LAYERING and COMBINATION of PRODUCTS in SKINCARE REGIME.

At times we all face this situation once, or quite often, that in spite of spending expensively, choosing and picking the right kind of stuff, based on our skin types, still it doesn't work on us and fail to show the results. We feel dissatisfied and disheartened, thinking that it's all a waste of time, money and energy, and a perfect and flawless skin is unachievable. As a rule of the thumb, we all believe that CTM is THE THING to be followed religiously, and our skin is sorted. There is no denying the fact about the importance of this most necessary regime, at the same time we also can't ignore the fact that every skin type is different and has to be treated differently. 

LAYERING plays an important role in any skincare regime. Now the question comes, what is LAYERING ? And in simple words, it is the procedure that one follows while applying products on skin, in AM and PM skincare routine. Starting from cleansing and washing the face, and then coming to application of products, in a methodical way, giving accurate gap between two products is of great significance and if it is not done in the correct manner, then one will not achieve the desired results on their skin. This is a major cause of products being in effective on skin and not showing results. So, let's elaborate this topic today and know the correct procedure in layering. We all know that before buying our skincare products, we should be very sure about our skin type and the concerns that we are targeting, for eg. acne, pigmentation, wrinkles, tanning, melasma etc. When the skin has a particular condition as mentioned, our goal is to get rid of that condition successfully, and here is when layering is important. To begin with :

* First step is to cleanse with an oil based cleanser.

* Washing the face with a suitable water based cleanser. Here I am emphasizing on double cleansing. Then comes :

* Applying skin appropriate toner.

* Application of a serum, according to your skin condition, targeting the main concern.

* Lastly locking up with a heavy moisturizer to seal and keep our skin completely hydrated. Apart from this, it's common knowledge that our AM and PM routine products are different, respectively.

• Therefore, in AM regime, one has to add SUNSCREEN in the end, after moisturization, without fail.

• Likewise, in PM regime, one can add UNDER-EYE cream after serum application and before moisturization. Here I would like to give my practical insight, that when we do research before following a skincare regime through books or any medium, we are told to use end number of products in AM as well as PM. We do buy and follow enthusiastically initially, but somehow loose out on being consistent, due to any x y z factors. So, my experience says, that for Indian skin types, based on our Indian climatic conditions and environments, our PM regime is more effective and powerful, as we are more calmer, at peace, resting, and products will function at their best when we are sleeping. Hence, the number of products to be used is also more during night time, as compared to day time. We all know that in daytime mostly all of us are in hurry and doing various kind of works, be as housewives, professionals, or be it outdoors, or indoors, and one cannot afford to put up number of products on skin, because of the nature of work as well as the lack of time. Whereas, at night time we can devote our time as well as energy in taking care of our skin, giving it ample time to renew and rejuvenate. Now the trick in following this routine, is the correct time gap between the application of two products. For a product to penetrate perfectly and get absorbed into the skin, one need to leave a minimum of 60 seconds gap in between, before applying the next product, one by one. This will help the product to do it's work, giving maximum benefits. Oftentimes, I hear people complaining of products PILLING UP or BALLING UP (accumulating), while applying three or more products in a row. This happens when we are not giving enough time for a product to penetrate our skin, and it starts building up on the surface by immediate application of the next product. And this is where a proper, methodical LAYERING works it's wonders. For eg. From (PBP) PureByPriyanka range of products, if one has used GREEN TEA TONER or ALOE MOISTURE SURGE, and immediately apply VITAMIN C SERUM on top of that, it is definitely going to ball up on the face, and to avoid this, one need to give a time gap of 60 seconds, between the application of both the products. Likewise, if one is using different type of serums (3-4) which means different kind of acids, then it's advisable to use them on alternate basis, that is not all, in a day. Apart from this, another factor of great importance is using and mixing of comedogenic and non-comedogenic products. Skincare products are formulated on water based and oil based formulas, making it suitable for different skins based on their types, and the main objective is to create a product which is not going to clog the pores. Therefore, it's always healthy to use non-comedogenic products on skin, allowing it to breathe, by not blocking the pores. A water based formulation will penetrate the skin more efficiently as it is comparatively light and easily absorbed. For eg. RETINOXX by PBP. As we are talking of non-comedogenic products, it's very important to mention that for oily skin, heavy oil based moisturizers are not at all ideal, as it will lead to various skin conditions, primarily Acne. But having the acute awareness about the ingredients as well as the correct method of formulating an acne repair cream can prove to be a savior for such skin concerns. A fine example of this is PBP ACNE CREAM, as the way it is being formulated has made it to be non-comedogenic, helping the skin to get cured, healed and get relief from acne.

• One universal rule everyone should follow is that we should always begin with the lighter product, going up and finishing with the heaviest product. So this was about the correct method of LAYERING and combining products. Apart from this, one needs to have the right knowledge of combining different acids and ingredients, so that when applied on skin, they should complement each other and provide maximum results by uniting with each other. We are hearing such names so often these days, in skincare products having Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Vitamin C & E, Green Tea, AHAs, BHAs, and so on and so forth. All these can do wonders for our skin, but only if we are combining the favorable ingredients, otherwise they will give us harsh, or no results at all. I will be covering this topic soon, till then start following the correct method of LAYERING and fix up the mistakes that you were making before. I hope this article will help you in doing so.....