FAQ: In What Order Should I Apply My Skincare Products?
From your cabinet filled with the latest skincare must-haves (and a few timeless favorites, too), are you able to piece together a daily routine that’s effective, sinks deep into the skin, and feels good to the touch? While we do believe that skincare and beauty should be a unique experience for each individual, there are a few hard and fast rules all natural beauties should abide by to ensure they’re getting the most out of every serum, lotion, moisturizer, and cleanser.
Rule of thumb: Start with clean skin. Full stop.
When it comes to glowing, gorgeous skin, the singular most important step is your cleansing routine. We prefer a heavier, oil-based cleanser at night, to remove all the makeup, dirt, and impurities. Follow-up with a water-based cleanser to ensure you’re completely washing the day away.
Then, wipe your face and décolletage with our alcohol-free Witch Hazel Toner—which efficiently delivers a concentrated combination of botanicals and phytic acid deep beneath the surface to hydrate, nourish, balance, and reduce the appearance of clogged pores. Just ten minutes each night is all it takes to treat yourself and your skin!
Since you put in the work the night before with your double cleanse, in the morning, a simple wash-off will do (but a swipe of toner across the face wouldn’t hurt either). The skincare myth that says your skin should feel “squeaky clean” is just that, a myth. Washing your face too much with soaps and cleansers can actually remove your skin’s natural oils, resulting in dry skin, and then oily skin, and then breakouts. In short, a nightmare!
Rule of thumb: Apply products in order from thinnest in texture to thickest.
The molecular size of the product you’re applying to your skin has everything to do with your skin’s ability to absorb it. Because who wants products that sit right on top of the skin? Most serums are lightweight and water-based, making them the perfect product to apply post-cleansing and toning.
Here’s where you can tailor your routine to your specific skincare needs. And the best part is that all of these serums are gentle enough to be mixed into your day or night routine. No need to worry about certain active ingredients interfering with each other and your skin barrier.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a clear, gel-like carbohydrate that’s so good at binding to water molecules, it can hold 1000x its weight in water. If your skin is craving extra hydration (and honestly, whose isn’t?), hyaluronic acid can help keep your skin supple and hydrated all day long.
Valentia Hyaluronic Acid is made with phyto-plankton extract and sea kelp bioferment, which contribute protein, enzymes, and vitamin B5 to nourish your face, along with soothing tropical coconut extract and phytic acid for gentle exfoliation and freshness.
Vitamin B3 Serum
If you have temperamental skin, discoloration, or clogged pores, we recommend adding Vitamin B3 Serum to your routine. With niacinamide to reduce skin puffiness, kojic acid for skin brightening, and prebiotics to promote the health of the skin’s barrier, Valentia Vitamin B3 Serum can be used day and night.
Vitamin C Serum
For dull, dry skin, try incorporating Valentia Vitamin C Serum. The vitamin C content in this formulation comes from the Kakadu plum—a fruit native to Australia with the highest vitamin C concentration of any fruit. As a matter of fact, this superfood has 100 times the vitamin C content of an orange.
While the Kakadu plum addresses the most common concerns of aging skin, ferulic acid works to even skin tone, brighten the appearance of skin discoloration, and boost the effects of vitamin C.
Rule of thumb: Follow-up with spot treatments, as needed.
Each day, our skin communicates with us. It tells us when we need more water, less sun, more sleep, and even less makeup. It’s our job to listen. The next step in your routine requires a deeper look at your skin.
Tamanu Oil
When breakouts and blemishes appear, we recommend using Tamanu Oil for even the most sensitive skin. It’s packed with linoleic acid, or vitamin F, which adds another layer of protection to shield skin from environmental stressors like UV light, smog, and air pollution. To put it simply, vitamin F plays a huge role in the health of our skin—so reach for Tamanu every time you feel like yours needs a boost.
Eye Cream
The skin around our eyes is ever-sensitive and should be treated with even more TLC. A gentle yet hydrating eye cream is the best place to start. Moisture is the key to keeping eyes bright. Valentia Eye Cream is made with shea butter, aloe vera, and bakuchiol, a natural retinol alternative that keeps the eye area looking plump, supple, and bright.
Rule of thumb: Finish your targeted series with your natural retinol alternative.
Bakuchiol lessens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and because of its gentle and natural composition, it delivers none of the painful dryness or sensitivity associated with retinol. Studies show that after twelve weeks of bakuchiol use, users experienced a reduction in the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation, along with firm, supple skin.¹
This creamy serum is a bit thicker than the water-based serums mentioned above. And unlike retinol, Bakuchiol is safe for pregnant mothers, day and nighttime use, and can even be freely applied to your skin without an acclimation period.
Rule of thumb: Layer on a moisturizer to hydrate and soften your skin.
Does your skin drink up products, making you feel the need to reapply throughout the day? Try a thicker moisturizer like our Vitamin C Cream. It’s infused with botanical hyaluronic acid, vitamins C and E, and prebiotic peptides from micro-algae for added hydration.
Rule of thumb: Seal the deal with a facial oil to lock in all that moisture.
Only you know what your skin needs. You can tailor your routine to your needs—which will most likely change based on the season, the time of the month, or even the day.
Do you prefer a matte finish to your routine? Finish off with a lightweight oil like Jojoba. It mimics skin’s sebum so that you never have to worry about oily shine.
Or maybe Prickly Pear Oil would suit you, with its collagen building amino acids to help refine and brighten your skin tone. You can also learn more about Prickly Pear for Radiant Skin here
Perhaps you are wanting to target discoloration and enhance elasticity, if this is the case our Vitamin E Serum would be a perfect final layer for your routine.
And if you need any help along the way, please reach out to us directly. We would be more than happy to chat about your needs and help you build a targeted natural beauty routine that aligns with your skincare goals.
References:
- Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, Notay M, Trivedi M, Burney W, Vaughn AR, Nguyen M, Reiter P, Bosanac S, Yan H, Foolad N, Sivamani RK (2019). Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of Dermatology, 180(2), 289-296. doi: 10.1111/bjd.16918
