Layering Skin Care Products - Step by Step

Many people may be confused as to what products to put on their faces and in what order. This will show you in what order to use skin-care products on your face. You don’t need to use everything that I am going to show you, but if you have all the products I’m about to discuss you will know how to use them.

DAY:

Step one: cleanser

You must always start by washing your face to dissolve dirt, oil and grime, which can block pores and keep other products from getting in and doing their work. You need to find a good cleanser that your skin responds well to, and stick with it. I’d suggest using a mild foaming cleanser in the morning and lukewarm water which is all you need for removing excess oils from your nightly moisturizing. Never wash your face with hot or cold water because both can cause broken capillaries. Also be careful about over cleansing skin because you don’t have too much gunk to wash off when you first wake up.

Step two: exfoliant

Exfoliating in the morning promotes a smooth surface for makeup application. Exfoliation is the step most people skip in their skincare routine. Trust me, if you start properly exfoliating your skin, you will notice an almost immediate difference. I suggest doing this 3 times a week if you can’t daily. Make sure you use a gentle scrub with tiny grains. Big grains in cheap scrubs can tear skin and cause more harm than good. You can also consider using chemical exfoliators.

Think of layering skincare products as you would layering clothes in winter. Start with the thinnest item and end with the thickest.

Step three: toner

Many experts don't promote toning. One of the many misconceptions about a toner or toning product is that they are supposed to remove the makeup and impurities that your regular cleanser leaves behind. The bottom line, however, is that a good facial cleanser will remove all of your makeup when you wash your face, leaving nothing but perfectly cleansed skin behind. Nowadays, most cleansers in the beauty aisle or department store have a toning agent built in, making the addition of a stand-alone toner an unnecessary expenditure. I firmly believe it's up to you. If you like the way your skin feels with a toner. Buy it. Use it. Enjoy it.

Step four: prescription products

Always apply prescription topicals first, on clean, dry skin, to enhance their penetration. Many are designed to be used twice daily, so make sure they're at the top of the order at night, too.

Step five: antioxidant serum

Free radical-fighting serums are crucial for daytime wear when your skin needs protection from the sun and pollution. Antioxidant serums have been proven to benefit the skin. Antioxidant serums fight free radicals, repair collagen damage, and help sun damage skin. Adding an antioxidant serum to your skincare routine can also enhance your sunscreen's protection. Finding the best antioxidant can be very difficult, because there is no proven be all end all antioxidant. Buy a serum that is in dark container if possible and not in a jar. Light and air will destabilize your antioxidant serum causing it to be ineffective.

Step six: eye cream

Pat it on prior to moisturizing. Topping an eye cream or serum with lotion will actually seal in its active ingredients. Your morning eye product should contain moisturizing humectants like glycerin and propylene glycol.

Step seven: redness relievers

These products include ingredients like green tea (which contains caffeine) and niacinamide to constrict capillaries and reduce redness. Take advantage of these visible benefits by using them during the day, in place of your regular moisturizer. Always pair them with sunscreen, and cut back on other potentially irritating products such as retinoids, scrubs and alcohol-based serums, which aggravate ruddy complexions.

Step eight: moisturizer

A basic law of beauty is that everyone, no matter her skin type, should moisturize. Even if your skin is oily, it will benefit from moisturizers. Moisturizers seal moisture into skin. By applying them almost last, they actually lock in your other products, boosting their efficacy. If you were to put them on first, your lighter, water-based gels and serums would slide off your face instead of sinking in. So how much should you moisturize? Your skin will tell you. When your skin is tight, it's crying out for moisture. Be careful not to over moisturize -- this can cause clogged pores.

Step nine: sunscreen

If your moisturizer doubles as an SPF 30 or higher sunscreen you can omit the additional sunscreen

Step 10: makeup primer

Whether using it to fill in lines, hide pores or just create an even canvas for color, silicone-based primer is your last step. It's like waterproofing your skin, If you were to apply it before your day cream or sunscreen, those water-based products couldn't penetrate. "If you smooth it on after, your skin can absorb your moisturizer before the primer forms a slick film on top of it

NIGHT:

Step one: cleanser

How you care for your skin is utterly dependent on the type of skin you have: oily, normal/combination, dry, sensitive or sun- damaged. Find out what skin type you have. Avoid bar soaps as they tend to dry out the skin, soap should only ever touch your skin from the neck down.

Use warm water to loosen dirt and clogged pores. Use a dime-sized bit of cleanser, and then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. You'll also want to take off your makeup with a proper makeup remover.

Step two: retinoids/prescription skin care

Retinoids (such as Retin-A) work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells while also generating collagen in the skin. Collagen is the skin's structural fiber. As we get older, it breaks down, creating lines and large pores. Skin-smoothing retinoids take top precedence at night -- and not just because they're prescription products. If your skin is moist from water or cream, a retinoid can become more irritating to skin. Never apply retinoid products over any sort of serum or lotion, and only apply it after dark. Sunlight can degrade retinoids, rendering them powerless. Retinoids also increase your risk of burning by thinning your outermost layer of skin. If your complexion calls for a different kind of prescription drug, use that product here in place of retinoids.

Step three: hydroquinone spot treatments

This basically means your skin lightening treatments. Hydroquinone and retinoids work synergistically, intensifying each other's performance. So wearing one on top of the other makes good sense. This should be worn at night because the sun, which promotes melanin production, can counteract hydroquinone's pigment-inhibiting effects.

Step four: peptide serum

Peptides are most useful at night when the skin is in renewal mode because they heal and regenerate skin, and can even rebuild collagen.

Step five: eye cream

Find a night version (no SPF) you can also looking into ones with reparative retinol or peptides.

Step six: night cream

At night, the skin's pH is lower, which means dead cells shed more easily. Microcirculation is higher, allowing the skin to make new cells and mend old, tired ones. Smoothing on a healing night cream bolsters this activity. Rich formulas are best because their thick, heavy base can help drive active ingredients into the skin. If you're using retinoids, avoid creams with alpha hydroxy acids. The two can inactivate each other when used back-to-back.

SKIN CARE PRODUCT SUGGESTIONS:

I have used most of the products that I am suggesting and have labeled the ones I haven’t tried yet. I hope This information is helpful. =)

Makeup Remover:

$ 7.00 Nivea Eye Make-up Remover

Cleansers:

$30.00 Clarins Cleansing Milk With Gentian

$21.00 Lancome Gel

$14.50 Clinique Liquid Facial Soap

$ 8.00 Olay Total Effects Age Defying Daily Cleansing Cloths

$ 7.00 Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser

$ 7.00 Biore Revitalize 4-in-1 Foaming Cleanser

$ 4.49 Noxzema Deep Lathering Cleanser

Exfoliate:

$47.50 Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

$24.00 Lancome Exfoliance Clarte

$24.00 Lancome Pure Focus Exfoliator

$18.00 Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula

$17.00 Olay Regenerist Daily Thermal Mini-Peel

$14.00 Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Cleanser

$11.00 Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion

$ 7.00 Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub

$ 6.00 Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Daily Scrub

$ 6.00 Biore Detoxifying Daily Scrub

Toner

$27.00 Clarins Toning Lotion With Camomile

$15.00 Kiehl's Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner

$15.00 Kiehl's Rosewater Toner #1

$11.00 Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion

$ 8.00 Biore Triple Action Astringent

$ 4.00 Olay Refreshing Toner (I've Never Used This Product)

$ 1.00 Store Brand: Witch Hazel

Anti Oxidant, Peptide, and Retnoid Serums

$50.00 Garden Botanika Age Delay Liquid Face Serum

$50.00 Peter Thomas Roth Potent Botanical Skin Brightening Gel Complex

$45.00 Philosophy Help Me Retinol Treatment (I've Never Used This Product)

$22.00 RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum (I've Never Used This Product)

$21.00 Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum (I've Never Used This Product)

$18.00 Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Serum (I've Never Used This Product)

$18.00 Aveeno Positively Ageless Rejuvenating Serum (I've Never Used This Product)

$17.00 Paula's Choice Clearly Remarkable Skin Lightening Gel (I've Never Used This Product)

Eye Cream

$89.00 Fusion Beauty Eye Lift(I've Never Used This Product)

$45.00 Elizabeth Arden Millenium Eye Renewal Cream

$30.00 Aveda Tourmaline Charged Eye Creme

$21.00 RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream (I've Never Used This Product)

$16.59 L'Oréal Advanced Revitalift (I've Never Used This Product)

$11.99 Dove Pro-Age Eye Treatment SPF 8

Moisturizer

$62.00 MILLENIUM Millenium Day Renewal Emulsion

$25.00 Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer

$15.00 Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer

$13.00 Purpose Redness Reducing Moisturizer SPF 30

$ 8.00 Clean & Clear Oil-Free Dual Action Moisturizer

$ 8.00 Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for Combination Skin

Night cream

$88.00 MILLENIUM Millenium Night Renewal Creme

$48.00 Clinique Repairwear Intensive Night Cream

$13.00 Dove Pro Age Rich Night Cream

$11.00 Olay Age Defying Intensive Nourishing Night Cream

$11.00 Nivea Anti Wrinkle & Firming Creme

$11.00 Nivea Renewal Night Creme

Sunscreen

$13.00 Paula's Choice Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30+ (I've Never Used This Product)

$13.00 Purpose Redness Reducing Moisturizer, SPF 30

$10.00 Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30

$10.00 Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion for the Face SPF 30(I've Never Used This Product)

Make Up Primer

$36.00 Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer