Moisturizer or oil first - this is the question I receive every day. Like any other popular skincare question, there are many answers and explanations. We like to answer as many questions as possible on an individual basis, because everyone’s skin concerns and needs are very different. Even when it comes to the order in which you apply your products, personal preference plays an integral role - like, if you even need to apply both moisturizer and face oil in your routine. We developed our Inner Glow face oil in an effort to reduce the amount of products we use every day. Our goal was to create a product that contained all of your daily nutrients and needs into one product. I have extremely dehydrated, sensitive skin, and I struggled to find a moisturizer that would ACTUALLY replenish and hydrate my skin, especially in the winter. I never found that creams could accomplish this, but oils had an unprecedented ability to hydrate my skin. I wash my face, prep with essence, then apply Inner Glow, and I’m done. I’ll do a weekly mask and/or exfoliation before my daily routine, but every day is the same. And I love it this way. Automation has been the key to my consistency in skincare, and and thus yielded beautiful results for my skin. However, this process took me years to develop, even though it is as simple as it comes. Steve Jobs and President Obama, among other highly successful people, wear the exact same thing every day in order to self-automate and make their daily routines more efficient. One way we can begin to streamline our lives is to simplify and automate our daily skincare routines. By removing the questions and concerns about order, we can get moving with purpose.
The only difference between my nighttime and morning skincare routine is washing my face. I do not wash my face in the morning (unless I’ve worked out before), but I always wash my makeup off at night. It is often said we should be using a vitamin C serum at night, however Inner Glow is packed with naturally occurring vitamin C, so you are getting it day and night, without having to use another product. After cleansing, we should be prepping the skin with an essence and/or toner. These products deliver water based skincare benefits, while also preparing our skin for the following steps, and allowing the products to be more effective. After toner/essence, we should apply any other serums or water based products, like moisturizer. Most creams are water based, and should thus go before oil based products, as oils can penetrate through water, but water cannot penetrate the oil. This also seals all of the products in beneath the oil, and simultaneously creates a protective barrier for the skin, so water based pollutants do not actually reach the skin to cause damage. Also, applying an oil before cream can create the barrier too soon, thus causing the cream not to absorb into the skin, and instead it will sit on top of the oil and not deliver any of its benefits. Lastly, always apply sunscreen in the morning. Even if its the middle of winter and there isn’t a visible ray of sunshine in sight. Prep - water based products - face oil - sunscreen. However, I always finish this thought by saying: “If this sequence doesn’t feel right or you prefer things another way, then please do so”. It is your routine, and you should practice it however it feels best to you. It may take some trial and error to find your best routine, but it will come with time, as alllll good things do.