Your skincare routine: the perfect order to apply your skincare products

How important is the order in which you apply products during your skincare routine? Does it make any difference which product is used at which point? The answer is quite simple: yes, it does.

Using a skincare product at the wrong time during your skincare routine can result in its effects being reduced and pores being clogged. The basic rule is as follows: apply light textures before rich products. Start with water-based products, such as a toner or serums, and then use richer products for your follow-up care.

The only exception is the care for the skin around your eyes. The sensitive area around the eyes should come right at the beginning of your skincare routine. In particular in case of serums with active ingredients, such as the BIRKENSTOCK Natural Skin Care Vitamin C Serum or the BIRKENSTOCK Natural Skin Care Anti-Stress Serum. Ensure that the soft skin around the eyes is protected before applying your follow-up care products. Instead of an eye cream or before applying your eye cream, a hyaluronic serum can be applied around the eyes as additional care for the sensitive area. The Hyaluronic Serum from BIRKENSTOCK Natural Skin Care is a deeply nourishing serum with an immediate hydrating effect. It can be directly applied to the sensitive skin around the eyes as its tolerability has been ophthalmologically tested.

 

The most effective order for your products

1. Cleansing
2. Toner
3. Eye care
4. Serum
5. Moisturizing care
6. Facial oil (for a nourishing boost during your evening skincare routine)
7. Sun protection (only in the morning)

It is, of course, not mandatory to carry out every single one of these steps. Depending on the requirements of the skin type and personal preference, some steps may deviate or be left out.

Where to pay attention

As is so often the case, there are mistakes which are more serious than others. One mistake which your skin will not forgive you is if you apply a serum without any follow-up care. After having applied a serum, it’s extremely important to apply a nourishing moisturizing care or a plant-based oil. The follow-up care with a pure oil or a high-quality moisturizing cream nourishes the skin’s barrier, improves the function of the lipid layer and protects the skin from drying out. Plant-based oils mostly consist of lipids which are absorbed by the skin thanks to their similarity to the skin’s own lipids. An intact skin barrier provides protection against external influences and thus reduces the skin’s moisture loss.

You should generally keep in mind that products which are applied in the wrong order are less effective or may even have no effect at all. The size of the product’s molecules can be an important indicator. Serums consist of small molecules which can penetrate deep into the skin. The molecules of creams and oils are larger in order to envelope the previous skincare steps. If products with light textures are applied on top of products with rich formulations, their effects are reduced or they have no effects at all.

Good things come to those who wait

When it comes to your skincare routine and the layering of products, it is important to observe the waiting periods in order to make full use of the effects of the skincare products. Always wait a few minutes between your skincare steps so that the product can penetrate your skin before the follow-up product is applied. Otherwise, there would merely be a mix of products on your skin’s surface and the products would not be able to unfold all their effects.

How do I know that it’s time for the next step of my skincare routine? Give your skin some time to absorb the product completely. When the skin feels dry, the product has been absorbed by the first skin layer. You can then proceed with the next skincare step.

What is your skincare routine? Which step would you absolutely not want to miss under any circumstances?