ingredients. So, layering will differ in both cases. 

Layering Products For The Morning Routine

1. Cleanser

While some swear by not washing in the morning, it may be safer to use a simple morning cleanser to start your morning routine. The cleansing is necessitated by the heavier oils that might have been used at night. In choosing your morning cleanser, consider your skin type, but a simple cleanser is always okay in the morning since you will do a thorough cleanse at night. 

2. Toners and essences

Toners help hydrate skin and are a lightweight way to deliver some skincare actives to your skin. They may not be necessary for every routine but you should consider them if you want extra hydration or find the actives in them appealing to your skincare needs. Apply toner with a cotton pad or spray or tap directly to the face in outward motions. People with dry skin should avoid toners containing astringents.

3. Serums

They are heavier than toners and would layer perfectly over toners. Antioxidant serums are a popular option and a particularly popular rave now is vitamin c serums. Vitamin c, vitamin e, ferulic acid, and resveratrol are antioxidants that could do you good in your serums. Resist the urge to touch the fancy droppers on your skin. This can make you mix incompatible products in your serum or introduce germs into the bottle. Instead, put a few drops of the serum in your hands and pat lightly on your face and neck. Yes, never leave out the décolleté during skincare. You may have more than one serum to apply, try leaving thirty seconds to one minute in between serums and products generally. 

4. Eye creams

Eye creams are not a necessity but they could come in when you have particular concerns such as lines around the eyes, dark circles and puffiness. Caffeine is famous for helping puffiness while retinol helps with lines. Find eye creams with the ingredients that you need. Eye creams may also help protect your eyes from your other harsh skincare products.

Normally, if you have no special concerns, your regular face moisturizer should be sufficient if it is suitable for use around the eye area.

5. Spot treatment

These are usually acne or blemishes treatments to be applied only on the affected parts. A good example is prescription-strength benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide can increase photosensitivity, hence, it is a bad idea to apply it all over your face during the daytime. However, it might be okay to use it to spot treat new pimples. 

6. Moisturizer

No matter your skin type, you need a moisturizer. The difference will lie in the type of moisturizer that you use. If you have dry skin, you should try something creamy or balmy. Combination skin will also thrive with creams. But those with oily skin may do better with gels. No matter what your skin type is, once it is acne prone, avoid comedogenic oils. Look out for moisturizers with peptides and ceramides as they may be beneficial for your skin. 

7. Sunscreen

We can never over-emphasize this. Find a type that suits your skin type and weather conditions. Preferably, it should be sweatproof and waterproof. Reapply every one and half hours. SPF 30 up to SPF 50 is perfect. Apply to the face, neck, and back of hands. If you’re not wearing protective clothing, apply sunscreen on your body too. 

Layering Products for the Nighttime Routine 

1. Oil cleansing

This will remove your makeup and sunscreen without pulling harshly at your skin like wipes will. Usually, all you have to do is gently massage the cleansing oil or cleansing balm onto dry skin and remove it with a warm towel or wipe it off afterward.

2. Water-based cleanser

This will take away the remnants of the oil cleanser, and dirt and make sure that your pores are clear. It prepares your skin for the rest of your nightly routine. If you have acne, you can find cleansers with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.  

3. Toners essences and boosters

Night time is perfect for you to rest and your skin gets to absorb most of the products aimed at repairing it. Toners, essences, and boosters are usually lightweight and do better when applied after cleansing your skin, right before you go into the heavier products. 

4. Treatments serums and peels

a. Exfoliation

This will help remove dead skin cells and absorb excess oil. Exfoliants could also reduce hyperpigmentation. To avoid over-exfoliating, do not exfoliate more than 2 to 3 times weekly, depending on your skin type. For choice of exfoliants, AHAs work for hyperpigmentation and dry or combination skin while BHAs are the gold standard for oily or acne-prone skin types. BHAs will help unclog pores and go deep enough to absorb excess oil. 

b. If you have tretinoin as part of your routine, you should not exfoliate on the nights that you use it. Also, avoid using benzoyl peroxide in the same routine as tretinoin. If tretinoin irritates you, you can try gentler forms of vitamin A such as retinol, bakuchiol, or granactive retinoid. 

5. Eye cream

Eye creams also serve other purposes apart from those discussed above. Eye creams can help to protect the delicate skin around your eyes from other products you apply to your face.

6. Moisturizer

You can use a different moisturizer at night if you wish as a lot of people tolerate heavier products at night. 

Related: Vaseline Therapy, The Secret To Moisturized Skin

7. Oils

Oils are packed with beneficial ingredients like fatty acids, antioxidants, and polyphenols. These ingredients in the oil give your skin a soft glow and help reduce inflammation. 

You probably think oils will make your skin break out but that’s not true. The trick is to find the right oil. If your skin is exceptionally oily or you are prone to acne, rosehip seed oil and jojoba oil are great options you should try out. Rosehip seed oil is considered a ‘dry oil’ because it easily soaks into the skin.