There is no shortage of skin care products and treatments on the market that can lead to a healthy, radiant complexion. Experts say that in addition to choosing products that are right for your skin type, it's just as important to follow the proper sequencing rules for your skin care routine.
Using beauty products in the right order ensures your skin gets the most out of the products you're using. Otherwise, you won't get the most out of your daily care routine, says Dr. Shirley Chi, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles. "The most important thing when it comes to your skincare routine is absorption," she tells Bustle. "If you put on an occlusive moisturizer before applying your serum, your serum won't be absorbed, so you're wasting money. And you don't want to put anything on skin that's not clean or you might get Acne. " Think of it like getting dressed: You can't put your bra all the way over your top or it won't do its job. Your beauty routine follows the same philosophy.
A general rule of thumb is to apply product from thinnest to thickest, say esthetician and Fenty Skin global ambassador Sean Garrette and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Caroline Robinson. This is true regardless of your skin type or how many products you use. Although your morning and evening routine may be slightly different, you are using it. Of course, it all starts with a cleanser, which allows your skin to fully absorb the rest of the hydrating and nourishing ingredients in your regimen.
To find out, Bustle spoke with skin experts to learn all about skin care routines. And if you prefer to take the easy route, Garrett recommends turning to a skincare range, a step-by-step regimen put together by the brand.
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1. Cleaning
The most important part of any skin care routine is cleansing. "If you don't use a cleanser, you're leaving oil and impurities on your skin, which will prevent any product from being absorbed properly," Garrett tells Bustle. "Then even the best products won't achieve the desired results."
Make sure you cleanse your face thoroughly with a single or double cleanse (such as using an oil cleanser), but be sure to use a product that won't dry out your skin. You don't want a "squeaky clean" feeling, says Dr. Rachel Nazarian, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. "This is a sign that you're over-cleansing and stripping your skin of its natural moisture," she tells Bustle. Her tip? "Patting [your face] with a towel is an easy way to make sure all makeup is removed."
Dr. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Entière Dermatology, encourages the use of a gentle cleanser to prep your face without disrupting the skin barrier.
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2. Tone
Toner tends to be a polarizing beauty product. Levine says she often hears clients ask if this step is optional, and it really depends on you and your skin concerns. "Today's cleansers are gentler, have a better pH level, and don't require a toner after cleansing," she tells Bustle.
In addition to their primary purpose of balancing your skin's pH before applying your next daily product, toners can also hydrate (contain hyaluronic acid or glycerin), brighten (contain antioxidants like vitamin C), and exfoliate (contain fruit enzymes or chemical exfoliants), and treating skin problems like acne (using salicylic acid). If you do use a toner, apply it to damp skin immediately after cleansing.
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3. Eye cream
Applying eye cream is another optional step, depending on your preference and skin concerns. They are primarily used to treat conditions like dark circles and puffy eyes, and some can hydrate the area. Look for ingredients like vitamin C and retinol to fight dark circles, caffeine and antioxidants to fight puffiness, and skin moisturizers like squalane, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides to hydrate.
Levin notes that the skin around the eyes is thinner than the rest of the face, so timing of application is important. "I recommend that my patients use eye cream before other actives because the skin around the eyes is more delicate and more prone to irritation," she tells Bustle.
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4. Serums and treatments
After applying your eye cream (if this is your routine), start using your serum, working from the thinnest to the thickest concentration. These products contain concentrated active ingredients, which can be anything from vitamin C to anti-inflammatory agents, retinols or peptides, Levin said. And, depending on your skin condition and concerns, this step may contain one or more active substances - which is why the correct order is important.
"It's important that these ingredients come into contact with the skin so that they can change in the desired way," says Robinson. "For example, applying a treatment product on top of your moisturizer or sunscreen will dilute its effectiveness and defeat the purpose." If you use multiple active ingredients, you may want to separate them to prevent overloading your skin, says Nazarian (thereby causing irritation) - So, for example, use Vitamin C in the morning and then Vitamin C in the morning. Use a chemical exfoliant at night.
If you're using a hyaluronic acid product, Nazarian recommends applying that first. "It will help you tolerate [stronger actives like] retinol, which tends to be more drying," she tells Bustle. If your routine includes various serums or treatments containing active ingredients, you can always check with your dermatologist to make sure you're not using some products that shouldn't be mixed.
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5. Moisturizer
After applying your serum, it's time to seal it in with moisturizer. Chi notes that your moisturizer can be a water-based formula (ideal for oily skin types), an oil-based occlusive formula, or an emollient formula (aka thicker creams and balms).
"Moisturisers often have occlusive properties, as do certain oils in formulas, so using them before a serum can slow the penetration of the active ingredients in the serum," esthetician Tiara Willis tells Bustle. If your skin feels particularly dry or dehydrated, Robinson recommends using a thicker cream at night to help prevent moisture loss.
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6. Sunscreen
For a daytime routine, sunscreen should be used after moisturizer, or you can combine the two steps with a hydrating SPF. No matter which route you choose, this last step is non-negotiable. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologists recommend using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and reapplying it every two hours.
That said, the order of application will be different if you're using a mineral (formulas containing zinc or titanium dioxide) or chemical sunscreen. "Chemical sunscreen should be applied closest to the skin, so after toner and serum, but before moisturizer," says Chi. "It interacts with the top layer of skin, so it shouldn't be applied over thick creams or oil-based moisturizers." If you're using a mineral SPF, go for it last. "They're like shields that just block and reflect light from your face," Chi explains.
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