Do you apply all your skincare products back-to-back in a quick beauty session? A little of this, a little of that, and then, done? We’re all in a hurry, so it’s tempting to get it all out of the way fast, but we might want to give some thought to how much time we’re spending on our skincare routines.
Some products can be applied back to back without issue. Others may not work as well or may have unwanted interactions. Make sure you’re getting the most from your skincare routine by reading this post.
Why The Wait?
Some products need time to absorb into your skin without being diluted or disrupted by other products. You’re still applying it, and you may still be getting benefits from using it, but you probably aren’t getting all you’re expecting. Beauty products cost too much, and your time is too valuable for that.
It is also possible that you might mix things that cause an unwanted reaction, like irritation. You could also experience pilling, where your products form little flaky balls of product on your skin because they are layering on your skin rather than soaking in. This is frustrating because you’ve got little bits of product on your skin, but it also means you just wasted your product.
How Long To Wait Between Skincare Steps
That depends on the product you just used and the product you will apply right after. You should read the labels for specific instructions.
There are some general guidelines you can go by:
- Hydrating serums need to be applied within the first few seconds after you’ve cleansed your skin because the water on the still damp skin helps them work.
- Leave-on acid products should tell you how long to wait. If they don’t, play it safe and wait 20-30 minutes.
- Vitamin C should be left undisturbed for 1-2 minutes.
- Retinol products should provide instructions for the individual formula, but unless it tells you to apply a moisturizer immediately before or after, you probably need to wait 10-20 minutes.
- SPF products need 15 minutes to settle in to provide full protection.
“If I Don’t Do It All At Once, I Won’t Do It At All”
Some people just aren’t going to tolerate the waiting and planning. They want it done simply when they want to do it. If that’s you, some experts will tell you it’s perfectly okay to do that, so don’t let these tips run you away from your skincare products. While you may not be getting all of the benefits you could get by waiting, it’s better to get some than none.
Do make sure to gently massage your products into your skin to give them their best chance of working, wait or no wait.
Contact Rejuvenation Laser and Skin Center Today!
There are some skin troubles that no skincare product will fix. If you’re bothered by one of them, reach out to our experts for a free consultation.