Serums, exfoliants, creams, masks, oils, and the ever-expanding list just goes on and on! There are countless different skincare products on the market. Believe it or not, the order your products get applied to your skin actually matters. When it comes to creating a perfect skincare routine, it can get pretty complicated. You want to reap all the benefits from all of your products without damaging your skin’s barrier, but you also want to maximize their efficiency to get your money’s worth.
It’s also important to know which ingredients you want to avoid applying together to make sure you don’t damage your skin, or have the ingredients cancel each other out. It may be complicated, but as long as you follow a few simple rules, you’ll be able to perfect your skincare regime in no time.
At the end of the day, it’s also entirely up to you and what fits your lifestyle for how simple or complex you want your daily routine to be. It’s about taking these rules and having them suit your needs.
While the products and active ingredients you choose are entirely up to you, there are a few rules that apply to every. single. person.
1. You must apply sunscreen every👏 single 👏 day. 👏
The majority of your skin’s degradation is caused by UV damage. No matter what you do, or how much product you put on your skin, you can’t “out product” daily sun damage. To see long-lasting results from your hard work, it’s vital that you protect your skin from future damage.
2. Use some sort of moisturizer for your skin type.
One of the best ways to help keep your skin balanced and protect your skin’s barrier is to use a moisturizer daily. Between showering, cleansing, and external environmental factors constantly stripping your skin, moisturizing is one way to help maintain your skin’s natural harmony and optimize your skin’s health. You can get a great lightweight, fast-absorbing (perfect for oily skin) moisturizer here.
3. Listen to your skin.
Your skin naturally changes constantly. Damn near anything can change the type or condition of your skin. For example, if you notice the winter months are making your skin feel tight, flaky, and dry, then incorporate a thicker moisturizing balm to help deliver extra moisture to your skin. Be flexible and kind to yourself and your skin when you see any shifts or changes happening.
Now that that’s out of the way, we can get onto what you really came here for. The best order to apply your skincare products. To make it even easier, we made this infographic for you to save and follow whenever you need it.
When in doubt, always start with your routine with a cleanse, then work your way from lightest to heaviest (or water to oil). The thinner the product, the earlier you want it in your routine. The heaviest and oiliest products are a great way to finish your routine with a moisturizing, occlusive (which is a protective layer on the surface of your skin that creates a barrier to prevent moisture loss) layer to seal everything in for maximum absorption.
Daytime:
If you want to maximize your efforts and make your skincare work smart, not hard, then you’ll want to pick ingredients that do well when exposed to the sun.
Vitamin C makes the perfect daytime serum because it has strong antioxidant and anti-pigment effects that work in overdrive when paired with a good SPF.(1) Click here to get your potent Vitamin C+ multivitamin serum.
Nighttime:
At nighttime, that’s the perfect time to apply heavier products that may feel too thick during the day. That’s also the best time to use ingredients (like retinol, AHA/BHA and chemical exfoliants, etc.) that could potentially cause more light sensitivity, making you more prone to sunburns. Sometimes you’ll want to treat yourself and include some special steps that you wouldn’t necessarily do every day (like exfoliation or masks). A good rule of thumb is to do those after you cleanse your face, and before following with the rest of your routine.
Ingredients To Avoid Using Together:
Vitamin C & forgetting SPF: Sunlight and UV rays can help boost the effects of Vitamin C (especially paired with Ferulic Acid), however forgetting to apply your daily SPF can cause your skin to become more sensitive to light and increase your risk for sunburns and UV damage.
Retinol with other exfoliants (chemical and physical): Some people can be super sensitive to both retinal and exfoliants. Both are great to implement into your routine, we just wouldn’t recommend using them on the same day, as it may increase irritation in your skin.
Mixing SPF with any other product: SPF is formulated to work exactly as is, and if you mix together SPF with makeup, moisturizers, etc, you run the risk of causing your SPF to become less effective. It’s important to apply your SPF in a single layer after your skincare has been applied (and given a minute to absorb) and before applying makeup on top.
With this information, you can go forward with confidence to build your perfectly tailored skincare routine and become a glow getter. Do you still feel like you need more detailed information on ingredients or product recommendations? Feel free to book a complimentary virtual skincare consultation with MR. C Skincare’s licensed esthetician.
Does all of this still feel like way more work than you want to put in? No worries! We made another infographic for the glow getters that want to keep it simple and minimal. No muss, no fuss, just your bare-bones for balanced, glowy skin. In a sea of dull complexions, be a glow getter.
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