When it comes to your skincare routine, layering is something that you probably already do, a behavior you have already internalized. The products have to go on in order right? Until you figure out a way to put them all on at once that is, but as you will see, we wouldn’t recommend it.

So do you know why you are layering?

Knowing why you are doing something is critical to getting the most out of it. So let’s take a quick second to demystify the why of what you are doing since you probably already know the how.

How to Layer Skincare Products for Best Results

So, just in case, here is a quick summary of layering, the Skin Actives way.

1. Cleanse
2. Water-based serums
3. Oil-based serums
4. Creams
5. Sunscreen

Now you may be looking at this and thinking, “the Skin Actives way?” Well, to be sure, we didn’t invent this method and you’ll probably find it to be pretty common. But the fact remains that there are a lot of different people on the internet calling themselves “skin experts” and that some of them will have steps that are different from this. 

So why do we do what we do?

1. Cleanse - Cleansing is a no-brainer, right? If you were going to varnish a table, you’d clean it off first. There is really no sense in trying to make something look better if it’s already dirty. Now when it comes to your skin, we aren’t necessarily talking about visibly dirty. Your skin may look and feel radiant and wonderful, but that doesn’t mean that it’s free of sweat, surplus oils, microscopic dirt from the day, as well as pollution and ROS whose impacts have been magnified by exposure to the sun. So you’ll want to clean your skin, preferably twice a day, once in the morning, once in the evening. Skin Actives has a wide range of cleansers available to suit the needs of your skin. Check them out here!
2. Water-Based Serums - Oil and water don’t mix, right? That was perhaps the only thing we remember from high school chemistry. So it stands to reason that if we’re going to be putting some oil on our skin, and we should, that we shouldn’t build an impermeable barrier first. So we start with water-based serums. Our Advanced Ageless Collagen Serum is a top-flight, water-based, anti-aging serum that has been flying off the shelves since we’ve introduced it and it’s a perfect place to start.
3. Now some skin experts will say that you should tone before this step. We’re still not convinced that the toner in your medicine cabinet isn’t full of alcohol or other astringent chemicals, so we say: skip the toner. If toning is an important part of your routine, make sure yours is astringent-free, like Skin Actives’ Toner.
4. Oil-Based Serums - We’ve said it before, but we can’t say it enough: don’t be afraid of oils! Your skin produces oil because it needs it. If you live in a dry climate or work in a place with a lot of temperature-controlled air, or even if you are simply aging, your skin may not be producing enough oil. Battle dryness and seal in your water-based serums now with a layer of oil. Our Nourishing Oil Serum goes a long way to combat itch, so consider using it on your arms and legs.
5. Creams - By their very nature, most creams are a formulated blend of oil and water. This means that you can get the most out of putting it on at this step. Some experts contend that because of the water content in creams, you want to administer your creams before oil-based serums and we can’t fault the logic. Go with what works and feels best for you.
6. Sunscreen - Always, always, always put on sunscreen before you start your day. The day this newsletter is being written, it is overcast and rainy, I can watch the clouds from my office. Did I apply sunscreen to my face and arms before I left the house? Yes. Absolutely. Many companies are developing SPF creams to protect you from the sun. We’re one of them! Try our Advanced Ageless Anti-Aging Cream with SPF 30, or our Advanced Protection Sunscreen to cover this step. But even if you don’t use our stuff, use something!

Tips For Advanced Skincare Layering

Pro-Tip - Vitamin C products are going to neutralize the proteins in your formulations. That’s right, our advanced proteins that we sell independently and make-up the active backbone of some of our top-rated products are actually destroyed by the acidic tendencies of vitamin C. What can we say, proteins are delicate! So, the big takeaway would be, don’t layer your products with EGF, KGF, or any of our cutting edge proteins with our Vitamin C 15% or 20% serums.

Pro-Tip PART TWO! - A current trend to spray distilled water on your skin before applying serums or creams based around hyaluronic acid. The logic surrounding this is that hyaluronic acid activity carries a lot of water, but that it doesn’t care where the water comes from. So, if you don’t have enough surface hydration for the hyaluronic acid to carry into your skin, it will leech from the hydration you already have which results in drying out your skin. 

Well, there is probably some science that is yet to be done on all that. But we don’t hate the concept. All we have to say is if you’re going to add some extra hydration, why choose boring old distilled water? Consider this: spray a fine coat of our Anti-Aging Hydramist over your skin before adding your Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer or serum. That way, not only do you get the extra hydration, you also get a boost of tightening vitamins and minerals that your skin craves.