Have you ever considered how the order in which you apply your skin care affects your skin? The skin is a complex organ made up of many layers.
To help it glow, it is important that you understand both its structure and how layering your skin care can help balance skin both above and below the surface.
The structure of skin
The body’s largest organ, our skin is made up of an upper layer, a lower layer and a subcutaneous layer made of fat and tissue. Each layer has a different make up with the upper layer mainly consisting of skin protecting protein keratin, and millions of skin cells that shed daily.
Below this, the lower layer is made of fibres responsible for tightening the skin, collagen and elastin. Easily damaged by environmental factors such as UV light, elastin and collagen weaken with age causing the emergence of fine lines and wrinkles.
The lower layer is also home to sebaceous glands that produce skin-lubricating sebum.
An effective skin care regime can keep each of these layers in balance and here we share our seven step regime for perfectly balanced skin.
How to layer skin care for best results
STEP 1: CLEANSE
To get the most out of your skin care regime it is important that you apply products to a clean face.
Using a cleanser not only removes the build-up of dirt and make-up but also helps stimulate the circulation of nutrients in the blood which help the skin to absorb moisture effectively.
For best results you should cleanse the face twice a day, in the morning and evening, using gentle, circular movements. Splashing the face with cold water after cleansing will help stimulate circulation.
STEP 2: DOUBLE CLEANSE
Face washes, cleansing creams and cleansing balms all clean the face effectively but, if any make-up is left on the skin overnight, it can affect the skin’s delicate balance.
For this reason, it is recommended that if you have worn make-up in the day, you double cleanse at night. Whilst care should be taken not to over cleanse and strip away the skin’s essential oils, using a combination of skin-balancing natural cleansers can ensure that the skin is clear of make-up and able to breathe overnight.
When double cleansing, first use an oil-based or micellar cleanser to dissolve your foundation or mineral make-up. After rinsing, apply a water-based cleanser, such as Gentle Cleanse & Make-up Remover or Foaming Face Wash to help remove any excess dirt and deeply cleanse pores.
STEP 3: EXFOLIATE
Applying creams and lotions to the skin can have many benefits but, if these creams are blocked from penetrating the skin by dead skin cells on the surface, these benefits become redundant.
For optimum results from your skin care we recommend regularly exfoliating the skin 2-3 times a week, depending on your age and skin type. By taking the time to remove dead, pore-clogging cells from the skin you’ll dislodge any trapped dirt and oil and give the skin a healthy glow by encouraging younger skin cells to the surface.
STEP 4: SERUM
Increasingly used in place of acidic toners, serums are light and water-based and should be applied before moisturising products. Serums tend to have more moisture-based active ingredients than face creams.
This means that they can deliver hydration and nourishment deep into the skin tissue to help prevent the formation of fine lines, dry skin and irritation on the surface.
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STEP 5: MOISTURISE
By applying a moisturising cream or oil onto the skin you are helping to lock hydration into the skin so that it can function effectively.
Dry, oily, mature, spot-prone and sensitive skins all require different care and, because our skin can change in response to environmental factors and hormonal changes, it is important that you find the right moisturiser for your skin type. For more help, explore our ranges for dry, oily, sensitive and mature skin.
The skin around the eye is thinner than the rest of the face so our eye serum and eye cream are specially formulated to care for these delicate areas. For optimum results, tap the Firming Eye Serum into the skin around the eye in the morning to brighten tired eyes and apply the Rejuvenating Eye Cream at night to nourish the delicate eye area.
STEP 6: APPLY A FACIAL OIL
Thought facial oils weren’t suitable for your skin type? Think again. Oils packed with nourishing plant actives can have many benefits for all skin types and, when applied on top of your moisturiser, they help seal in hydration to further fight dryness and wrinkles.
Those with oily or acne prone skin can be sceptical about oils but the reality is they can help to rebalance the skin, stabilising oil production. For optimum spot-fighting results we recommend applying Oy Clear Skin Purifying Serum before applying your oil.
STEP 7: SPF
UV light can damage both the upper and lower layers of the skin and for this reason it is important that you protect the health of your skin by applying a SPF sun lotion if you are going to be outside.
To ensure the level of protection is maintained, it is important that you apply sun cream directly after exfoliation and do not apply any creams or serums underneath. If you find your sun cream isn’t absorbing as quickly as usual, applying with tapping motions can help to speed up absorption rates.
