Have you ever wondered if you are using your skincare products in the best way? Afterall, if you are going to spend your heard earned money on something, you want to be sure that you are getting the most out of it. And most importantly when it comes to skincare, we want results! As estheticians, we often get questions about what order to use products in and how to make sure that they are really penetrating the skin for maximum effect. Here is what we tell our clients every day.
1. CLEANSING
This may seem like a no brainer, but we are so often surprised by the number of clients who tell us that they often skip daily face cleansing, or go to bed with makeup or leftover sunscreen from the day. Cleansing your skin is the first step in a routine of taking care of your skin, preventing breakouts and anti aging treatments. Be sure to cleanse your face before your morning and evening skin routines, even if you haven’t worn any makeup.
For dry or normal skin , we recommend the B5 Hydra Cleanser. This soap free cleanser hydrates skin and protects from moisture loss during cleansing. For oily or acne prone skin, our BHA Clarifying Cleanser is a great choice. It is an extra-strength oil-dissolving cleanser with pore purifying Tea Tree Oil for a deep clean, and helps to control blemishes.
2. EXFOLIATING REGULARLY
Getting rid of the buildup of dead cells on the skin’s surface may be one of the most important steps to making sure you are getting the most out of your skincare products. If your skin is blocked by barrier of dead cells, the products placed on the surface may not be penetrating, and therefore never have their intended effect!
For example, our Gentle Enzyme Exfoliator is perfect for sensitive, pigmented and congested skin. Not only does it gently refine skin for an ultra smooth texture, but it brightens/evens skin tone and minimizes surface lines and enlarged pores. You can use this 2-3 times a week to make sure that your skin is fully prepped for the treatments and serums that follow.
3. Apply your serums and treatments when skin is still damp
The skin is a lot more absorbent when it’s damp, which is why we recommend applying skincare products immediately after cleansing and rinsing. You can also use a toner right before skin treatments to dampen the skin.
4. Steam your face like a pro
If you have ever had a facial treatment with an esthetician, you will have noticed that steam is always a part of the equation. The reason for this is that steam opens up the pores and softens the skin, maximizing product penetration. An easy way to do this at home is to add hot water to a large bowl and hang your head over it with a towel draped over to trap the steam. You can do this for a couple of minutes at a time, 2-3 times a week. We promise you will be able to tell the difference!
5. Layering products in the correct order
One of the biggest mistakes people make when applying their serums, treatments and moisturizers is to do it the wrong order. You may think that it shouldn’t matter since they are all going on your face anyway, so what’s the difference? The truth is that in order to make sure that each product will work as intended, penetrate your skin and have full effect, you must layer your products from smallest molecules to largest molecules. For example, products such as moisturizers have larger molecules than most serums. So if you were to place a moisturizer first, then the smaller molecules of the serum would not be able to get past the barrier of the moisturizer. Your serum would send up sitting on top and never penetrate your skin. For more details, we suggest you read our guide on How to layer skincare products.