You might ask, does it really matter in what order I apply my skin care products. Yes it definitely does.You might have the most amazing skincare routine in the world, but if you're applying your products in the wrong order, you can prevent your skin from receiving the full benefits. This can not only diminish the overall effectiveness of your routine, but it could even leave your skin irritated, dehydrated or broken out. (Oh, and it wastes a lot of good product, too!)
Step 1. Make Up Remover - If you wear products with silicone in them, you need to double cleanse at night. I recommend our Love My Face Cleansing Oil. After massaging it around for a few seconds, I drape a wet, warm cloth, letting the steam soften my skin for about five seconds. Then I use it to gently wipe off the oil, repeating up to four more times. Or as an alternate you can use our Lavender Micellar Water. Moisten a pad and swipe around face until all traces of makeup are gone.
Step 2. Cleanser - Once your makeup is off, it's time to actually clean your skin. You can start here in the mornings. In the evenings, this step will also ensure that you haven't left any makeup residue on your skin (where it could lead to irritations or breakouts). Apply cleanser of choice and massage it around for a few seconds. Rinse well and pat dry. My personal favorite cleanser is NasCia Naturals Vitamin C Cleanser.
Step 3. Exfoliator or Toner - Post-cleansing, I'm a big advocate for daily mild exfoliation with alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids. As long as you're not overdoing it, you'll see such a positive difference with your skin texture, tone and clarity. Plus, this step will help to remove any dead cells that can interfere with the absorption of your other products. I like NasCia Naturals Berries and Oxygen Face Polish. It is mild enough to use daily.If you are not exfoliating, I recommend a balancing toner after cleansing.
Step 4. Treatment Products - Here's where the most active products in your routine come in. You want them on clean, bare skin without a lot of dead cell build-up, so they can have the best chance of penetrating deeply. Acne spot treatment, such as NasCia Naturals Blemish Buster for those that are battling acne or our Anti-Acne Clarifying Serum. Other serums to try is our #1 best selling serum, Hyaluronic and Ceramide Serum. We have several to choose from and I am certain you will find your perfect fit.Step
5. Chemical Sunscreen - I don't recommend chemical sunscreen. But if you're going to use one, you should ideally put it on before your daytime moisturizer. That's because it works by penetrating into the bloodstream, so you don't want any creamy, oily products to dilute its absorption and reduce your protection. Given the choice, I will ALWAYS choose a mineral sunscreen instead of a chemical one. That means I look for products that contain zinc oxide, or a combination of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Yes, even though they're hard to find—and even harder to formulate well. Mineral SPF has a bad rep for giving a white cast to the skin (although that's becoming less of an issue with some of the newer products.
Step 6. Moisturizer and Eye Cream – Next comes moisturizer. There are several schools of thought on whether a moisturizer is necessary or not. Some say that unless you have dry skin, a moisturizer is not necessary. However, I whole heartedly disagree with this line of thinking. In my opinion, everyone needs to wear a moisturizer. You just need to find the one that is right for your skin. Even oily skin and acne skin can benefit from an oil free moisturizer. Of course you do not want to use a moisturizer that has petroleum products that set on top of the skin. Eye cream or eye gel is another one that I am a firm believer in. But if cost is a factor, go for the moisturizer first. If you wonder if you need eye cream, look in the mirror. Do you see signs of sun damage? Are little crinkles starting to creep in around the eye? Look at your close relatives. Do they have Laugh lines, crows feet or sun damage? Then you should probably begin the practice of applying an eye cream or eye gel. Our anti-oxidant eye cream has an added benefit…it is great to apply to tops of hands that have begun to show signs of aging from sun exposure.
Step 7. Face Oil - Not everyone has to use a face oil, but if you do, it should always be your last moisturization step. This is because it acts like a barrier, locking in the hydrating benefits of your other products. (So, anything you put on top of it won't absorb as effectively.) On my normal to combo skin, I usually apply our Good Night Recovery Serum instead of moisturizer at night, with just a serum underneath it. If you're really dry, serum, moisturizer AND face oil for maximum moisture benefits. I choose to not use an oil in the morning, but apply my Age Defense Aloe and Silk or Argan Moisturizer.
Step 8. Mineral Sunscreen - If you're like me and prefer mineral sunscreen, it should be the last skincare product you apply during the daytime. Unlike chemical filters, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide work by sitting on top of the skin and reflecting away the UV rays. There are only a handful of mineral sunscreens that actually contain enough zinc oxide for adequate UVA protection. In a nutshell, you want at least 15 percent zinc oxide; avoid titanium-only formulas because they only protect against UVB. I've searched high and low for great mineral sunscreens, and Cyberderm and Derma E have the most elegant, non-whitening formulas I've found. Step 9. Foundation - Finally, you can apply foundation, if you wear it! I consider makeup to be skincare. Even if I am not going out I apply our Beauty Balm Cream with also has an SPF factor of 30. I love the way it makes my skin feel and look. Our liquid mineral foundation is also all natural and has an SPF of 25. Sometimes I combine the BB Cream and Mineral Foundation. We now carry our CC Cream which is the lightest coverage of any of our foundation products, but a power house product. It also can be worn alone or under other foundation.
Step 10. Conclusion - I hope this helps demystify the layering process! When in doubt, the general rule is to apply your products in order of thinnest to thickest. Anything light and liquidy will have an easier time penetrating bare skin, while thicker creams and oils should be saved for the end, to lock everything in.Also consider which product or treatment is the most important in your routine. If you need serious results, apply it before you hydrate or protect, so it won't have to sink through as many layers to do its job.Let me know if this works for you!