How to Layer Skincare: Skincare Routine Steps

When it comes to skincare, getting the most out of your products is about more than just choosing the right ones. It’s also about how to layer skincare and the correct order to apply skincare products.  Dermshop carries a curated selection of high-quality and dermatologist-recommended and medical-grade skincare products that work together to maximize your skincare results when applied in the right order. Here’s a simple guide to help you layer your skincare routine in the right order to achieve your best skin. 

Step 1: Cleanse – Begin with a Fresh Canvas  

A fresh, clean face is the foundation of any effective skincare routine for morning and night. Cleansing removes makeup, dirt, and oils that build up throughout the day, so your skin can better absorb active ingredients in the following steps.  

For sensitive skin, try a gentle cleanser for sensitive skin such as ZO Skin Gentle Cleanser or Vivier Hexam Cleanser. These cleansers are our bestselling face cleansers and are formulated to clean your face without stripping your skin of its moisture and are rosacea and eczema skin safe.

For normal or acne-prone skin types, we recommend using a cleansre with salicylic acid such as the SkinCeuticals LHA Cleansing Gel with salicylic acid and glycolic acid to clean skin while decongesting pores. The SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser is also a great cleanser for dull, textured skin.

Step 2: Tone – Refine, Smooth, and Balance  

Following cleanser,  the use of a toner in your skincare routine can help remove any last traces of impurities and refines pores, or prep your skin for its next step in your mroning or nighttime skincare routine. For dry or sensitive skin, opt for a hydrating toner with hyaluronic acid. Those with oily or acne-prone skin, can benefit from toners with salicylic acid to help decongest pores.  

Rejuv’s Dual-Action Toner helps refine skin texture, manage breakouts, and reduce shaving bumps. For sensitive skin and irritated complexions, the ZO Skin Calming Toner is great to calm the complexion while providing soothing hydration before your next skincare step. 

Step 3: Treat - Target Specific Skin Concerns  

After cleansing and toning, the next step in your skincare routine is targeted serums. Your skin is clean and ready to absorb retinol and any other potent treatments targeting specific concerns like aging, dullness, or discolouration. This is where serums and treatments shine!  

If you’re tackling acne, introducing a retinol like SkinMedica Retinol slowly into your skincare routine is great for cellular turnover. For skin thickness and elasticity, ZO Skin Growth Factor Serum has a cult following and helps visibly restore skin thickness for younger looking skin.  For rosacea and redness, there's also ZO Skin Rozatrol serum to calm your complexion while supporting your skin barrier.

Step 4: Moisturize - Lock in Hydration  

Hydration is essential for your morning and night skincare routine as moisturizing helps seal in the benefits of your serums and treatments. It also creates a protective layer that keeps your skin feeling soft and smooth throughout the day or night.  

The new hmbl Light Moisturizing Cream, offers deep hydration without any of the heavy residue. It is formulated by our team of doctors, is non-comedogenic and intentionally created to nourish skin and is a great light moisturizer for acne-prone and oily skin types. 

Nighttime is when your skin repairs itself, so it’s the perfect time to use a richer moisturizer like the hmbl Rich Cream. It’s packed with ceramides and squalane to support your skin’s overnight recovery process, helping you wake up to smoother, hydrated skin.   

Step 5: Protect - Shield Your Skin from Environmental Damage  

The last step in your skincare morning routine is always sun protection. UV rays are a leading cause of premature aging and skin damage, so a broad-spectrum sunscreen is essential to maintaining your skin’s health and youthfulness.  

For smooth, radiant, and well-protected skin, our assortment of best mineral sunscreens include the Vivier Sheer 30 Mineral SPF, a lightweight broad spectrum sunscreen, or the Colorescience Face Shield Flex SPF 50 an all mineral tinted sunscreen for those with uneven skin tones.    

Bonus Tips for Optimal Results  

• Give Products Time to Absorb: How long should you wait between skincare steps? Take a brief pause between each product, about a minute or two, to let each product fully absorb, enhancing their effectiveness before moving on to the next step.

• Adjust for Day and Night: While sun protection is a must in the morning, you can skip it at night with your moisturizer as the final step in your skincare routine.  

• Layer by Texture: The correct order to apply skincare products and for maximum absorption, the general rule is to start from thinnest to thickest with products that have the lightest texture and thinnest consistency, then gradually work up to the thickest. This way, each layer works effectively without blocking the benefits of the next.  

Applying your skincare products in the correct order will help them work in harmony to make your skin its most radiant. By following these correct skincare routine steps and incorporating powerful and targeting ingredients, you’re setting up your skin for success with radiance, health, and a touch of luxury in every step.