You may be using the correct products in your beauty routine. A good serum, solid moisturizer, or an SPF that you remember to apply whenever you go out in the sun. But there's the rub: You may be reversing some of your efforts if you are putting them on in reverse order. People think that skincare is 'put it on & done it', but the order does make a difference.
The Golden Rule: Thinnest to Thickest:
There is really one rule that lies at the heart of this. Take the thinnest to the thickest product. The thin formulations, such as serums, are first absorbed by the skin. If you apply a thick moisturizer before the serum, the serum will sit on top of it and not penetrate easily.
A normal morning routine basically involves washing the face, applying a serum, such as CIEL Vitamin C serum, followed by a moisturizer and finally putting on SPF, such as the CIEL Sun Defense SPF 50. The SPF is the last step. Always. Even when it's a cloudy day, and you are staying inside most of the day as well.
Actives that will not Mix Well
All products don't always mix well. Certain products are fine when used alone. Combining them with another product makes them worse. An example is the combination of vitamin C and retinol, which most people find to be a great idea. However, applying them together may irritate your skin. Hence, it makes sense to apply one in the morning and the other at night. Niacinamide and potent acids do not mix well, and neither do retinol and acids.
A good guideline: Don’t use two strong products on top of one another. It makes the skin look and feel dull. Doesn't matter if you are using them due to included actives or not.
Morning or night: Two different jobs
Your skin is not the same at 7 am as at 11 pm. Morning is for protection. The use of Anti-ageing day cream and SPF takes on the role of defending your skin and prevents sun and pollution from being present all day long on your skin. At night, it's a time to heal the breakage as your skin is repairing itself. That's when more complex products come into play, such as CIEL Anti-ageing night repair serum.
Morning is for protection, and night is for recovery
Build Your Routine Without Overloading
There's one thing people would not expect: More steps in a skincare routine may worsen your skin. Simply applying skincare products randomly will not help. You just need to know about your skin and apply the relevant product accordingly.
When skin becomes red, develops acne in new areas, and feels even more oily than usual, it's typically an indication that you are overloading your skin. Just go with the basics: strip away to cleanser, then serum, moisturizer, then SPF, and then build up.
Just in case you don't know what your skin is looking for, check out our Take the Skin Quiz page to find your perfect routine. It will build you a customized routine for you based on your skin needs.
