Many people who buy skincare products find it difficult to know in which order the products should be used. And skincare has become a whole science nowadays, so it's not easy to know how to do it right. Perhaps you've just bought an expensive facial cream or a serum that you don't want to waste with wrong timing? Here's the step-by-step order in which you should use your skincare products!
1. Facial Cleansing
Cleansers such as milk/lotion/gel/oil are used first to wash away makeup, dirt, and external impurities from the skin. They remove excess sebum and sweat that can clog pores. Take an appropriate amount of product, massage into your face, neck, and décolletage with circular motions, and then rinse off with lukewarm water. Oil-based cleansers may need to be wiped off with a towel or cotton pad before rinsing.
2. Exfoliation & Scrub
1-2 times a week, depending on your skin type, it's good to do an exfoliation. Peeling cleanses deeply, removes dead skin cells, and stimulates cell renewal. If you use an enzyme peel, it should be applied to damp skin over your face, neck, and décolletage (avoid the eye area). Then it should be left to work on the skin according to instructions, generally 5-20 minutes. Enzyme peels can be used on all skin types but are especially recommended for sensitive skin and problematic skin with pustules/acne.If you use a grainy exfoliator (mechanical exfoliation), it should be applied to damp skin. Then gently massage with circular motions over your face, neck, and décolletage. Avoid the eye area. Afterward, rinse off the exfoliator with lukewarm water. Mechanical exfoliation can be used on most skin types, but not if your skin is sensitive or acne-prone with white pustules or cystic acne. The granules in the exfoliator can irritate the skin and spread acne bacteria.
3. Face Mask
1-2 times a week, depending on your skin type, it's good to apply a face mask. Face masks are applied after cleansing and after any exfoliation. Face masks give the skin extra nourishment, moisture, and care. They are an intensive treatment for the skin, a good way to provide a large amount of beneficial ingredients in a short time. Generally, you should leave the mask on for 10-20 minutes, but follow the instructions on the packaging. Some face masks can be left on overnight. Rinse off the mask with lukewarm water and follow up with toner.
4. Facial Toner
Facial toner prepares the skin for care by tightening the pores that opened during cleansing and also acts as a carrier to deliver ingredients in serums and creams deeper into the skin. It removes residues of chlorine, salts, and minerals found in tap water and balances the skin's pH level. Spray the toner over your face or sweep a dampened cotton pad across your face and leave the skin moist.
5. Facial Serum
Serum should be applied to the skin while it's still damp. Serum provides extra nourishment to the skin, works deep down, and gives an extra boost. Serum can penetrate deeply into the skin and deliver a very high concentration of active ingredients. This makes them excellent anti-aging products.
6. Facial Oil & Facial Cream
Facial oil and facial cream provide care and hydration to the face. They protect the skin and also function as a barrier against air and environmental toxins. A facial cream or oil can be used alone or together with serum. Apply the serum first, followed by facial cream and/or oil. This locks in all the nourishing ingredients and protects the skin.
7. Eye Cream
Eye cream/oil/gel is moisturizing, firming, helps reduce swelling around the eyes and diminish dark circles. Apply the product just below the eyebrow and a few centimeters under the eye on the upper edge of the cheekbone. It's important not to place the product too close to the eye as it can easily make you feel "puffy" and irritate the eye. "Pat" the cream gently into the skin with one finger. Remember that the skin around the eyes is thin and sensitive, and it is therefore important to use a product specifically designed for that area. The skin around the eyes cannot absorb too strong a product, so don't overdose, as it can have the opposite effect and irritate the eyes.
Do you have any questions or want to share some wise tips with the rest of us? Write a comment and we'll answer!
