How To Apply your Skin Care in Proper Order

It may seem like an exaggeration, but our skin care routine is EVERYTHING. How we treat our skin affects how our makeup looks and how we age.

It also helps us from troublesome skin issues and can lessen signs of skin discoloration. But with all of the products on the market and each cream and wash serving a different purpose, it’s hard to keep it all straight.

Am I supposed to moisturize my face before applying eye cream? Or is that serum supposed to go on after my toner? It can be confusing, to say the least!

Since the purpose of lotions and serums is to penetrate the skin, allowing active ingredients to work their magic, the order these products are applied is of the utmost importance. To ensure you’re doing it right – nourished skin and a youthful face aren’t far away – follow these steps:

Every product can’t get the coveted “clean, dry skin” real estate, so how do I prioritize?

THE BIG QUESTION:

Where do I start, what goes on next and do all of these steps even make a difference?

THE SIMPLE ANSWER:

Apply products according to texture. Start with the most fluid consistency and progress to the thickest. Think about it — will a delicate serum be able to do its job if it can’t get passed a layer of luxuriously emollient “seal in the moisture” night cream? Probably not.

So here’s the breakdown. Remember, just because it’s listed here does not necessarily mean you need to, or should be, using it.

The Steps (before “The Real Steps”)

① CLEANSE

Must-Do for all. Twice a day, every day, everyone. The texture and benefits of your cleanser will vary depending on your skin type, but the number of times you should be doing it should stay the same.

② TONE

Not Necessary. This step is debatable. I like to use toner because I can see residue come off on a cotton ball, even after I’ve washed my face. It’s kind of like the feeling you get when you dump out your vacuum canister after a major day of cleaning (usually follows a major few weeks of NOT cleaning).

If it’s a mattifying toner, it might kindly deposit invisible micro silica to absorb excess oil throughout the day. If it’s an anti-acne toner, there may be a bit of salicylic acid in it to clear pores. Balancing toners will hydrate and condition your skin.

Primarily, toners are meant to prepare your skin for superior absorption of the goopy goodness that follows:

The Confusing Skincare Steps, UNCONFUSED:

① EYE CREAM – PROTECT

It’s a good idea. Here’s why it goes first: the stuff you’re about to use next probably contains a lot of active ingredients that are too harsh for the delicate eye area. I like to use my eye cream as a protectant so that it seals the area from crepey-eye-causing ingredients.

② SERUM

Not necessary, but for the 30s and up, it’ll make you feel like you’re proactive and invest in your skin.

When it comes to skincare, lightweight serums are the heavy-hitters. They contain skin-penetrating micronutrients and active ingredients that have important beneath-the-surface jobs to do like collagen-boosting and promoting cell turnover. They are also fast-absorbing so that you can move on to step #3 in a jiffy.

③ ACNE TREATMENTS

You know if you need it. This stuff can be pretty harsh. If possible, use it sparingly, and on the areas of your face that require it.

Usually gel-like in texture, topical acne meds are lightweight and dissolve pretty quickly.

④ MOISTURIZER

A MUST for all. Your moisturizer, whether it’s the oil-free hydration kind or the rich, emollient kind — will work to add moisture, seal in the goodness you applied before it, and hopefully repel evil environmental free radicals. Oily, dry and combination skin types need hydration. No skimping on moisturizer! Just find the right one for you.

⑤ SUNSCREEN

Doctor’s orders, so yeah … a must. Sunscreen should be the very last skincare product you put on your face. Its sole purpose is to use reflective minerals to act as a barrier between your skin and the sun’s harsh UVA/UVB rays (aka. the rays that make you look old, fast). Those same rays also cause one of the deadliest forms of cancer — so it’s no joke.

Personally, I don’t trust “chemical sunscreens” — the kind that requires a soaking time. I don’t much like the texture and oily look of physical sunscreens either (the kind I mentioned above), but for what it’s worth, I think it’s the more natural way to go since we have to use them.

So now that you understand the science behind your skincare steps, you can customize a skincare routine that works for you. Good luck and happy schmearing!