Learning to layer like a pro!

The order in which you apply your skincare products can be incredibly confusing especially if you have a bathroom cabinet filled with a library of must-have serums, essences, oils and moisturisers all promising eternal youth and all of which you are desperate to reap the rewards of.

A skincare regime is a bit like assembling IKEA flat-packed furniture though - it is important to follow the steps in order or you may miss out on some of the greatest benefits from your skincare products. What I love about skincare layering is that it totally allows you to personalise your skincare regime depending on how your skin is feeling and performing but get it in the wrong order and you could do more harm than good!

Always the First Step

Whether you’re a micellar water lover, enjoy a luxurious foaming facial wash, prefer a good old creamy cleansing milk or you're a die-hard obsessive who loves a lavish cleansing balm, the first step in your morning or evening routine has to be cleansing. The skin comes into contact with a lot of different substances during the day – pollution, pollen, dirt, sweat and not to mention the layers of make-up you’ve meticulously applied and they can all smother the skin and clog pores preventing your skin cells from functioning effectively.  Prepping your skin canvas ensures it is perfectly primed for the rest of your daily regime.

Transforming Cream Cleanser 200ml
Therapie Purete Mineraux Marins Milk Cleanser 200ml
Melatogenine Refreshing Cleansing Cream 250ml 

Essences, Serums, Elixirs & Oils

It is an absolute minefield these days when it comes to the many different types of skin layering products around.  When thinking about layering, there is two main factors to consider: the consistency of the products and the active ingredients within them.  My golden rule is to layer from lightest to heaviest, because products with a low viscosity normally boast a smaller molecular structure meaning they can penetrate more deeply into your skin maximising results. If you apply a product with a heavier viscosity first it can inhibit the ability for other products to penetrate the skin. 

A Serum is a product that you layer under a moisturiser – serums are like supplements for the skin.  Traditionally serums are water based, made up of smaller molecules and contain high concentrations of active ingredients which makes them a great tool for penetrating deeply into the skin and targeting specific concerns.  Every skin type will benefit from a serum!

APPLICATION: Morning and evening. Once the essence has absorbed apply one pump of serum to the face and press into the skin with the flat of hands. 

Elixirs are very powerful rejuvenating serums which are packed with potent anti-ageing actives and are typically used at night-time to support the skin’s regeneration process whilst encouraging effective skin detoxification.  

APPLICATION:  I suggest using an Elixir every evening in place of your serum for a one-month course.  The one-month course can be repeated 3-4 times a year or as the skin requires it.

Eyes and Neck

The eyes and neck are sensitive and vulnerable areas that are greatly affected by ageing and require their own dedicated specific care.

APPLICATION:  Apply a specific eye or neck product morning and evening underneath your moisturiser. Use your ring finger to apply an eye product to the eye orbit area and perform upward strokes from the décolleté up to the jawline when applying a neck product.

The Icing on the Cake

A Moisturiser is a skincare product that is formulated to moisturise and protect your skin against trans-epidermal moisture loss and free radical attack.  They come in a myriad of different formulas designed specifically for different skin types and they have more of an emollient consistency. A moisturiser is non-negotiable whatever your skin type.

APPLICATION: Morning and evening – the final layer of your skincare regime.

An SPF should always be applied last as it forms a uniform shield on top of the skin to protect it against UV rays.

APPLICATION: Every morning as the last step in your skincare regime.

Lucy x