Build Your Perfect Skincare Routine: Common Ingredient Types & Why They Matter

Does your skincare routine make you feel as happy as this lady appears to be? If not, you are not alone. Let's be honest, there are a lot of claims, suggestions and beauty "best practices" floating around the interwebs. Many companies want us to believe that we need an entire 10 step process, that rotates with the changing of the moon to achieve healthy, hydrated skin. But do we?? Really??

I'll skip to the answer. No!! Ok, you can stop reading now. No, I'm kidding, don't do that. I am a firm believer that skincare does not have to be complicated. If you genuinely have the time, money, and patience to make it complicated and it makes you happy, then by all means - you do you! But if you want to know how to optimize your skincare regimen read on for some scientifically based suggestions.

Order of Operations: Math Class Anyone??

We all remember learning PEMDAS, the order of operations, in Math class. Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication & Division, and Addition & Subtraction. When we used it right we got consistent results to help us accurately evaluate mathematical expressions to get the right answers. Well this applies in skincare too. I would suggest that while each of us have our own individual needs and preferences - there are simple, general skincare principles that apply to all of us - being that we are all human and have, roughly, the same basic biology, as it pertains to our skin.

We have all seen those people on social media...you know the ones...they have a 25 step process every night that involves multiple serums, creams, tapes, silicone masks, light rays, and literally everything else under the sun. The process takes FOREVER and probably costs A TON. I definitely believe layering can be a valuable tool, especially for treating specific skin issues, but is this obsession in layering as many things as possible really worth it? The outer layer of skin is a barrier of sorts. Only certain types of products, applied in the proper order will actually penetrate the skin. There are some dermatologists who will warn against over layering too many products at any given time due to the risk of irritation or the counteraction of certain ingredients. Your skin type is also a factor. Certain skin types will naturally soak up certain product formulations better than others. There is a lot of trial and error in figuring this stuff out, because we are all different. In my experience, the best way to build a simple skincare routine is by following these guidelines...

Skincare Order of Operations

1. Cleanse

   1. This should be a gentle cleanser. We do not benefit ourselves by stripping the skin of natural oils that it needs to protect the skin barrier. If you're skin is very tight and flaky after cleansing, then you are probably over cleansing/using cleansers that are too harsh.

      1. I use an oil cleanser to remove makeup and then my powdered face wash.

      2. On days I am not wearing makeup, but have worked out or gotten sweaty, I use my oil cleanser. In the winter months when it is especially dry, I may not wash my face at all if I have not worn makeup, but just apply my favorite facial balm. Or I'll oil cleanse. But I have experimented enough on myself to know what works for me.

2. Toner/Essences (optional nice-to-have)

   1. These are water based liquids that are applied on the skin and are not rinsed. You might apply them with a cotton pad or by splashing them on.

      1. These can have loads and loads of different purposes. A hydrating essence is a wonderful addition to dry and dehydrated skin. I really love rosewater formulations for my sensitive skin that gets easily red.

      2. If you have oily skin that is acne prone, these can provide light moisturization without risk of break outs. Some might even include acne fighting ingredients to help keep the skin clear.

      3. If you are using something with witch hazel, try to make sure it is alcohol free. And if you are someone with super sensitive skin beware of irritation/break outs. I had to cut witch hazel out of my routine due to this.

3. Actives (technically optional - but I think as we age incorporating some sort of extra goodies is a necessity if we want to age gracefully)

   1. Water Based Serums 1st!

      1. This might be a gel/watery substance containing certain peptides, Hyaluronic Acid, water based antioxidants/vitamins/anti-aging ingredients.

   2. Oil Based Serums 2nd!

      1. These are becoming more and more popular (personally I find these are my favorite) especially because, typically, certain oils penetrate into the skin deeper than water heavy formulas. There are a lot of oil soluble actives, including peptides, that are stable and super easy to formulate with!

   3. What if it's an emulsion type serum, meaning it has both water and oil? Then, by default, we want to apply the thinner viscosity product first.

   4. I would add that, even though it might not include an active, any eye specific treatments during this time. My oil serum is eye safe so I apply under and over my eyes.

I would recommend no more than 2 to 3 serums at a time as this could irritate the skin and lead to reduced effectiveness of certain actives. You can rotate different ones for different things (to see results you'll want to stick with them for at least 2 to 3 months). You might use one during the day and another at night - or you might you a water based serum first and then an oil/emulsion...play around with it and be consistent to see what works best for you. Also, most serum formulations containing actives are typically very potent, it is recommended to apply these on dry skin to reduce the risk of irritation, unless otherwise directed by your derm or the product manufacturer.

4. Moisturizer

   1. Let's define this first. When I talk about "moisturizers" I am typically referring to an emulsion cream/lotion, containing water and oil ingredients. Why is this my definition...well skin needs both water and oil, aka lipids. Remember the skin is naturally water resistant due to the structure. When we bind water with other ingredients it helps us to moisturize the skin. A lot of people, especially if we don't drink enough water, if we just use a 100% oil based balm will still experience dry/dehydrated skin. That's why for a large majority of people, especially as we age, having a good moisturizer is really, really important. Skin needs both water and oil - repeat that to yourself: All skin types benefit from both water and lipids!! Let's discuss 3 main skin conditioning agents...

      
      

      1. Humectants - typically water soluble

         1. examples - Honey, aloe, glycerin, propanediol, hyaluronic acid

         2. how they work - by attracting water to the skin surface either from the air or from the deeper layers of the skin

      2. Emollients - typically oil based

         1. examples - there are A LOT, but a few would be squalene, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, almond oil, caprylic/capric triglycerides & vegetable butters (shea, mango, etc.)

         2. how they work - they soften and smooth the upper layers of skin

      3. Occlusives - typically oil/wax based

         1. examples - there are A LOT, but a few would be shea butter, lanolin, beeswax, certain silicones

         2. how they work - they create a barrier on the skin to prevent water evaporation

            
            

   2. Now it's important to note that like most things in life, these are not totally black or white categories, especially when discussing emollients and occlusives. There is a lot of overlap here. Lots of oils are emollients but also provide some light occlusive benefits. Lots of occlusives also provide emollient properties. Think of these 2 categories as sliding scales. For instance, lanolin is very occlusive, it is thick and does not soak in well to skin, it likes to sit on top and not let anything in or out - where as squalene is very light, absorbs very quickly, and can have things layered over top of it - so it is more emollient than occlusive. Also, with natural lipids and they have different fatty acid profiles and everyone's skin will have a different reaction to them. For example, argan oil does not do well on my skin or my hair, I actually hate the feel of it. But I know a lot of people who love it. Another example is that I really love using tallow in my formulations, but I know some people who are very acne prone, cannot use it.

   3. SPF? most people use a moisturizer that contain it, so no worries there - I don't. yes, I am a rebel 😂 When I use SPF I apply this as the absolute last step in my routine.

   4. Should you apply multiple moisturizers...I do not personally see much benefit in this, because at this point you probably will not get a lot of penetration from any actives that may be in the cream. The only time, I could see this being beneficial is in cold, dry winter months, it may be good to layer a thinner moisturizer underneath of a thicker, more occlusive one. I would counter with asking, why not use a moisturizer that provides enough benefits the first time around? But, again, to each their own. I have found that adding in a facial balm at night really protects the skin during the winter months, but is also very soothing and calming during the hotter months...which leads me to the last topic...

5. General Facial Oil/Balm - Occlusive Sealer (technically optional, but for anyone with dry, sensitive, or mature skin I HIGHLY recommend it)

   1. Going back to the skin type discussion. Some people will want just a nice facial oil to help seal the moisturizer in, others really like the richness of a balm. These are usually anhydrous products, without water, and usually have thicker/heavier lipids in the formulation to provide more occlusive properties. Normally used more at night, though if you have extremely cold, dry winters - these can be used both day and night, provided you give it enough time before applying any makeup. If you have acne prone skin and a broken skin barrier a facial balm is a great way to help rebuild that, just make sure the product is designed for your skin type, or you can just formulate your own. 😉 Kokum butter is a great rich emollient/occlusive for oily skin. Definitely Google the comedogenic rating before purchasing anything.

I hope this blog post gives you something to think about and helps you reconsider ways to streamline your own daily skincare routine. It can be so easy to see all this ultra intense regimens and think we aren't measuring up or we aren't doing it right. I think a lot of the "shedding" videos and nightly skincare routines that take hours that we see on social media are more for social media sake than actual beneficial skincare tips. But that's just my opinion. I follow the steps outlined above and my skin looks and feels so much better, than it did years ago. I have also seen people I know benefit from simplifying their routines and using "less toxic" products. So try and experiment on yourself and see what works best for you! Skincare doesn't have to be complicated!!

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5849435/ - article on moisturizers and ingredients in them

https://skintypesolutions.com/blogs/skincare/best-skin-care-routine-order - this is a great article by Dr.Leslie Baumann on Skincare Routine Order