Layering or layered application of the product

Layering or layered application of skin care products is taken from the Korean care routine. Over time, different variants of layered application of the product have developed, and the basic rule to be followed is the order of application of the product, starting with the lightest (tonics, essences) and ending with the thickest textures (creams, oils).

Among the many products for cleansing, toning, hydrating and creams with SPF, determining which products and in what order should be applied can be quite complicated at first. In a 10-step routine, each step exists for a reason, and in order to maximize results, it is important to follow the rules. At the same time, our skin needs more than ever protection from the harmful effects of modern life, such as pollution and blue light.

Adapt the routine to yourself and your life habits, so for some a simple care routine will suit perfectly, and for others a more complex one. From that basic routine, you can later build a more complex routine, adding steps with targeted treatments of vitamin C, antioxidants, sheet masks, tonics, eye creams, exfoliators, and essences.

The basic routine includes:

1. cleaning

2. hydration

3. skin protection with SPF

Build a further routine around this base by adding the product in a certain order to get the most out of the care product and achieve visible results.

Example of a more complex routine:

1. oil cleaning

2. cleaning with a water-based cleaner

3. exfoliation (2-3 times a week in the evening)

4. toning

5. essence

6. serum (targeted treatment)

7. sheet mask (1-2 times a week)

8. Moisturizing Cream

9. Eye care cream

10. protection with SPF (morning routine),

oils (evening routine)

Steps 1 and 2 – double cleaning

The first step of any routine is cleansing, ie removing makeup, sweat, sunscreen and excess sebum from the facial skin. This not only keeps the skin healthy, but is a necessary prerequisite for the care that follows. Start with an oily cleanser to remove the remnants of sunscreen, makeup and excess sebum, and finish with a water-based cleanser. I recommend double cleaning as part of the mandatory daily evening routine, and you can skip it in the morning.

Always clean the skin of the face in the morning and evening with washed hands and use clean and not too rough towels to wipe. It is also important to wash your skin in the morning to remove the remnants of night care.

 
Steps 3 and 4 – toning and exfoliation

Toning after cleansing helps your skin balance pH and moisture levels. Acids with acids (AHA, BHA and PHA) are called exfoliators and are used 2-3 times a week to remove dead skin cells and prepare it for further care because such cleansed skin better absorbs the active ingredients of the care that follows.

Step 5 – essence

The essences are a blend of serums and tonics that provide hydration, and their light, almost liquid texture helps the rest of the product in your routine to be better absorbed into the skin. Unlike tonics, the essence contains significantly higher amounts of active ingredients that penetrate much deeper into the skin, supplying it with additional hyaluronic acid, polysaccharides, antioxidants and other active ingredients that some cosmetic companies add to their essences.

They are applied with the fingertips by tapping into the skin of the face.

Step 6 – Serums, targeted concentrated treatments

Now that your skin is cleansed and prepared, it’s time to act on your skin’s specific needs. Here come the treatments – serums that can vary depending on the skin problems you want to act on. For example, a serum with vitamin C is great for lightening dark spots, while formulas rich in antioxidants can help prevent wrinkles. The serum is the backbone of quality care because it contains a high concentration of active ingredients that penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and act there, so do not skimp on it.

Step 7 – sheet mask (1-2 times a week)

After the serum, use a sheet (tissue) mask 1-2 times a week to provide your skin with additional nutrients and hydration. There are many sheet masks on the market, so choose the ones that your skin needs with its ingredients (moisturizing, soothing, purifying, lifting …).

Step 8 – Hydration care

Then apply a moisturizer to care for and hydrate the skin. It can be a lotion, gel, cream, oil or night mask – whatever, make sure you use it day and night! Don’t forget to take care of the neck and décolleté, and in addition to the skin of the face, apply them to that part as well.

Step 9 – Eye cream

The skin around the eyes is thinner and thus more sensitive and needs hydration to prevent the signs of aging, ie the formation of wrinkles. The first signs of aging are usually visible on the skin of the eye area, so choose a care that contains active ingredients that prevent the appearance of signs of aging (hyaluronic acid, retinol, vitamin C, resveratrol, caffeine …).

If you have dark under-eye circles, choose products with whitening ingredients (vitamin C, retinol), caffeine against puffiness, and against wrinkles of the outer corner of the eye (retinol, glycerin, hyaluronic acid …).

Step 10 – Sun protection

And last but not least: sunscreen. By far the most important step, sunscreen is essential for all skin types as it protects the skin from damage caused by UV rays and prevents its premature aging. In addition to the facial skin, apply it to the skin of the neck and chest and back of the hands