Did you know… To maximize the benefits of our consistent skin care routine requires using the right products in the correct order? We want our products to properly penetrate and absorb, so our ingredients can get to work!
Rules of Layering
Have you heard the saying, “apply skin care thinnest to thickest”? This is a good start, but skincare routines and products have evolved past this basic recommendation. When we start looking at the ideal order of our routine, we should consider things like the product's water vs oil content, pH level, active ingredients, and how they work on our skin and with the other products.
The basic order to apply:
- Cleansers and Exfoliants to Active Serums and Moisturizers
- Water loving humectants to oil-loving emollients/oils
- Lower pH to higher pH
- Thinnest to Thickest in texture
Phase 1: Cleanse, Refine, and Balance
Makeup Removal: Doing a pre-cleanse with a facial oil, or makeup remover (like our Micellar Makeup Remover Wipes) helps to dissolve makeup, pollution, dirt, and oil to allow your cleanser to work on a deeper level.
Cleanser: Cleanse with out Vitamin C Cleanser for 60 seconds with warm water.
Scrub or Mask: Exfoliation helps your other products penetrate deeper. Make sure not to exfoliate more than 2 or 3 times a week.
Our creamy Microdermabrasion Exfoliator is designed to tackle the look of dull, aging skin the gentle way.
Toner: Tone to balance the skin and remove any lingering impurities. Apply our Hydrating Toner when you’re ready for the products that are going to stay on the skin.
Esthetician Tip: When it comes to the Enzyme Mask, you can decide if you want to use it before or after your toner. Oily or combination skin types may prefer to use toner afterwards, where more dry skin types may want to skip toning with the mask all together.
Phase 2: Treat, Target, and Boost
Layering skincare gets the most confusing when it comes to serums. If you’re using multiple serums, boosters, and skin treatments in one routine, just follow the ABCs!
A: Start with your most Active ingredient on your skin for maximum results. These are ingredients like Vitamin C, Retinol, and exfoliating acids, like Glycolic Acid.
B: Next apply your Booster and barrier supportive skin care. These help enhance the benefits of your most active serums, and help deliver additional benefits like barrier support and extra hydration!
• Hydrate and Smooth Serum: hyaluronic acid is a powerful hydration booster, and it also can make your skincare penetrate more deeply. In order to avoid possible irritation, it is best applied on damp skin after your most active ingredients.
• Dramatically Dewy Serum: powered by 3 unique forms of hyaluronic acid, t his serum contains varying molecular weights of hyaluronic acid that penetrate deeply to boost the look of hydrated skin for up to 72 hours.
C: Finally, add any Spot Correctors or Skin Conditioning Serums with more oil loving ingredients in them!
• Our 30% Vitamin C Dry Oil is highly advanced and gentle on all skin types. This lightweight oil helps to improve the look of dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and dry skin.
Esthetician Tip: Our night routine can alternate between retinol and exfoliation, with some nights simply dedicated to hydration and barrier support. It is not recommended to exfoliate on nights when retinol is used! That's where skin cycling comes into play.
Phase 3: Eye Care
The skin on the eye is thin and delicate so this area usually gets its own products dedicated to these unique needs. It works well to add eye care after your serums and before your moisturizer for maximum absorption.
• Add our Youth Glow Eye Gel and any other eye serums first, then top with an eye cream, like our Advanced Repair Eye Cream.
Phase 4: Moisturize
Everyone needs a moisturizer! These typically have a mix of humectants and emollients (hydrating and moisturizing ingredients), and sometimes a bonus of active ingredients. Once a more oil-rich product, like moisturizer, is applied it makes it harder for your more water-loving ingredients to absorb, so it comes near the end of your routine. This is also an important step in locking in your other skincare, nourishing your skin, and helping drive your other products in more deeply.
Your day and night moisturizer can be the same, or you can use something different based on the needs of your skin and the other active ingredients in your routine.
• Day: I recommend leaning into your antioxidant routine with the Vitamin C Moisturizer.
• Night: You can opt for the Retinol Night Cream or the iconic Glyco-Peptide Anti Wrinkle Moisturizer.
Esthetician Tip: Skin care doesn't stop at the jawline. Don’t forget your neck care and apply your Tighten & Lift Neck Cream to your neck and chest area to give this delicate skin the same loving care as your face.
Phase 5: Protect
Our skin is our largest organ and we need to protect her. This comes in the form of oils and SPF. Once oils are applied you are really reinforcing your skin’s barrier and barrier function. You’re locking in the water and helping keep out environmental stressors. This will also serve as a final push to drive your skincare in deeper.
• Day: Finish with a light layer of any oils you use (optional) and then your SPF. SPF is always the final step in your routine. Wait for your other skin care to absorb before adding your layer of sun protection. Here's a list of our favorite SPFs!
• Night: Don’t forget to press a little Rosehip Oil on your lips and eye area if you’d like, and add any excess to your hands, nails or even your hair.
Esthetician Tip: Remember that skin care is subjective. There is not one right way to layer for everyone, but there are best practices that will maximize absorption, minimize possible reactions or issues, and achieve ultimate results.
VIP EXCLUSIVE! Rewatch Stephanie's Live about skincare layering and learn from the expert.
24 comments
Wow, the writings are amazing! They taught me something new, made my day a wonderful one, I have a question about incorporating different skincare products. Is it safe to do so? I’m worried about my skin’s reaction."
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goPure Beauty replied:
Hi Vilvah,
We appreciate your interest in our products! Yes, you may also use different products. Whenever introducing a new product to your routine, consider performing a patch test first. If no irritation occurs, you can proceed to apply the product to your face. If you have any further questions, you may reach out to us and we will be happy to assist. 💚
I can not figure out how to use the toner, as I have never seen a dispenser like the one you have. do i turn it upside down and press onto my palms? When I try and use a cotton pad , some of it goes under the white cap and I have to dig my fingers underneath to reach it, When I just press on it it just squirts up , Why didn’t you just use a pump dispenser design? I feel like an idiot that I have to struggle with getting this product out
Can you wear the serums and moisturizer underneath foundation and powder and all the other make-up? Foundation has SPF in it.
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goPure Beauty replied:
Hi Olympia and thank you for reaching out. Absolutely! You can wear the serums and moisturizer underneath foundation, powder and makeup.
Can you apply makeup once you use any of these products. Just wondering due to morning care.
New to your products and purchased the 3 pack of serums and Actives Glyco-Peptide Anti Wrinkle Moisturizer. Just wondering if I can use this moisturizer and the retinol serum at the same time before bed?
Thanks!
Erin
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goPure Beauty replied:
Hello Erin,
Thanks for your inquiry! The Actives Glyco-Peptide Anti Wrinkle Moisturizer pairs well with the Firm and Lift serum for your night routine! 👍