Approaching Skincare?

Are You Using Your Skincare Products in the Right Order?

We have products that work for your skin—woo! Now, it's time to figure out how to layer them to build a skincare routine that gives the best results. Here at Zone and Dermasure, we believe a good skincare routine starts with four basic steps of Good Skincare Fundamentals: Cleanse, Treat, Moisturize, and Protect. But who are we to limit your skincare game? With endless options out there, we find this chart a great reference to maximize the benefits of each of your skincare steps.

Step 1: Remove Makeup

We’re firm believers that we should put as much care into removing makeup as we do into putting it on. Wipe off lipstick, gently lift away mascara, and de-smoke your smoky eye with a go-to like a classic makeup remover, cleansing wipes, or cleansing oil. Little known fact: Cleansing oils dissolve impurities on the skin without drying it out, making them a great alternative for those with dry, sensitive skin, or aging skin.

Step 2: Cleanse

Serums, night creams, and anti-aging treatments may be luxurious, but fancy formulas won’t work their magic if they aren’t applied on a clean canvas. From frothy face washes to no-water-required (and non-drying!) cleansing waters, there's tons of options to find your just-right partner in clean.

Step 3: Exfoliate (1–2 Times Per Week)

Most experts recommend exfoliating once or twice weekly to tackle dirt and oil buildup, reduce dullness, and sweep away dead skin cells (which promotes healthy cell turnover). Scrubs like this one gently buff away dead skin, while chemical exfoliators and peels give pores a deep clean all on their own. When using a scrub, focus your exfoliating energy on areas with blackheads or flakiness (especially nose and chin), since those are the areas where clogged pores tend to crop up.

Step 4: Apply Toner

This often-skipped step boasts tons of skin-boosting benefits, including balancing skin’s pH levels so your skin is in tip-top shape to absorb serums and moisturizers. Packed with reparative ingredients like fruit and flower extracts, toner helps restore skin after cleansing and provides the nourishment your complexion needs to look fresher (yes, please) throughout the day.

Step 5: Apply Serum

Now to the heavy-lifters: serums and treatments. Since serums are chock full of powerful hero ingredients (think: antioxidants, ceramides, retinol, and hyaluronic acid), we want to apply them early in our routines so our skin can really soak up the good stuff. It’s important to pat serums into skin—rather than just slathering them on top—so they can penetrate and absorb. A good rule of thumb is to apply formulas with thinner consistencies first, and then apply thicker treatments over them (for example, a watery essence works best layered under a more syrupy serum).

Step 6: Apply Moisturizer

Almost done! Smooth on a moisturizer or night cream to give your skin a big drink of water (hydrated skin equals happy skin). Prone to oil and pimples? Moisturizers are especially important for you, since dry skin can cause our oil glands to go into overdrive (which just causes more oil and blemishes). Pro tip: For an extra shot of hydration, pat a facial oil on top of your moisturizer to seal it in.

Step 7: Apply Eye Cream

The undereye area is the most delicate part of our complexions and the first to show signs of aging—which is why it deserves its own special step in your routine. Gently tap on eye cream with your ring finger (be careful not to tug!) to keep the area smooth and bright.

Step 8: Apply SPF

It may be the last step, but it's arguably the most important one. If you’re heading out into the sun, don’t forget to layer sunscreen on top where it can most effectively fight UV rays. Remember: Daily use can reduce the appearance of skin aging by 24%, making it one of the very best anti-aging treatments around. Whether you choose a superlight makeup setting mist, an SPF oil, or a lightweight lotion, there are endless innovative (and fun!) ways to add SPF to your routine.