Layering Skincare: Create the perfect Medik8 Regime
Medik8 has over 70 different products: including cleansers, direct acids, toners, serums, creams and sunscreens. They give you the choice to tailor your skincare specifically to your needs. But with so many products, and only one face, where do you even start?
The Perfect Regime
Understanding your skin is the first step to a fully developed skincare routine. Consider the skin concern you want to address – is it fine lines and wrinkles you want to target, or a set of blemishes which need to be calmed? Medik8 Regimes are specifically designed to cater to any skincare concern – you can find these here.
However, if you want to build your own skincare regime bespoke to your skin’s needs or need help on how to use your existing products, keep reading.
Medik8 believe every skincare regime should be based on CSA; vitamin C and sunscreen by day (C + S), and vitamin A by night (A). Start with CSA, and you can build from there.
Here’s how to build a typical morning and evening routine:
AM Routine
- Cleanser
In the morning, a light cleanser will gently wash away oils produced overnight, leaving your skin prepared for morning skincare. We recommend a foam, mousse or gel cleanser for the most refreshing morning cleanse. See the Medik8 range of cleansers we recommend here.
- Direct Acid/ Toner
A light sweep of a direct acid and/or hydrating toner will help active ingredients in your regime to penetrate better into the skin. See the Medik8 range of Toners we recommend here.
- Target Serum
This could be a peptide or a booster serum to target a specific skincare concern. Depending on whether your target serum is oil, water or emulsion based, it may layer before or after your vitamin C. See the range of Peptides here.
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C, an exceptionally powerful antioxidant, is vital to apply in the morning to protect your delicate skin from environmental damage throughout the day. See the range of Vitamin C serums here.
- Moisturiser and Sunscreen
Keep your skin protected from damaging UV rays and sun damage, which can cause premature ageing. UV rays are responsible for 80% of visible facial ageing, so keeping skin protected from the sun is the key to looking youthful for longer. Medik8 Physical Sunscreen is a high-performance SPF 50 sunscreen that provides powerful broad-spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays. We highly recommend you go check it out here.
PM Routine
- Double Cleanse
Start with a gentle eye make-up remover before moving onto cleansing. Double Cleansing is ideal to remove all traces of makeup, sunscreen and daily pollutants, particularly if you wear heavier make up. Start with massaging in an oil or cream cleanser, to lift make up and oil from the skin, then using a lighter foam, mousse, or gel cleanser with for a thorough cleanse.
For heavy makeup wearers, our recommended double cleanse regime begins with Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil, followed by Micellar Mousse.
For Congested/Blemish Prone Skins, our recommended double cleanse regime begins with Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil, followed by Clarifying Foam.
For Dry/Sensitive Skins, our recommended double cleanse regime begins with Cream Cleanse, followed by Gentle Cleanse.
- Direct Acid/Toner
A light sweep of a direct acid can gently exfoliate the complexion, while helping other active ingredients in your regime to penetrate better into the skin. See the range of Toners here.
- Target Serum
This could be a peptide or a booster serum to target a specific skincare concern. Depending on the base of your target serum, it may layer before or after your vitamin A (check the table for layering guidance!). Our recommendation is Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense for a supercharged hyaluronic acid serum.
- Vitamin A
The skin is most active at night as skin cell regeneration becomes supercharged while we sleep. This makes it the ideal time to use vitamin A serums which also speed up skin cell renewal. Most forms of vitamin A are deactivated by sunlight, so always incorporate your retinol or retinal serum into your night-time routine. See the Medik8 range of Vitamin A serums here.
- Moisturiser
Overnight is also the ideal time to rehydrate, richer moisturisers have time to sink deeper into your skin. Opt for a heavier moisturiser than what you would use in the daytime to truly nourish and rejuvenate skin as you sleep. See the Medik8 range of Moisturisers here.
- Bi-Weekly at Home Treatment
Apply up to twice a week to give your skin a boost, we have a range of masks and treatments which are perfect for some skin indulgence. For a real boost, you can double mask! Start with applying Medik8 Natural Clay Mask for 10 minutes to refine the skin, remove, then apply Medik8 Ultimate Recovery Bio-Cellulose Mask to plump and hydrate! Sleep Glycolic is a perfect at-home peel for a once per week treat.
Layering Guide
So, you’ve chosen the products you want in your bespoke skincare regime, now it’s time to understand how to layer them onto the face, in the morning or evening.
When layering skincare, these are our general recommendations:
1) Apply in the order; Cleanse, Toner/Direct Acid, Eye Serum, Face Serum, Oil, Face Moisturiser/Cream, Sunscreen.
2) When layering multiple serums apply in the order; Water-based serums then oil-based serums then emulsion-based serums (milky lotion consistency). If unsure what base your Medik8 serum is, refer to the table below or consult the exhaustive table found on the Medik8 website here.
3) Apply any serums of the same base in order lightest to heaviest in texture.
Click here for the exhaustive table of layering skincare, which includes every product in the Medik8 range, listed in order of application in a regime. Alongside the products are helpful notes to help tailor your regime further and get the very best out of each product.
If you are unsure about any of this or have any questions about building a bespoke regime for you, please do not hesitate to book in for a phone or in-person skin consult with our Dermal Therapist, which can be booked online.
This article originally appeared on the Medik8 website as ‘How to Build a Bespoke Skincare Regime’.
