Skin Regimen: Correct Order of Skincare Products - Ciel Spa

Perfect Order of Skincare Products: The Best Skincare Regimen

With so many skincare products on the market today, deciding the best way to take care of your skin can feel overwhelming. You may ask yourself, what is the best cleanser for my skin? How much moisturizer is enough? Do I need an eye cream? When it comes to skin regimen, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Read on to learn how to best care for your skin, giving it exactly what it needs to look and feel its healthiest, by applying your skincare products in the correct order.

Infographic explaining the routine on how to apply skincare

The Perfect Skincare Regimen Order

The order of your skincare products matters because following the proper sequence allows your skin to receive all the ingredients’ benefits being absorbed into the skin. While the skin’s primary job is to keep toxins and harmful things out of our body, many products need to be absorbed entirely into the skin to work. While only a small percentage of the ingredients are fully absorbed, they must be applied in the proper order for your skincare regimen to work. So what is the proper order to apply?

The standard rule is to apply your products with the thinnest consistency to the thickest. Also, apply according to product type, such as liquids to oils. Also, you want to think about the products with ingredients that are the most needed to penetrate the skin’s surface, such as serums and antioxidants. Finally, you’ll want to finish with products needing to lay on the skin’s top layer, such as moisturizers and emollients. Ready to dive into your best skin regimen?

Skin Regimen Essentials

In the morning, when you’re just getting going, remember that your primary goal is to protect your skin from the day’s hazards, such as the sun and environmental pollution. So think about leaving the heartier elements of your skin regimen, like peels, exfoliants, and retinol, for the evening.

Perfect Order of Skincare Products: The Best Skincare Regimen - Ciel Spa

Step 1: Cleanser

When thinking about your skincare products’ order, first thing in the morning, start by gently splashing your face with very mild warm water. Awaken your body and your senses with this gentle introduction to the morning. Then, use a gentle facial cleanser that best suits your skin type.

For oily or more acne-prone skin, a foaming cleanser will be gentler on the skin and help to breakdown dirt and excess sebum from the pores. Whereas for more mature skin, a cleansing balm might work more effectively at dissolving heavy makeup while soothing the skin’s surface.

Step 2: Toner

There is a broad misconception that toners are harsh and can irritate the skin. At the same time, that might have been true in the past, today that is no longer the case. While toners don’t shrink pores, they can act as a delivery system for antioxidants, toning acids, and vitamin B derivatives. Plus, there are so many different types of toners specific to certain types of skin. This is a benefit because it means you can get more customized care for your skin regimen.

Step 3: Serum

Serums are highly concentrated and very dense nutrient treatments that address particular concerns of the skin. Because of this function, you will want to keep them as close to the skin as is possible, and the order of your skin product application is essential. There are many different serums available on the market.

But ideally, you should stick to an antioxidant serum that will provide numerous benefits to the skin for the day. These can include stifling the skin’s inflammatory response to the damage of the sun’s UV rays and pollutants from the environment. Serums are also a vital part of the skin regimen because they can address dark spots to wrinkles.

Perfect Order of Skincare Products: The Best Skincare Regimen - Ciel Spa

Step 4: Eye Cream

When thinking about your skincare products’ order, it’s important to apply an eye cream nightly, if not twice daily, to maintain the delicate skin’s health in this area. With repeated and consistent use, you will improve the skin’s quality and ensure it doesn’t easily lose pliability or its smooth appearance.

If you’re concerned about under-eye inflammation and bags, peptide, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid can be very soothing to this delicate skin. Dark circles can be caused by visible veins or discoloration that often happens in darker skin tones, so using eye creams with brightening ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide, and kojic acid can help a great deal.

Step 5: Spot Treatment

If acne is a concern, then applying acne spot treatments as a part of your skin regimen is essential. When using spot treatments, you should apply as close to the skin as possible to maximize their potential benefits. Because they can differ in ingredients, make sure to consult with your dermatologist for the best way to apply.

Benzoyl peroxide, a common acne spot treatment ingredient, usually lasts one to three hours, so any cream that comes in contact with it before it has completed working may inhibit the active ingredients from working completely. Acne treatments can also dry out the skin, so make sure to apply only on spots where they are needed.

Step 6: Moisturizer

Regardless of whether your skin is dry or oily, your skin regimen should include a moisturizer. Our bodies have a natural lubricating system consisting of oil-secreting glands to maintain protection against the harsh conditions outside. But most skin does need extra hydration after being out in the sun’s harmful rays.

When this happens, the skin is exposed to harsh chemicals, and the other elements can dry out the skin. It is a widely held recommendation that the ideal time to apply moisturizer is while the skin is still damp. So the sooner you have applied the previous products to the skin, the sooner you can lock in hydration with your moisturizer.

Perfect Order of Skincare Products: The Best Skincare Regimen - Ciel Spa

Step 7: Sunscreen

If you are outside during the day, sunscreen should be as essential to your skincare regimen as brushing your teeth is to your chompers. Further, it should always be the last step in the order of your skincare products. The reason why sunscreen is so important is that it physically blocks out UV rays that cause damage to the skin and can cause skin cancer and premature aging.

Ideally, try applying your sunscreen right after your moisturizer. Try using a physical barrier like zinc for complete protection from the sun’s harmful rays, protecting against UVA and UVB light. If you prefer a chemical sunscreen, try to find a formula that has moisturizing benefits to get daily hydration while also protecting your skin from the sun.

Step 8: Night Cream

If you prefer a heavier cream at night, try using a night cream. Your body will absorb it over several hours while you sleep. The heavier night creams create a protective coating on the skin and aid in water evaporation. Just remember, to maintain healthy skin, it’s also essential to maintain healthy water content in the skin.

Want to know more about how to customize your skin regimen? That’s where Biologique Recherche comes in. Try starting with a creamy and gentle cleanser like Lait VIP O2 from Biologique Recherche skincare. It’s great for all skin types and gently (but effectively!) removes impurities for a clean base to your skincare regimen.

Once you are finished cleansing, try Biologique Recherche’s beloved Lotion P50. Lotion P50 is an exfoliating toner that purifies and balances skin beautifully. Or you can also try the amazing Lotion MC 110, which plumps up the skin and can help diminish the look of wrinkles and fine lines.

When looking for a great eye cream, try the gentle and nourishing Creme Contour des Yeux VIP O2 to give your eyes the pampering they need. For face creams, try the light and airy gel of Gel ADN Silkgen, or if you’re looking for a richer and denser feel, try Creme Dermo-RL. No matter what your skin needs, Ciel Spa has the right luxury skincare products for you!