While a regular skincare routine can improve texture, tone and overall complexion, applying serums, treatments and active ingredients in the wrong order can damage your body’s natural armour, leading to the opposite results, instead.
To help you make the most of your products, Aly Rahimtoola, founder of Herbal Essentials, shares a step-by-step guide to layering skincare, explaining in detail why it’s always best to go from thinnest to thickest.
Cleanser
The most important and essential step in your routine, the primary job of cleansing is to get rid of grimy oils, setting up a clean base that allows the skin to absorb other products and nutrients.
When it comes to picking a cleanser, it’s best to use a formula that helps to maintain the skin barrier without stripping it of natural oils. Herbal Essentials’ Purifying Fresh Face Wash (£8, herbal-essentials.com), for example, is formulated with neem and hyssop to balance sebum production, as well as aloe vera to calm and moisturise.
Tone
Next, toner should be applied so it can serve as a back-up to your cleanser, eliminating traces of dirt and bacteria that may have been missed. A good product will also prepare your skin to take in moisturisers, giving an extra hydration boost.
Eye care
Due to its thinner texture, eye creams and other caring products should be applied before your moisturiser, allowing it to be absorbed into the skin and nourish the eye area.
Moisturise
A moisturising product hydrates your skin, and locks in all your other treatments, giving your skin the final nourishment it needs to be healthy and happy.
To soothe irritation, our Hydra Active Gel Moisturiser (£11) uses peppermint oil to calm the skin and control excess sebum, providing that extra shine and glow we dream about.
Sun protection
The last must-have is SPF, all day, every day, and even in Winter. SPF protects your skin from the sun’s harsh UV rays, so don’t forget to apply before you walk out the door.
Added extras
If you want to treat yourself, add in a face mask or treatment serum. However, don’t go too crazy with the number of products you use – it’s best to keep things simple!
At the end of a stressful week, use a sheet mask with chamomile extract to soothe, nourish and revive tired skin.
For more skincare ideas, see herbal-essentials.com
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