Using Skincare Products in the Right Order is Essential for Beautiful Skin
Using your skincare products in the right order is essential in building an effective anti-aging routine, giving you the best possible results. At Skin 2 Skin® our founder Kenneth Simpson believes a good skincare routine is how you apply and layer the products you have selected.
Step 1: Number of daily applications
The best results are achieved by applying the products twice a day morning and night to clean skin. Think of your skincare products as a prescription to keep your skin looking healthy and younger.
Step 2: Cleansing the skin
Cleansing is the first step in a healthy anti-aging routine preparing your skin to except the products that you are about to apply. Cleansing helps remove excess oil from the skin that bacteria feeds on and clears the pours of debris. If you selected the correct cleanser that is pH balanced and it removes makeup without drying the skin, and you eliminate unneeded toners and make-up removers. If the cleanser is of high-quality and none drying men can even use it to shave as with Skin 2 Skin’s White Tea Face Wash.
Step 3: Skin Exfoliation
Exfoliating Cleansers keep your skin appearing healthy and younger. By using an exfoliating cleanser, you eliminate having to cleans before exfoliating. We recommend that you exfoliate once a week for younger skin and two to three times as you mature. By exfoliating you are doing several positive things for your skin that include exfoliating away dead skin, reduce dullness and ruff texture as it stimulates the skin own rejuvenating powers. Scrubs come in a verity of options. If you want a walnut / nut, seed, or bamboo facial scrubs, make sure you use one that the particles are fine powder to avoid tearing the skin. Always use a gentle touch with this type of scrubs.
Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids combination of acids is excellent in a cleansing scrub because the different acids do specific duties. These natural acids loosen the bond of dead skin cells to accelerate exfoliation and the natural skin rejuvenation process. Also assists in reducing breakouts, fine lines, wrinkles, skin buildup, as well as signs of premature aging from sun damage, brightens the skin, improving texture, hydration and revives younger skin.
One of the worst exfoliators for the environment is any scrub / exfoliator with micro beads. They are plastic beads that do not degenerate. This has become an environmental disaster because they are found in our great lakes, oceans and in our water and food supply. Many countries and states have banned the sale of micro beads.
Chemicals and acid peals are best when performed by a dermatologist, med-spa or esthetician depending on the severity of the treatment. Be careful if you try to do this yourself at home, you can damage your skin.
Step 3: Facial Toners
As stated, before if your face cleanser is pH balanced no toner is need. Toners are used to re-balance the pH level of the skin after cleansing preparing the skin to receive and absorb the benefits of the products.
Step 4: Eye Serums, Gels and Creams
Always apply your eye products first. Your hands are clean after cleansing your face and neck. If not, then wash your hands before you apply any product or makeup. This will avoid transferring harmful bacteria or virus to your eye area where it can easily enter your body. If you love creams because they are heavy, then it is best that you use them at night. For day you will find that serums and gels are just as hydrating and lighter for day use. They also stay in place and are less known to be travelers like creams. Creams are also not more likely to be more moisturizing than an eye serum or gel. With serums and gels your eye makeup will not cake, streak or run but remain in place and look good throughout the day. Also is it less likely that with a serum or gel Milia will not develop around the eye area. Read our Skin Wellness blog post about eye products being essential part of and effective anti-aging regime.
Step 5: Boosters serums or creams
What are serums and boosters? They are a product with highly concentrated actives that focus on a specific function benefiting the skin. Water based serums are lighter in consistency and it is best if you apply them to dry skin before you apply any other products that are heavier including cream boosters. There are exceptions like Skin 2 Skin’s Anti-Sagging Renewal Serum where it can be applied now or after your daily moisturizer is applied. Either way is correct because it is designed this way and works as a light makeup primer.
Step 6: Daily Moisturizing
Smooth on your daily (AM & PM) moisturizer or night cream. Moisturizers are especially important for your skin as they contain important hydrators, moisturizers, actives, antioxidants, and vitamins. Select the moisturizer that will give you the most benefits for what you are looking to achieve with the product. Skin 2 Skin® takes our moisturizers more seriously and to a higher nutrient level than other companies do; our daily moisturizers contain essential skin nutrients from the 19 plant extracts we use that the skin needs. This includes multiple antioxidants (from 28 to 33), 10 vitamins, 19 amino acids including 7 of the 8 essential amino acids our body does not make, enzymes, fatty acids, and minerals that most skincare products lack. Our daily moisturizers provide the skin with all the daily nutrients with multiple peptides, bio-actives and stem cells depending on the product you select. If your product is well formulated like Skin 2 Skin with our Hydration Infusion Therapy System (HITS) there is no need to use facial oil on top of your moisturizer to seal it in.
Step 7: The importance of SPF
This is an important step that you should always do even if it is cloudy, winter or just staying home. UVA and UVB radiation rays penetrate through clouds and windows. The only time you should go without SPF is at night.
Is it best to have SPF in your skincare product or as a separate application? The latter is best and mineral SPF is best or at least an SPF with zinc oxide. Why a mineral SPF? They do not break down or absorb the UV rays, it reflects the UV rays away from the skin. Where chemical SPF break down and absorb the radiation through the skin. Therefore, you are instructed to reapply every hour. If an SPF is in your skincare product you need to reapply that product. If you use a mineral SPF or one with zinc oxide they last longer and need fewer reapplications. Avoid mineral nano-particle SPF it is so finely ground that it does not appear white, studies have found that it can be absorbed through the skin and end up in your blood stream, which is not healthy.