Understanding how to incorporate products into your skincare regimen is as important as the products that you use when formulating an effective skincare regime. If you learn how to layer the products and apply them properly, you will be able to enjoy all the benefits each of them has to offer. Whether you are using one or more than one of the said products – serums, moisturizers, or treatment products, knowing the correct order to apply them is the key to achieving the most out of routine.
In this post, we will help you with the correct product layering technique and recommend which serums can be layered to achieve that perfect natural glow.
Why Layering Skincare Products is Important
Consider this information as weighing a make-believe sponge. Your skin is like a sponge in many respects, there is a limitation to how much of a product it can soak in at a time. As you construct the regimen as well, layering these products in the correct order will facilitate each product to its fullest potential without being blocked or overlapping each other. Apply the thicker, occlusive products such as moisturizers or oils, last, and the light products with all the active goodness such as serums first. This would not be effective as in all likelihood, the serum will not penetrate through the moisturiser.
Additionally, active ingredients work well when some serums are combined and others should never be mixed as they may irritate the skin. Therefore, knowing how to use serums and other products in an appropriate order will help you achieve all the benefits of your skincare routine without worsening the condition of your skin.
General Skincare Layers Rule: Layer From Thinnest To Thickest
Applying skin care products may be done in one of the two ways to get the best results from the products applied. Products are adopted in a certain order based on the texture with the thin ones first and the thick ones last. It also allows for more lightweight serums and treatments to be applied fully and absorbed before thicker or heavier creams and treatments are locked in.
The following is an outline of the basic skincare regime:
- Cleanser
- Serum(s)
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen (Morning)
- Face Oil (Optional, Nighttime)
Let’s take a closer look at how to layer these products and make sure you’re getting the most from your routine.
Step 1 Cleanser – The First Step
No skincare products will ever work unless a clean face is provided. Cleansing, for instance, helps get rid of dirt, old makeup, oil, and other buildup that has accumulated on the skin’s surface to prepare the skin for the products to be used afterward.
Types of Cleansers:
- Gel Cleansers: Perfect for the combination skin or acne-prone skin
- Cream Cleansers: A deep cleansing without drying the skin making it suitable for dry and sensitive skin.
- Oil Cleansers: Very dramatic to use as they remove waterproof skin products like makeup and sunscreen.
Step 2: Serums – Targeted Treatments
These are localized medication ideas, which make it possible to improvise for those who need quick results within a short span. Steps about serums are classified as serums for the specific trouble areas. This is also where acne, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and any issue that requires focused attention can be tackled. Since serums contain a high proportion of active ingredients, it is critical that appropriate order and spacing of serum application layers be adhered to strictly in order to achieve compelling results.
How To Apply Multiple Serums: If you are using a number of serums, layer them in order of texture, from the thinnest to the thickest. This is because thinner serums can absorb into the skin whereas the thicker ones are more potent on the skin surface.
Common Serum Types and How They Work Together:
- Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Serum:
Hyaluronic acid is a berg-and-dry cream of the beautiful anionic moisturizing cream that quenches the skin. It can be used as a first layer since it is very lightweight, and many people can experience hydration.
- Vitamin C Serum:
Vitamin C is a nutrient and an antioxidant that helps in skin brightening as well as fighting pollution. It complements watery HA as it requires moisture for the vitamin to work effectively. Apply in the morning for the best effect from sun and pollution.
- Niacinamide Serum:
Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is an anti-inflammatory that helps to suffer oily skin, acne, and hyperpigmentation. It is compatible with almost all ingredients rather than being troublesome to your serum. You may use it after vitamin C or retinol for better soothing solicitations.
- Retinol (Vitamin A) Serum:
Retinol is a great supporter of cellular replenishment, diminishes fine lines and wrinkled skin, as well as cures acne, thus it is regarded as a strong anti-aging ingredient. Considering that retinol is too strong and irritating to some skin types, it should preferably be worn at night and added on top of a moisturizing serum like HA or niacinamide to reduce the irritation caused by the products.
- AHAs/BHAs (Chemical Exfoliants):
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) help exfoliate dead skin cells and unclog pores. These should be used sparingly (2-3 times a week) and applied in the evening. Since they can make your skin sensitive to the sun, always follow with sunscreen during the day.
Serums That Work Well Together:
- Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin C: This hyaluronic acid serum provides amazing hydration and brightening for radiant-looking skin.
- Hyaluronic Acid + Retinol: In most cases, treated areas require moisture and in this case, additional skin therapy relieves irritation and discomfort from retinol.
- Niacinamide + Retinol: Retinol is known to dry up the skin but with niacinamide’s assistance, it helps to retain skin moisture and settle down any retinol-related irritations.
- Vitamin C + Niacinamide: Traditional myths have this view that these enhancing chemicals should not be combined. This is not true and these two work towards skin brightness and soothing.
Serums to Avoid Layering Together:
- Retinol + AHAs/BHAs: The two have strong exfoliating attributes and will be overdoing it using them in combination which is potentially irritating to the skin.
Step 3: Moisturizer – Lock in Hydration
Smooth texture is a key characteristic of any moisturizer which helps in maintaining moisture while allowing the active ingredients to perform. Pick your moisturizer according to skin type: Gel-based for oily and acne-prone skin. Cream-based for dry and sensitive skin. The moisturizer comes last, which is often only degenerative, after serums to help absorb everything you want in the skin. Moisturizer helps to reinforce skin barrier and moisture from today or overnight Golden glow naturally extends out all day & night.
Step 4: Sunscreen – Your Morning Locket
Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen ESPECIALLY SPF 30 or higher as the LAST item to your AM routine. For preventive measures, sunblock is crucial to cover the skin hence avoiding aging, hyperpigmentation, and sun-exposure damage.
When to Apply: It is a practiced and mastered rule that sunscreen should be the last in the morning skincare routine and before everything else in the day.
Step 5: Face Oil (Optional) – Lock in Moisture Overnight
For those who have very dry skin or simply want more hydration, facial oil can be the last step of a nighttime routine. Oils are occlusives which means they prevent transepidermal water loss as well as seal the moisture and active ingredients from the other steps. We recommend choosing oils from HBNO, who offer a wide range of options.
Additional Tips for Effective Product Layering
- Allow Time Between Layers: Provide each layer of products enough time for absorption before the application of the next layer. A guideline in this regard is to wait 30 seconds up to 1 minute after each application.
- Don’t Overdo It: A person can easily burst some of the products onto the skin and this might not be very safe particularly when layering several serums. It is best to leave only 2-3 serums at a time and cycle different ones to suit the condition do the skin.
- Observe how Your Skin Is Responding: The skin’s responses to treatments can greatly vary from one person to the other; not every combination of treatments is an ideal fit for every person. If your skin is scratching, you can cut down your skincare routine or change the order.
Conclusion
Knowing how to layer skincare is evidently quite beneficial to your routine as you can be able to elevate it. For instance, knowing the correct order for the application of skincare products as well as the combination of serums and treatments will assist you in coming up with ergonomic routines that will meet your particular skin requirements and offer optimal benefits. Clean the face and apply in the order of thinnest to thickest, while observing the effect on the skin for the best experience.
Having learned all the correct ways of layering up skincare products, you are safe in preparing for smooth glittering clear skin!
