How to Layer Products in Your Skincare Routine

The first step is easy–if you wear makeup, we highly recommend removing all traces of it before going to bed. Use a cleansing balm or oil to gently and effectively melt and remove all face, eye and lip makeup, leaving skin ready for a thorough cleanse.

Now that your skin is free from makeup, it’s time to sweep away the day’s dirt and impurities. Every good skincare routine begins with a proper cleanse–this is the foundation for healthy skin. Effective cleansing will rid the skin barrier of the daily build-up of aggressors–sweat, urban pollution, pollution–without upsetting the natural pH levels of the acid mantle.

Exfoliators should be used once or twice a week to renew dull, congested skin. Whether you opt for a physical or chemical formulation–physical scrubs ‘slough away’ dead skin cells, while chemical acids dissolve them–your facial exfoliator should offer intense renewal for when your skin needs an extra-deep cleanse.

Unsure how to approach exfoliation? Experience ELEMIS expertise from the comfort of home with a complimentary skin wellness consultation

Applying a toner will complete your skin prep and ensure that skin is balanced and perfectly purified. With a consistency similar to water, your toner’s job is to balance the skin barrier’s pH after cleansing–the optimum number being 5.5–while removing any remaining residue. Toning will also help to remove minerals that may be found in tap water.

Adding an essence to your skincare routine is the best way to prepare the skin to receive maximum benefits from the treatments to follow. This step replenishes hydration and prepares the lipid barrier to better absorb the skin-enhancing actives in your favourite serums and oils.

We recommend applying a mask after your toner, once or twice weekly. Your toner will have purified and balanced the skin barrier, leaving it properly prepped for the potent ingredients in a face mask that want to sink deep into the dermis. Face masks are available in various textures, including clay, cream and gel masks, and each deliver unique skincare benefits to help maintain a clear, radiant and nourished complexion.

With the skin soft and supple after applying a facial oil, your treatment serum can easily plunge into the skin. The job of a serum is to absorb into the skin’s deeper layers to deliver a potent hit of actives and target your primary skin concerns­–be it ageing, pollution, blemishes or irritation. Your choice of serum may change from day to night, or even throughout the month to meet the unique needs of your skin.

Your facial oil is the first step in the ‘treatment’ phase of your daily skincare routine. These nutrient-rich formulas are the ultimate skin boosters; they penetrate deep into the skin to deliver concentrated ingredients and exceptional anti-wrinkle benefits. When applying a facial oil, it’s recommended to massage the oil into skin, which helps smooth and soften the skin, ensuring it’s fully prepped for next steps.

Apply your eye cream next, as you want it to absorb into the eye area’s delicate skin before applying a rich moisturiser. We recommend this specific order to help ensure the actives are delivered directly to the eye area. To combat the negative ageing effects of eye rubbing and pulling, treat this skin delicately, gently tapping the product onto skin, following along the orbital bone.

The densest product comes next in your line-up: moisturiser. Your moisturiser will lock in the benefits of the other skincare products that came before it. This helps ensure optimum skin benefits are received from all those powerful actives.

Your facial moisturiser may change from day to night, depending on the needs of your skin. Typically, your night time moisturiser would be a richer texture than your day cream because your skin loses the most moisture at night. Alternatively, if your daytime moisturiser is formulated with SPF, you’ll want to use that only in the daytime.

TIP: If your skin still feels dry after you apply a moisturiser, finish your routine with a few drops of your preferred facial oil, pressed on top.

Rain or shine, wearing sunscreen is essential in keeping your skin protected from burning, but also from the visible signs of ageing. If your daytime moisturiser contains SPF 30 or higher (look for broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection), this step is already covered. If not, apply your sunscreen after your day cream is fully absorbed and at least 15 minutes before sun exposure.

Sunscreen is often brushed off as optional, but did you know that sunscreen is your strongest defence against the visible signs of ageing? Make sure to choose a sunscreen that you love to apply. These days, there are many different forms and textures to choose from, including creams, BB creams, gels, powders, sprays and more. Select a sunscreen that best suits your lifestyle and stay protected.

The formulas, your compliance and the order in which your products are applied all greatly impact the optimal efficacy of your skincare routine. Curate a routine that suits your skin’s unique needs and your lifestyle preferences. Now that layering skincare is no longer a mystery, go out there and craft a skincare routine that’s perfect for you.