Layering Your Skin Care Doesn’t Have to be Complicated

When it comes to a skin care routine, you’ve probably been using the same order for your products for who-knows-how-long. But the order in which you put on products can change how effective they are, and if you’re going to be doling out $$$ for the best beauty products, you might as well be using them correctly, right?

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I figured the best way to identify a system that doesn’t feel complicated and actually works would be to track down a K-beauty enthusiast. We don’t need to wax poetic about the wonders of Korean beauty rituals that give women glass-like skin. What I do know is I want it without the extra leg work, because the thought of practicing a routine with upwards of 10 steps is simply impossible, given my on-the-go lifestyle.

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So, you can imagine my relief upon meeting  Angela Jia Kim, founder of Savor Beauty and Spas. Her all natural brand is composed of organic Korean skin rituals that you can complete in a New York minute. In short, it’s the miracle I never knew I needed. Now, although Kim’s product lineup isn’t as extensive as the more traditional K-beauty ones, she does still advocate for a multi-step routine that should be applied in the correct order.

“Skin is made of layers, and products penetrate at different levels,” she says. “Layer in the proper order so that your products with potent ingredients are even more effective.” So, what exactly is the correct order? In the simplest terms, your products should be applied from thinnest to thickest.

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Kim says, “Start with thinnest consistencies so they can absorb completely and deeply into the layers of your skin. Thicker and heavier consistencies are made of larger molecules and will not penetrate as deeply, so they should be layered on top of thinner products.”

With that being said, we’ve broken down the five products you should never skip and how you should apply each one. Read ahead for more of Kim’s expert tips.

A version of this article was originally published in November 2017.