The Correct Order for Layering Skincare Products

Have you ever wondered if the order in which you apply your skincare products matters? Just as we pay close attention to what products are a good fit for our skin, we should also know how to apply them in the correct sequence. Why? Because layering your daily skincare treats all wrong can decrease the overall effectiveness of your routine, preventing you from getting the full benefits. And who wants that, right?

The rule of thumb is to go from thinnest to thickest. Now here’s how to layer your skin goodies the right way. You may want to skip some steps based on your skincare needs.

Step 1: Cleanser

None of the creams or serums we use would be effective if we don’t start with a fresh, clean face. To remove all oil, dirt, makeup or any impurities from your face, be sure to use a gentle cleanser that doesn’t contain any harsh ingredients that can irritate or dry out your skin.

WHEN TO APPLY: morning and evening
HOW MUCH: a dime-sized amount
TIPS

• Use lukewarm water. Cold water won’t tighten your pores, and hot water can be very irritating and dehydrate your skin.
• Pat skin dry with a fresh towel to avoid spreading any germs from used towels onto your cleansed face.
• Be gentle with your skin and use a soft towel to dry your face.
• Don’t forget your neck and hands, and wash them, too.

bioClarity Cleanse is chock full of soothing, calming botanicals like Chamomile and Cucumber, and contains antioxidant-rich Green Tea to detoxify your skin naturally. Free from all the nasties, this cleanser is our fan fave for a good reason: It’s gentle, soothing, dermatologist tested, and effective.

So Gentle, So Foamy

Our fan fave, botanical-rich cleanser banishes oil and ick without fighting dirty.

Keep it Clean

Step 2: Toner

Toners are not a must-have, but if you use one, make sure you’re doing it after you cleanse. Occasions in which toners can be beneficial are when you wear a lot of makeup, have excessively oily skin, and your cleanser wasn’t able to fully remove the last traces of makeup or dirt from your face.  

WHEN TO APPLY: morning and/or evening, depending on how your skin tolerates it and how well your cleanser has done its job
HOW MUCH: a few drops
TIPS

Go alcohol-free, always. Toners that contain alcohol can be extremely drying and irritating to your skin.

Delicately wipe your face from the inner to the outer areas of your face.

Tone and tauten with bioClarity's Dewy Dew Multi-Tasking Mist. This alcohol-free toner contains rose hip, witch hazel, and Floralux to help visibly balance skin, refine pores, and even skin tone and texture.

 

Do You Dew?

Prep and perfect your skin with this alcohol-free toner that will also leave you dewy and glowy.

Glow On The Go

Step 3: Masques

Who doesn’t love some pampering? Masques are the perfect weekly indulgent treat. And the time to apply them is after your face is beautifully cleansed.

HOW OFTEN: once/twice weekly
HOW MUCH: enough to cover the targeted areas
TIPS

Don’t leave your masque on for too long (it won’t give you better results), or too short (the masque may not have dried out, and will complicate the removal process).

Be sure you remove all traces of your masque by rinsing or cleansing your face.

Get a facial in a flash with bioClarity's superfood and ultra-nourishing masque. 

Our Clarifying Masque instantly tightens and tautens skin, while complexion perfecting superfoods help battle blemishes, refine and tone skin.

 

It's Pore Perfection

A complexion perfecting superfood masque that instantly tautens and tightens skin without over-drying it, while making pores petite.

Get Refreshed

 Step 4: Treatment Products

Prone to pimples? You can now proceed to apply your treatment products to those troubled areas of your face.

• WHEN TO APPLY: morning and/or evening, depending on how your skin reacts to the treatment
  HOW MUCH: dime-sized amount, or less if targeting specific areas of your face
  TIPS
• If your skin starts to feel dry, apply your product only once a day or every other day until sensitivity subsides.
• Apply product only to stressed areas.
• Let the product sink in and dry before moving onto your next step.

bioClarity’s complexion-perfection treatment gel was designed to battle blemishes without the burn. Free from any harsh chemicals that can irritate and damage your skin, our gel combines soothing oat kernel with powerful salicylic acid to gently and effectively treat breakouts, the clean and green, never mean way.

 

Complexion Perfection

Reduce breakouts and prevent future ones with this powerful, yet gentle exfoliating gel.

Bye Bye Breakouts

You can also give your skin some nourishment with Restore. This green gel is serious skin superfood – it helps even skin tone and texture while reducing redness and hyperpigmentation with the help of Floralux.

 

The Original Power of Green

A superfood gel that soothes, nourishes and hydrates the skin. It's an antioxidant-powerhouse and serious over-achiever.

  Go Green

Step 5: Serum

Serums are highly-concentrated products that help address specific skin concerns such as redness, skin discoloration, or wrinkles. They are designed to allow the key ingredients to penetrate more deeply into the skin.

WHEN TO APPLY: Morning and/or evening
HOW MUCH: 2-3 drops
TIP: A little goes a long way. Apply small dots of serum to your face and then blend the product evenly.

Put your skin into Zen with our ultra-calming serum. Packed with plant power, this non-greasy serum is an over-achiever:

It reduces redness with our nourishing signature ingredient from Chlorophyll, Floralux. Say buh-bye to blotchy skin!

It soothes the skin with calming Chamomile.

It evens skin tone and texture with brightening Licorice Root and toning Apple.

It refines pores with balancing Lentil. It quiets inflammation with antioxidant-rich Vitamin B3.

Let's Get Zen

Ultra Calming serum packed with plant power to soothe, calm and nourish the skin.

Calm Skin

For extra hydration, apply Drink It Up, which is an oil-free and highly-concentrated serum that delivers an immediate surge of hydration while continuously releasing moisture all day or all night. Use Drink It Up to soak your skin in moisture, promote cell turnover, protect against environmental stressors, fight signs of aging, and keep your skin soft and dewy.

Endless Hydration

Quench your skin’s thirst with this super-hydrating serum that also helps fight signs of aging and keeps your skin soft and plump.

Stay Hydrated

Step 6: Eye Cream

If using an eye product as part of your skincare ritual, this is the time to apply it. You want to make sure you protect this area from other skincare products.

WHEN TO APPLY: morning and/or evening, depending on the consistency (rich cream vs. gel)
HOW MUCH: a pea-sized amount
TIPS

Use your ring finger, as it has the gentlest touch.

Tap and don’t stretch your skin, as it’s a very delicate area of your face.

Wake up and de-puff under eyes with Eye Will Chill, our vitamin-packed, refreshing, cooling gel that helps reduce the appearance of eye puffiness and dark circles.

Hello, Sparkle!

Awaken tired eyes and smooth away the appearance of dark circles and puffiness with wholesome ingredients that refresh and restore.

Wake Up

Step 7: Moisturizer

Wondering how to hydrate skin? This is the step for you. Regardless of your skin type, we all need a moisturizer in our lives. Every day we are exposed to environmental factors like the sun, frigid air or even stress, all of which can decrease the natural moisture levels of your skin. According to Harvard Health Publishing, moisturizers also help seal any hydrating benefits from the previous products of your skin ritual. 

WHEN TO APPLY: Morning and evening
HOW MUCH: A dime-sized amount
TIPS

Don’t use your moisturizer around your eyes, as the skin on this area of your face is different and more delicate, and the richer consistency of a moisturizer can cause the area of your eyes to become oily. Use an eye cream instead.

Don’t neglect your neck! It does need some love and hydration, too. Just be sure to apply it in an upward motion.

Let it dry before applying any makeup or sunscreen.

Looking for a moisturizer that hydrates but won’t clog pores? Look no further. Our lightweight, breathable and non-comedogenic moisturizer, Hydrate, is like a skin smoothie for your face. Olive, Argan, Chamomile or Floralux (from Chlorophyll) are just some of the wholesome botanicals included in this good-for-you formula. Hydrate is best for oily to normal skin.

The Skin Smoothie

Feed your glow with our nourishing moisturizer blended to smoothie-like perfection with Jojoba, Argan, and Olive.

Indulge your Skin

If you plan to put on some makeup, simplify your routine with Primed & Ready, our weightless and silicone-free primer that doubles as an everyday moisturizer. It's designed to hydrate skin, blur pores and imperfections, extend the wear of your makeup to lock in your look all day long, and leave a velvety, matte finish.

Get Ready for Your Close-up

This 2-in-1 hydrating primer locks in your makeup and keeps your skin hydrated all day. Go ahead and snap a selfie -- no filter needed.

Get Primed

Step 8: Sunscreen

Another article from Harvard states that probably the most critical step, if planning to leave the house during the day, is to protect your face from the damaging rays of the sun. The sun is still there, even on cloudy days, so don’t forget to wear sunscreen every day, all year round. It should be applied last as the purpose of sunscreen is to act as a protective barrier, so it could prevent your other skincare products from penetrating if you put it on before. We recommend using a mineral zinc oxide sunscreen, which is more gentle on your skin and free from all the undesired harsh chemicals.

WHEN TO APPLY: Daytime
HOW MUCH: 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon for face and neck
TIPS

 

Apply sunscreen before going into the sun.

Don’t forget to re-apply if exposing your skin to the outdoors for more than 30 minutes.

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen, as SPF only blocks UVB rays (not UVA).

Use enough to cover your face and body evenly.

Our non-nano 100% mineral zinc oxide sunscreens for face and body, SunFilter and SunShady not only protect against harmful UV rays, but they also protect your skin against blue light, environmental pollutants and free radicals. They contain the only known UV actives that offer 2.45x greater free radical protection than standard zinc oxide sunscreens and boost the power of antioxidants by up to 500%. They're the ultimate skin protectors plus they provide everyday hydration.

More than sun-proof. Life-proof.

Protect your face and body from harmful UV rays, free radicals, blue light, and environmental pollutants with these non-nano 100% mineral zinc oxide sunscreens for everyday use.

Protect Your Glow