How to Layer Skincare Products for Best Results
If you’ve ever wondered how to achieve that coveted glow or tackle specific skin concerns effectively, mastering the art of layering could be your ticket to skincare success. It’s not just about slathering on creams and serums haphazardly. There is a “correct” way to strategically apply products to maximize their benefits and enhance your skin’s overall health.
In this guide, we'll dive into:
Whether you’re a skincare newbie or a seasoned enthusiast, understanding how to layer products correctly can transform your routine from basic to exceptional. So, if you’re ready to optimize the effects of all your skincare products, let’s gooo!
The Correct Way to Layer Your Products
As a general rule, when layering skincare products, it's best to apply them from lightest to heaviest formulas to maximize absorption and efficacy. What this looks like in terms of products is:
Cleanser
Start with a clean face. Before applying any products, it’s important to ensure your skin is clean as this helps products penetrate better and prevents buildup of subsequent products.
Toner
After cleansing, use a toner to balance your skin's pH and create a smooth, hydrated base that is prepped to absorb the subsequent products. Toners can also help to remove any leftover cleanser, further supporting proper absorption of other products.
Serums and Treatments
Serums, essences, and targeted treatments should come after the toner. Now that your skin is clean, hydrated, and prepped to absorb other products, your serums and treatments, which are typically packed with active ingredients like vitamins, antioxidants, or peptides, can properly work their magic. Apply these in a thin layer, and gently press them into the skin for better absorption.
Eye Cream (Completely Optional)
If you use an eye cream, apply it before your moisturizer. Eye creams are typically formulated to be used on the delicate skin around your eyes to address specific concerns like dark circles or puffiness. Applying eye cream before your general moisturizer minimizes the risk of heavier moisturizers creating a barrier that might prevent the eye cream from fully penetrating and working as intended.
Moisturizer
After your serums (and eye cream if you’re using one), apply a moisturizer to lock in hydration and create a barrier on your skin to prevent water loss.
Sunscreen (Morning Routine)
In the morning, a broad-spectrum sunscreen should come as the last step in your routine to protect your skin from UV damage. Apply it generously (don’t forget your neck!) and allow it to absorb before applying makeup.
Facial Oil (Night Routine)
If your skin needs extra moisture, you can use a facial oil after the moisturizer step of your skincare routine. Facial oils are typically used at night as using them during the day might cause shininess. However, if used during the day for extra moisture, facial oil should be applied prior to sunscreen.
Following this order of layering skincare products will help optimize their efficacy, meaning you get the most out of your products.
Another tip is to apply each product in thin layers and allow each product to fully absorb before moving on to the next. This helps to prevent pilling and ensures that each product can perform effectively.
And lastly, pay attention to how your skin responds and adjust your routine as needed. If you’re using more than one treatment or active ingredient, be mindful of potential skin reactions because there is such thing as TOO MUCH.
Why Order of Skincare Products Matters
As was alluded to a bit earlier, applying skincare products from lightest to heaviest helps maximize their effectiveness and helps ensure your skin reaps their benefits. Below, we go a bit deeper into why:
Optimal Absorption
Lighter formulas, such as serums and essences, have smaller molecules that can penetrate the skin more deeply and efficiently. By applying these first, you allow them to reach the deeper layers of your skin without being blocked by heavier products. If you apply heavier products first, they can create a barrier that prevents lighter, more potent ingredients from absorbing properly.
Preventing Pilling
Pilling, or the formation of little flakes/balls of product on your skin, often occurs when products don’t layer well. Sometimes certain skincare ingredients react poorly when mixed together. Or other times, applying heavier products under lighter ones may disrupt the consistency and absorption of the lighter ones, causing the lighter products to form the pills, preventing them from reaching the deep layers of your skin. By layering from lightest to heaviest, you reduce the chance of this occuring and help create a smooth canvas for your skincare products to be absorbed.
Effective Hydration
Your skin is prepped to absorb products with active ingredients more readily when it is hydrated and healthy. When your skin is wet, it is often more permeable and the moisture can spread the product more evenly across and deeply into your skin, making it more receptive to absorbing skincare products. Therefore, wetting the skin with a hydrating toner as the first step in your skincare application is important for ensuring the subsequent products can get absorbed to their full potential.
And now you know the how and why behind layering your skincare products to achieve a glowing, healthy complexion. I hope this post was informative and helps you on your way to a more effective skincare routine!