What order should skincare be applied, in general?
“This can be a confusing question for many people and it’s no surprise, because the answer can really depend on the products you’re using,” says Lucy. “As a basic rule, you’ll want to cleanse, tone, serum, moisturise, add SPF in the mornings, and at night you’ll want to cleanse, tone, treatment (acids or retinols), serum, moisturise.”
What’s the deal with water soluble and oil soluble products?
“If you consider looking at skincare from a scientific perspective, the order of products depends on whether you’re using water soluble or oil soluble products,” says Lucy. “Basic science tells us that water and oil don’t mix and oil can create a film on your face, meaning any water soluble products applied afterwards will just sit on top and not penetrate the skin. So, never apply a face oil followed by a water soluble product!”
Can I layer skincare treatments?
“Another thing to be careful when layering skincare products is that some ingredients will actually cancel each other out, or - at worst - cause a reaction. A common mistake is layering retinol and Vitamin C together. Both ingredients are a potent anti-ageing product, however using them together can be very irritating on the skin.”
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