Mastering the art of Skincare Layering: Step by step guide

Like most things in life, leaving from point A-B is an order of events. It is not very different with skincare there is a chronology in our steps. You can’t possibly slap some moisturizer on your beautiful face beat. The order of application can significantly impact the efficacy of each product. So layering means the order in which you apply your products.

1. First things first you need to know your products. This means you understand what the product is intended for. So know for example what is your cleanser, toner, exfoliant, masque, serum, moisturizer, and SPF. Just so you are not using your masque as a moisturizer.

2. Your morning routine will most likely be different from your night routine. Some products cannot be used for the morning routine also given your lifestyle you could find that it is easier to exfoliate during your nighttime routine. You cannot for example use Retinoids in the morning but you have to use your SPF in the morning. This not only makes your products work better but also makes life easy for you I'd say.

What then is the basic order of a routine?

a) Cleanse

b) Exfoliate (the days you are exfoliating)

c) Masque(the days you are doing a masque)

d) Tone

e) Treatment( this refers to whatever serums you are using.)

f) Moisturizer

g) SPF

The rule of thumb is that you start applying from lightweight to heavy-weight products

3. The treatment  step could be tricky sometimes. This to me is the core of layering. This is where it could all go wrong or you can experience the best results. We can definitely use more than 1 serum at a time. However some will have an adverse effect when mixed(This will be discussed in detail subsequently). Depending on what exfoliant you have, you might be advised to either skip or tone it down when  using prescribed Retinoids for example. This is why it is important to talk to your dermatologist or esthetician when picking out products.

4. Also, you want to allow some time between product application. It could be matter of seconds. This is to allow the products to penetrate the skin sequentially for better performance. I like applying my serums by tapping in rather than rubbing.

5. Adjust the products according to your skin type, listen to your skin. This is why I also think wait time between products is important. With some products if your skin is sensitive you could feel a sensation and you are able to tell what product and how to counter act the effect.

6. Some common issues you could experience could include but not limited to peeling, burning sensation, redness. You could always use a cold jade roller or cold towel to calm the skin as a first aid. If effects continues you can talk to your esthetician or derm.

So summarily layering products can greatly improve the potency of your routine. Know what product should be used at what step and you need to listen to your skin. Have you had any clash in products or did you notice an improvement with layering products. Let’s hear your layering experience or any questions on products you want to layer