When I first started playing around with skincare, I made a lot of mistakes. I was so excited about all my fancy new skin stuff, but I had little (no) care for how I was actually using it all. And so, I ended up using products in the wrong order, or rushing through the whole thing with sloppy application. Then, naturally, I got confused and frustrated when my face didn’t immediately resemble that of a Botticelli cherub.
As it turns out, speeding through a routine, misusing products, and not following the instructions will not get you perfect skin. (Weird.) Instead, it will waste your time and your products. (Annoying). In the hopes of saving you from the same confusion and frustration, I’ve collected a few of the essential tips I learnt that thoroughly improved my routine.
Apply Skincare From Thinnest To Thickest
Layering skincare in the correct order is essential to make sure everything can actually work correctly. Always follow product instructions, of course, but if in doubt, just remember that skincare needs to be applied from thinnest to thickest (or from most active to least active).
A standard routine should go something like this: cleanser (because the rest of your skincare needs a clean base), mists/toners, serums and treatment products (e.g. vitamin C in the morning or retinal in the evening), humectants (hydrating serums such as hyaluronic acid), face oils, face cream, and then SPF, if it’s daytime.
Wait At Least 60 Seconds Between Each Step
Ever applied your skincare, and found that no matter how delicately you tried to pat it over your face, the product just kept balling up? That’s called pilling, and it’s a real pest. Pilling happens when a product you’ve applied can’t sink into your skin properly, which results in a bundling of product that’s similar to flaky skin. It’s enormously frustrating, but, in most cases, it’s also very fixable if you just slow down your routine. Giving each product at least 60 seconds (more if you can) allows them to better absorb, and that will stop pilling. Rejoice!
Don’t Touch Your Hands Or Face With Droppers
Think about it like this: 99% of the time, that dropper sits in the product. So touching it to your fingers or your face or your anything, can contaminate the dropper AND the rest of your product. In turn, that can impact product efficacy, plus cause things like breakouts, congestion, or irritation. In short? Don’t do it. Instead, hold the dropper above your palm and squeeze out as many drops as you like, then pop it straight back in the bottle and secure the lid tight.
Be Patient
I want three things from this life: World peace, Rihanna to return to making music, and breathtakingly good skin. Sadly, all three of these require the same thing. Patience. In fact, the best skin results come from time, consistency and a healthy dose of restraint. That means applying certain new skincare ingredients at a low and slow pace gives your skin the chance to adjust and deliver the results you dream of. (Like maybe only 1–2 times a week, working your way up more regularly.) Using products too generously, too often tends to just wreak your skin barrier, causing irritation! Breakouts! Maybe even flakiness!
The Right Conditions
Ingredients and people alike can only do their best work in the right conditions. Me? I work best with a cup of tea and a good playlist. Hyaluronic acid, on the other hand, works best on damp skin. Vitamin A? Dry skin. As they love to say, the skin is like a sponge. That means dampening or drying your skin before you apply your skincare and prepares it for whatever product you follow with. Sometimes you need deep penetration (like moisturisers), other times, you want your skincare to get to work on your skin’s surface (like exfoliators). You can find an exhaustive list of what products need what conditions over here.
There you have it! If you have any application questions, or tips of your own, drop them below! I’ll leave you with two final quick-fire tips because I just can’t help myself: Always wash your hands before you touch your face (to prevent congestion) and never say no to dessert (to prevent regret).
The AM ABCs Morning Essentials comes with cleanser, radiance-boosting vitamin C, lightweight facial oil for all skin types, and your choice of SPF 50. The AM dream team. Morning Essentials
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