HOW TO LAYER YOUR NIGHTTIME SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

Good Morning,

Over the past few years and especially when I hit my "cough" 30th year, I knew I had to get my act in gear and really focus on my skincare routine and the products that I am using. Let's get real though, no matter how old you are, if you are not taking the proper care of your skin then your makeup may not look as good as it should be. You can use all kinds of skin benefiting products but if you are not applying them in the proper order then you are not getting the most out of your skin care regime. Applying your skincare products in the proper order will not only make a huge difference in the way your skin looks and feels but your skin will be absorbing the products the way they should be.

These are the proper steps on how to layer your nighttime skin care products properly:

Step 1: Cleanse
Ok, so this is an obvious step but if you are not properly removing your makeup and dirt then your pores will be blocked and the remaining products won't be able to penetrate into your skin as effectively. I like to remove my makeup with either a makeup removing wipe or a cleansing oil {this is the cleansing oil that I use that works like a charm} and then I will cleanse my face {I use this cleanser}. 

Step 2: Exfoliate
Exfoliating is so important. Some of us can do it on a daily basis and then there are some that can only do it 2-3 times a week. My face gets irritated if I over exfoliate so I try to do it at least 2-3 times a week. Normally I pick 3 day's out of the week and follow the same routine every week so my face is getting exfoliated on the same days (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday). Exfoliating not only is removing dry/flaky skin but you are allowing your "treatment" products and moisturizers to absorb better and for the products to penetrate deeper into your skin {I use this gentle exfoliant}.

Step 3: Tone
Some people have mixed feelings about adding this step to their beauty regime but I personally love using a toner. This step removes any access oil or makeup that you may have missed in the cleansing step and it's a refreshing step to bring the PH levels back to your skin before serums, creams or oils {I use this toner}.

Step 4: Mask
This is of course an "optional" step but I like to do a mask at least once or twice a week. It's best to always do a mask at night so you can leave it on longer for better absorption and relaxation. I use a few different masks depending on what I am wanting that night but I really like this one and it smells amazing too.

Step 5: Treatments/Serums
Whether you are treating acne, dark spots or wanting to add hydrating/treatment serums then this is the step to do all of this. These products can simply be retinoids, topical acne creams, oils, water based serums (Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C etc). These products always come before a moisturizer.

Step 6: Eye Cream 

Again, this is an "optional" step as well but I think it's important to incorporate an eye cream for a.m and p.m. based on your needs. I always look for an eye cream that is hydrating, reduces puffiness and helps with firming {I use this one}.

Step 7: Moisturize

Whether you are using a light or heavy moisturizer for the a.m. or p.m. this step should always come last in your beauty routine. If you apply moisutizer first and then you add an oil or maybe a serum you forgot to apply, your face will start to pill and all the products that you had put on will all be sliding off your face and what you did was a waste of time. Typically you want to start with the light weight products first and work your way to the heaviest.  I am currently using this moisturizer.

Step 8: Lip Treatment

I think it's important to also treat your lips before bed as well. Whether you have dry lips or not, apply a lip treatment. I use this one and it keeps my lips from getting dry and flaky.