A Guide To Skincare Layering

To get the most out of your natural skincare routine, order really matters.

One of the questions we hear a lot is what order to use various skincare products. It’s a great question because the order makes a real difference. Some products are about getting ingredients into your skin, and some are about creating barriers. Using them in the correct sequence helps ensure that each can do its intended job.

One of the basic rules is to think “thin to thick.” In other words, start with the thinnest consistency and work your way to the thickest.

Here’s a natural skincare guide to follow.

  1. Cleanser
  2. Toner
  3. Serum
  4. Eye Cream
  5. Spot Treatment or Facial Oil
  6. Moisturizer or Night Cream
  7. Sunscreen

Not everyone wants or needs to use all of these clean beauty products, but there are three that everyone should use: cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. If you add a fourth, consider a serum.

Whether you use luxury skincare, are a fan of clean beauty skincare products, or stick to widely available skincare brands from your favorite mass-market store, you’ll still want products that work best for your skin. So let’s get into the details of different types of products and how to get the maximum benefits for healthy, beautiful skin.

Step One: Cleanser

First, don’t skip this step - it’s a must do morning and evening, no matter how tired you might be. Healthy skin starts with clean skin. You’ll want to pick a cleanser that works for your skin type. Generally speaking, gel and oil based cleansers are good for oily or combination skin, while cream cleansers are great for dry or sensitive skin. In the evenings, be sure that you’re using a makeup remover before you cleanse. We suggest skipping the makeup remover wipes and instead of trying an oil or lotion based remover. Lastly, if you’re using a washcloth (which we also recommend to be sure you really clean your skin), use a fresh one every time. Used cloths are a breeding ground for bacteria. Buy a stack of inexpensive white wash cloths and you’ll be set for the week until laundry day.

Step Two: Toner

This is an optional step for some, especially if you ever had a bad experience with a harsh or irritating toner. Fortunately, today’s toners are much more gentle and many offer specific benefits like hydration or help unclogging pores and treating breakouts.  If you’re looking for help with acne, look for either BHA (beta hydroxy acid) for oily skin or AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) for dry skin. Whatever toner you use, dab your skin with it (preferably apply it with a cotton ball or pad) and let your skin dry for about 30 seconds before moving onto the next step.

Step Three: Face Serum

While this is also an optional step, many women (and some smart men) have found that face serums pack powerful benefits. Super concentrated and nutrient dense, face serums are also light and absorb quickly. Most importantly, they provide specific benefits. For example, a hyaluronic acid serum provides skincare benefits such as hydration, helping skin look plump and improving skin tone and texture.  Vitamin C provides antioxidants and fights free radicals and signs of aging. With Hälsa Botanicals Glow Facial Serum, you get both hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, along with the antibacterial benefits of black currant, botanical oils and 500mg of broad spectrum hemp extract. Like all Hälsa luxury skincare products, it’s also vegan.

Step Four: Eye Cream

We admit there’s a bit of a debate about eye creams. Some say that if you have a great moisturizer that doesn’t irritate the skin around your eyes, you don’t need a separate eye cream. On the other hand, the delicate skin around the eyes can benefit from specific ingredients to address problems such as dark circles, crepey skin or puffiness. If your primary concern is fine lines and wrinkles (crow’s feet), look for hyaluronic acid, peptides or low concentrations of alpha-hydroxy acids. For dark circles, consider color correcting ingredients such as Vitamin C, hydroquinone, Vitamin B3 or mulberry extract. To reduce puffiness, consider products with chamomile, tea extracts and caffeine. Dry, crepey skin needs hydration, so look for aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and squalane. Note that eye creams tend to be a little thinner than moisturizers, so it’s easy to apply them gently. If it’s too many steps for busy mornings to include eye cream, make it part of your nightly routine only. Hälsa Smile Eye Creme is designed to soothe and repair that delicate under eye skin. It includes shea butter,  squalane, aloe, collagen, plus honeysuckle and elderflower.

Step Five: Spot Treatment or Facial Oil

Whether you’re prone to breakouts, dry skin, dark spots or other issues, this is the step to give those problem areas some concentrated attention. Products with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid help treat acne. Several plant oils provide additional moisturizing or a dose of anti-inflammatory benefits to tackle redness. 

You might be questioning the idea of an all over face oil, and thinking it will cause breakouts. On the contrary, a plant based oil can help dry skin or be another way to fight fine lines and other signs of aging. And oils penetrate deep into the skin, trapping moisture and providing a helpful barrier or even keeping out toxins. Rosehip oil provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Marula oil moisturizes and softens, fights inflammation and redness and can help fight acne. And sunflower seed oil is a great source of vitamins A, C, D, E and linoleic acid plus protects collagen and elastin in the skin.

Hälsa So Sensitive Facial Oil offers a gentle treatment for dry spots, discoloration or breakouts with four organic plant oils (apricot kernel, marula seed, rosehip and sunflower seed) and the anti-inflammatory benefits of 100mg hemp extract. The face oil for dry skin roller bottle makes it easy to treat just the problem spots or you can use it over your entire face.

Step Six: Moisturizer or Night Cream

Moisturizer is the second MVP in even the most minimal skincare routine. This step is all about locking moisture into the skin and creating a barrier to keep it in. Moisturizers are key to healthy, supple skin. And yes, you want to do this twice a day. Consider a lighter consistency daytime moisturizer and a heavier night cream with additional emollients to be sure your skin gets the nourishment it needs. 

You’ll want to select a moisturizer that is best for your skin type. For dry skin, think hydration, hydration, hydration. Ingredients to look for include hyaluronic acid (a humectant) and emollients such as ceramides and plant based oils. For oily complexions, look for products without pore clogging ingredients or oils. Combination skin needs hydration in the dry areas without increasing oil production in the oily areas, so look for a water-based moisturizer to get that balance. If you live in a climate with extreme weather, you might consider different products during the year, opting for more hydration during extreme heat or harsh winters (the latter when heated interiors can really dry out your skin).

Speaking of deep hydration, consider Hälsa Skincare Dream Night Creme.  With a base of richly moisturizing shea butter, it also includes squalane, CoQ10, hyaluronic acid, 300mg hemp extract, frankincense and botanical oils that provide hydration and conditioning benefits for skin, tone and tighten skin and fight signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.

Step Seven: Sunscreen

This is the third step of the essential three. It’s critical to protect against sun damage for both health reasons and appearance. Using a sunscreen with SPF of 30 or higher every morning will help protect against the harmful UV rays that cause sunburn, which is so damaging to skin health. Using sunscreen also helps keep a more even complexion and protects against the visible signs of aging, such as wrinkles, fine lines and sun spots. Beyond all of that, sunscreen is also effective in reducing the risk of skin cancers. That’s why sunscreen is often called the most important skincare product you can use. You can use a stand alone sunscreen or find it included in a moisturizer or foundation if you want to save a step.  Either way, don’t leave home without it.

Of course, there are other natural skincare products that you may want to consider incorporating into your routine - even if not daily. For example, a weekly facial masque can provide deep cleaning and nourishment, or a mild exfoliating scrub can help treat and prevent breakouts. But we’ll save those for another article!