A Guide to Layering Skincare Products Correctly

Fact: The order you apply skincare can make or break your results. So which product comes first? From cleansing and skin prep, to treatments and masks, here are a few simple skincare tips to ensure that the products in your routine are applied in the correct order. Bright, hydrated, glowing skin is just a couple of steps away.

Step 1

Cleanse

Let’s start with the most basic and arguably the most important part of your routine: cleansing. Cleansing seems like a simple endeavor but you should actually be thinking of it as 50% of your routine. This first step is meant to remove the day from your visage and prep your skin for treatment products to follow. 

First and foremost, start thinking about cleansing as a two-step process. Your first cleanse will be dedicated to gently yet effectively removing makeup, SPF and the daily grime and pollution your skin may be exposed to. Oil, cream and balm cleansers tend to work best for this first step as their oil rich formulas can help to break down the products on your skin that are designed to stay there throughout the day, i.e SPF and makeup. The first cleanse breaks down these products and lifts them from your skin to ensure that there is nothing foreign blocking your skin from absorbing and benefiting from the products that follow in your routine. 

After the first cleanse it’s time to cleanse, again! While it may seem excessive to cleanse your skin twice, especially after you’ve already removed your makeup, it’s imperative that you take the time to do it once more to ensure that your skin is truly clean and your pores are freed of any additional debris that may not have been picked up the first time. Think of this second cleanse as more of a treatment cleanse. Take this opportunity to treat your skin with the proper ingredients that will help to hydrate, balance or purify. Depending on genetics or seasonal weather, the needs of your skin may change over time so adjust accordingly. For the second cleanse, you may use the same creamy or oil cleanser that you used in the first step, or if your skin requires something a bit more refreshing you can use a gentle, non-foaming gel cleanser.

Step 2

Tone

Now that your skin is truly clean and refreshed from the day, it’s time to move into toners. Not to be confused with the stripping and drying toners of the past, toning is a necessary step to help rehydrate and balance your skin. Depending on what your skin type is, you should either look for toners designed to soothe and add moisture or toners designed to balance and help control oil. Keep it simple. You’ll want to look for toners that are alcohol-free and contain lightweight moisture binding ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.

Spritz or pat on your toner post-cleansing before you move onto your serums and oils. We love Sea Minerals Mist with Organic Seaweed and Aloe Vera for its cooling and soothing properties. Sea Vitamin Boost with Vitamin C and Red Algae is our must-have toner for an instant burst of antioxidant hydration.

Step 3

Eye Cream

Here’s where things take an unexpected turn: eye cream. The area under your eyes is a delicate and tender area. Applying an eye treatment at this stage can also help create a soft barrier from the other products in your routine. The eye area doesn’t require immense layering as that has the potential to cause milia. So for ease, just remember it’s best to apply dedicated eye products first, before moving onto facial serums, oils and moisturizers.

Step 4

Serums

Let’s talk serums. These lightweight concentrated formulas are generally considered to be the workhorse of your routine. They are often designed with a more liquid-like consistency, are easily absorbed and boast high concentrations of active ingredients like Vitamin C, peptides, Hyaluronic Acid, retinol or botanical actives. Depending on your skin goals, pick the serum that best fits your needs and apply it after your toner or mist on damp skin.

Step 5

Moisturizers & Oils

We’ve made it to our final category! Oils and moisturizers. Many will say that these two products are interchangeable and to a certain degree that’s true. Depending on the season and your skin, you can use either an oil or moisturizer to lock in hydration and complete your skincare routine. You can also combine your oils and moisturizers in the following two ways:

Option 1: Oil as a treatment. Some oils are used for treatments, more like serums. An example of this would be Essential Corrective Complex, which targets blemishes. If you’re using an oil as a treatment then you’ll want to apply it on damp skin after your serums but before your moisturizer. Spritz your skin once more with a toning mist and then apply a small amount of the oil all over the skin with gentle patting and upward motions. Follow up with the appropriate moisturizer and you’re good to go!

Option 2: If your skin tends to be on the drier side, including an oil into your routine can help boost moisture retention and create a shield against the elements. In this case you can be a little more flexible in your application and choose the order that works best for you. You can layer oil underneath a moisturizer on damp skin, blend it into your moisturizer, or use it as a final layer on top of your moisturizer to really lock everything in. With either of these options your skin will be nourished and deeply cared for.

As always, if you’re applying your skincare in the daytime you should follow up with your favorite SPF, but this general order of application is applicable to both day and night routines. So no matter what products you’re using or when you’re applying them, this simple order of use will ensure the best results from your products.