How to Layer Skincare

Do you find yourself buying product after product because nothing seems to really make a difference for your skin? What if the problem isn’t the product but the order you’re layering your skincare routine?

Turns out, the order you layer skincare products has a huge bearing on their effectiveness. Some products act as a barrier for your skin against the environment, so layering additional products on top of them is ineffective. Others are designed to be soaked into your skin, so to work well they should be as close to your skin as possible.

Chances are, if someone peeked inside your medicine cabinet, they’d probably see some moisturizer, oils and serums, and dozens of other products. Time to end the cycle of frustration and simplify your skincare routine with the right products in the correct order.

Skincare Routines Must-Haves

No, you don’t need 20 different products to get the skin of your dreams. All you really need is a few targeted products fortified with effective, clean, vegan ingredients.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has a brightening effect on your skin. It also helps heal your skin from UV damage and even skin tone. Even if you don’t struggle with sun damage or a spotty complexion, vitamin C is essential to your skincare routine—after all, who doesn’t want vibrant, glowing skin?

Vitamin C can be applied twice a day, or you can apply it in the morning if you’re using retinol products at night. Try adding /skin regimen/Lx Vitamin C to your skincare routine for an immediate brightening effect. Its 15% vitamin C concentration is packaged in a nitrogen atmosphere to guarantee stability and efficacy!

Hyaluronic Acid

Products containing hyaluronic acid protect your skin from dryness and inflammation. They also make your skin appear dewier and more plump, adding brightness and vibrancy.

/skin regimen/Lx HA4 jelly serum rehydrates dry, dull skin and naturally minimizes fine lines and wrinkles. Its 1.85% concentration of micro-, macro- and cross-linked hyaluronic acid is empowered by the Longevity Complex™, a complex of organic, vegan, natural-origin ingredients.

Retinol

Retinol products have powerful anti-aging properties, reducing the presence of wrinkles, breakouts, and uneven skin tone. Retinol really packs a punch, so people with sensitive skin should introduce it into their skincare routine slowly and dilute it if irritation occurs.

Retinol products make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so some people only use it at night. If you’re also using vitamin C products, consider using vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night, since these products dilute one another if applied less than 30 minutes apart.

For a deep dive into how to use retinol, check out the Comfort Zone blog. We recommend starting with the /skin regimen/Lx retinol serum at night for a gentle, natural anti-aging effect. This product optimizes cell turnover, decreasing the depth and visibility of wrinkles. Additionally, its super gentle formula is recommended for delicate, sensitive skin since it features retinol in cyclodextrins, which opens on contact with the skin’s enzymes, increasing its stability, tolerability and bioavailability.

Sunscreen

Sun damage doesn’t just happen after a day at the beach. It’s important to protect your skin from harmful UV rays every day, so applying a light layer of sunscreen every morning is vital to every skincare routine.

How To Layer Skincare

To achieve maximum absorption, skincare products should generally be layered from lightest to heaviest.

Morning Skincare Routine

The morning skincare routine should be focused on providing your skin with hydration and sun protection.

Step 1: Cleanser

Start by washing your face with a gentle cleanser in warm water. Depending on your skin type, you might opt for a cream, oil, or gel-based cleanser, since different cleansers provide different levels of hydration.

Step 2: Vitamin C

Next, add a vitamin C serum to boost skin radiance.

Step 3: Hyaluronic Acid

Layer on a hyaluronic acid booster to add hydration.

Step 4: Moisturizer

Adding moisturizer at this point helps lock in all the products you’ve already applied and preps your skin for the day.

Tip: Instead of applying hyaluronic acid, moisturizer, and SPF separately, you could choose a moisturizer infused with hyaluronic acid or SPF to minimize your products.

Step 5: SPF

Adding moisturizer at this point helps lock in all the products you’ve already applied and preps your skin for the day.

Tip: Instead of applying hyaluronic acid, moisturizer, and SPF separately, you could choose a moisturizer infused with hyaluronic acid or SPF to minimize your products.

Evening Skincare Routine

Your evening skincare routine is more involved—since more potent products can cause skin irritation, redness, or sun sensitivity, it’s best to use them only at night.

Your evening skincare routine is more involved—since more potent products can cause skin irritation, redness, or sun sensitivity, it’s best to use them only at night.

Step 1: Cleanser

Cleansing your skin at night is even more important than in the morning, since you’ll be washing off makeup as well as all the sweat and toxins you accumulated during the day.

Step 2: Exfoliator

Experts recommend exfoliating at least two to three times per week to help avoid buildup of dead skin cells.

Step 3: Hyaluronic Acid

A hyaluronic acid serum before bed will help keep your skin hydrated overnight and will prime your skin for the anti-aging treatments you apply next.

Step 4: Eye Cream

Not everyone needs eye cream, especially if they’re keeping their skin hydrated with adequate moisturizers and sunscreen. If you choose to use one, try a gentle formula to avoid irritating this delicate area.

Step 5: Retinol

Add a retinol in at this point for powerful anti-aging treatment. If it’s already in your moisturizer, avoid adding another retinol product, since it might irritate your skin.

Step 6: Moisturizer/Cream

A lot of anti-aging night moisturizers and creams contain hyaluronic acid, so skip that step if yours does.

For a night moisturizer that does more than just hydrate, try Comfort Zone Sublime Skin Micropeel Lotion, which uses lactic acid and gluconolactone to delicately exfoliate, progressively renewing skin and improving tone and texture.

Step 7: Niacinamide

When retinol is paired with niacinamide, another anti-aging product, the benefits of each become even greater. Try pairing niacinamide and retinol creams at night for maximum effectiveness.

Step 8: Facial Oil

Oils should always be applied after other products, since they create a barrier on your skin that other products can’t penetrate.

Other Occasional Steps To Add Into Your Routine

Specialized skincare steps, like exfoliating facials or face masks, can help keep your skin healthy and luminous. Try these steps every once in a while to get the best skin ever.

Face Masks

Targeted face masks can help protect your skin from specific skin issues, like dehydration, acne, or large pores.

Facials

Facials should be done every few months by a professional. They provide personalized skincare treatment targeting your unique skin.

For example, oxygen facials help your skin naturally produce more collagen, which minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Microdermabrasion facials are an exfoliating treatment; they clear your skin of dead cells using a pressurized jet.

Comfort Zone offers a wide range of facial treatment and rituals designed to combat your needs and concerns. You can easily find your nearest Comfort Zone therapist with our spa locator and receive expert advice for your skin. 

Essential Skincare For Everyone

Skincare doesn’t need to be complicated. For a basic yet thorough skincare routine, simply cleanse, moisturize, and use SPF in the morning and cleanse and moisturize in the evening.

Comfort Zone products keep things simple with ingredients free from artificial fragrances that provide real results.