WHY IS THE ORDER OF SKINCARE PRODUCTS IMPORTANT?
The order of your skincare routine steps impacts the efficacy of each individual product you use, as well as your routine as a whole – getting it right can unlock the full benefits of those powerful ingredients.
Think about it – skincare is a science. It’s chemistry class, but on your face. Luckily for you, this article is Skincare Routines 101. Read on to learn how to build the right one for your skin type.
STEP 1: CLEANSE
It all starts here, baby. A thoroughly cleansed face is the foundation for the rest of your skincare routine steps, removing dead skin cells, impurities, makeup, even microscopic cake crumbs.
Choose your cleanser wisely. They, too, have the power to tackle skincare concerns such as excess oil or dry skin.
Tip: You should use a walnut-sized amount of face wash, and rinse off with cool, clean water. Very hot water can strip skin of its natural oils.
OILY & BLEMISH-PRONE SKIN
Tea tree oil has almost mythical skincare status, long thought to have powerful purification properties. The facial wash in our Tea Tree range is the standout choice to help reveal less oily, clearer-looking skin.
COMBINATION SKIN
Dealing with an oily T-zone, dry patches and blemishes all at the same time? Lucky you. Combination skin needs extra care, and for that we hail our Seaweed Cleansing Gel Wash, designed to leave skin feeling pure, fresh and clean while reducing shine.
DRY, SENSITIVE SKIN
Our luxe camomile cleanser is a fan favourite for a reason. Magically melting away makeup and grime, it cleanses dry, sensitive skin with the most delicate of touches, leaving your face feeling soft, moisturised and clean.
NORMAL SKIN
What is ‘normal skin’ anyway? Not too oily, not too dry – not too anything, essentially. All skin needs cleansing with love, however. And for that we’d recommend the comforting embrace of our Vitamin E cleanser, to help leave skin feeling soft and refreshed.
STEP 2: TONE
A toner is a liquid used to restore your skin’s pH after washing, and can help to remove the last dead cells and residues of makeup or impurities left on your skin’s surface. Depending on its ingredients, it can have added benefits such as hydration or exfoliation.
But cleanser or toner first? That’s the eternal question. Applying toner after cleanser means that it can refresh and condition skin after washing, and can swipe away residual grime. If used before, beneficial ingredients would be washed away.
Tip: Apply your chosen toner using a cotton pad – a reusable one if you can – in light, sweeping outwards and upwards motions.
OILY & BLEMISH-PRONE SKIN
Enriched with Community Fair Trade tea tree oil from Kenya, this vegan toner will help remove excess oil. It can be used every day, too, as it won’t dry out your skin. Pure pore perfection.
COMBINATION SKIN
For skin that’s a bit oily and a bit dry, try our harmonious alcohol-free seaweed toner, infused with mineral-rich seaweed from the fantastically named Roaring Water Bay in Ireland. Wave goodbye to grime.
DRY, SENSITIVE SKIN
Luscious aloe is our pick to help calm and soften dry, sensitive skin. A refreshing swipe of this toner will help delicate facial skin feel replenished with moisture, so you can be your best beautiful self.
NORMAL SKIN
Even those with ‘normal skin’ still need to dole out some TLC. This gentle hydrating toner is enriched with vitamin E and wheatgerm oil, and slots in seamlessly to most skincare routines.
STEP 3: TARGET
Here’s where you can personalise your routine with a super-charged targeting treatment, like blemish-fighting Tea Tree Oil. You can mix and match what you use, but apply regularly to really feel the benefit. If your skin is tickety-boo as is, feel free to skip this step.
Tip: Generally you should order skincare products from the thinnest to the thickest, or from water-based to oil-based.
SERUMS
Serums are little droplets of delight enriched with powerful skincare ingredients. Traditionally serums are water-based but with a slightly jelly consistency. Drops of Light™ Brightening Serum is made to tackle uneven skin tone and tired-looking skin.
ESSENCES
Think of essences as more fluid formulas, still infused with clever active ingredients. Drops of Youth™ Essence-Lotion contains three plant stem cells: edelweiss, sea holly and criste marine, and is enriched with Community Fair Trade aloe vera leaf juice and moringa seed oil.
OILS
Precious oils have a long, distinguished history. They can zero in on skincare concerns, while adding to skin’s natural moisture barrier. Oils of Life™ Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil combines precious cold-pressed seed oils: black cumin, camellia and rosehip.
STEP 4: EYES
Eyes get a lot of attention. From admirers, and from skincare manufacturers, who create products to help brighten the under eye area or minimise the appearance of dark circles and wrinkles. The truth is, although eye creams can help hide them, sometimes those bountiful bags are simply genetic gifts – so read up on how to tackle dark circles in other ways. If you do choose to mask tired-looking eyes, it’s best to apply illuminating or awakening products in the morning before makeup.
Tip: Dab a tiny amount around the whole orbital bone area using your ring finger (the most gentle finger, we reckon). Be careful not to pull the skin around the eyes here, it’s delicate.
GELS
With a lightweight texture to absorb quickly, gels fit nicely into morning skincare routines to help refresh tired-looking eyes. Oils of Life™ Eye Cream Gel was created to leave the eye contour looking more radiant, and its skin smoother.
CREAMS
Moisturising creams like our best-selling Vitamin E Eye Cream, which is infused with fermented hyaluronic acid, are good all-rounders. Ours hydrates, and leaves your eye area feeling as refreshed as it does smooth.
CONCENTRATES
Concentrates are chock-a-block with active ingredients for a multitude of benefits. With its innovative roller ball applicator, Drops of Youth™ Eye Concentrate helps refresh the eye area to leave your peepers looking less tired and eye bags appearing reduced.
STEP 5: MOISTURISE
And now, the grand finale – your moisturiser. The hydrating cherry on top of all the skincare steps you’ll have taken so far. It’s a daily skincare routine essential, as it helps replenish your skin’s natural moisture barrier. Plus, depending on which you choose, can multitask to deal with tricky things like dull skin or added SPF.
Have a read of our guide to finding your skin’s perfect moisturiser..
Tip: Leave moisturiser to absorb for a couple of minutes, before you move onto makeup or SPF. A spot of facial massage could help this along nicely.
DAY CREAMS
Lightweight and non-sticky creams that leave a smooth surface for makeup, day creams are a daytime dream. As a moisturiser applied as part of your morning skincare routine, they help set your skin up with the nourishing moisture it needs for the rest of your day. But remember – winter or summer, rain or shine, always follow up with dedicated sunscreen.
MOISTURISERS WITH SPF
For a multitasking boost, some face moisturisers are bolstered with SPF to reduce exposure to nasty UVA and UVB rays. Adding extra SPF protection is always a good idea, though (as is reading our article about protecting your skin from the sun). SPF moisturisers cater to all types of skin – and they’re made especially for your precious face. Happy days!
BUILD A NIGHT CARE ROUTINE
Do not go gently into that good night – mainly because your evening skincare routine is an opportunity to bust out the big guns. Adapt a night skincare routine with little tweaks, or even whole new steps – a make-up remover before a double cleanse, or a spot of facial massage perhaps?.
Before bed you can also use more intense or longer leave-on treatments, such as exfoliators or peels, as you don’t need to venture outdoors. In the evening you’re less likely to be in a rush, so can give thicker creams and oils time to sink in fully.
You don’t need to use SPF at night either (not to state the obvious or anything), so many people use one moisturiser in the day, and swap for a more richer and replenishing one at night.