Layering, compatibilities, texture: the fundamentals of a skin-care routine.

One of the best ways to care for your skin is to adopt a daily routine tailored to your specific needs. It contributes to maintaining long-term hydration and radiance, whilst preventing skin issues. However, it is easy to feel overwhelmed when beginning a skin-care routine given the multitude of products available on the market. Yet, crafting an effective routine need not be complicated. Cleansing, moisturising and sun protection constitute the bare minimum. Targeted treatments (serums, eye-contour care, etc.) can then be gradually added according to your skin concerns.

To identify the skincare best suited to your skin, you can take our skin assessment online. This step helps you develop a coherent routine tailored to your skin type and concerns.

Step 1: Prepare the skin.

The cleansing is the cornerstone of any routine. It removes the impurities that accumulate throughout the day (pollution particles, sunscreen, makeup residues, sebum, etc.) and prepares the skin for subsequent treatments. Depending on your skin type and preferences, different formulations of cleanser are available: oil, gel, milk, cream or balm. Skipping this step compromises the efficacy of all subsequent treatments, as active ingredients will struggle to penetrate a barrier of impurities.

It is possible to carry out a second cleansing to ensure perfectly clean skin and remove any residual impurities.

The skin preparation stage is not just about cleansing the skin of daily impurities. It also involves exfoliating one to two times per week : that is, to remove dead skin cells from the skin's surface, while unclogging pores and promoting better absorption of active ingredients. You may opt for a granular scrub or a mild chemical peel. The optional use of a toner or a hydrolat can finalise this preparation phase, helping to maintain the skin's equilibrium and provide an instant boost of hydration.

Step 2: Target skin concerns with active ingredients.

With such a wide range of skin types and cutaneous issues (blackheads, brown spots, excess sebum, dark circles, etc.), targeted treatments (facial serums, eye contour care, etc.) lie at the heart of a routine. These products contain active ingredients formulated at high concentrations, researched to address a precise concern.

Step 3: Seal in hydration and optimise barrier function.

Morning and evening, it is essential to apply a hydrating product. It helps to lock in the active ingredients applied during the previous step and supports the skin’s barrier function. It also helps to limit transepidermal water loss, maintain the skin’s suppleness and strengthen its resistance to external aggressors. Available as a cream, gel, balm or oil, the hydrating treatment adapts to every skin type.

Step 4: Protect the skin from UV radiation.

Apply a sunscreen as an essential final step in any morning routine. By blocking the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, it reduces the appearance of pigmentation spots and the risk of skin cancer, and protects against premature skin ageing. If your day cream does not contain UV filters, you can use a standalone sunscreen as the final step.

Consistency in the daily application of a skincare routine takes precedence over the quantity of products used.

The layering involves applying skincare treatments in a precise order to optimise the penetration of active ingredients and ensure their effectiveness. One fundamental rule is always to apply products from the most fluid to the thickest, but that is not the only factor to consider. When it comes to skin care layering, it is essential to follow three basic rules:

• Apply the treatments in sequence from the lightest-textured to the thickest-textured.

  The basic principle of layering is to move gradually from fluid, low-viscosity treatments to thicker formulations. This progression enhances the diffusion of active ingredients and prevents rich textures from hindering lighter formulas. Indeed, fluid products, such as toning lotions or aqueous serums, penetrate the skin more rapidly. Next, thicker formulations (oils, creams, etc.) step in to seal the benefits of the previously applied treatments, while reinforcing the skin’s barrier.

• Use water-based products before oil-based ones.

  Aqueous treatments must be applied first to prevent an oily layer from restricting their penetration. Conversely, applying them in reverse order may result in pilling and regions of uneven absorption.

• Ensure that asset compatibilities are respected.

  If layering is essential, it is also crucial to avoid incompatible products that can reduce the product’s efficacy and prevent the desired results from being achieved. Furthermore, this can increase the risk of irritation and trigger undesirable reactions, potentially compromising the skin barrier and causing prolonged sensitivity, as well as exacerbating existing issues.

Faced with the abundance of skincare treatments available today, it can be challenging to identify which combinations are suitable and which are not. While certain active ingredients can be paired to amplify their effects, others are not designed for simultaneous use and should be applied at separate times to preserve skin balance. Here is a summary table of compatible pairings and precautions for our various actives used in Typology face serums Typology face serums :