Beauty

[SilleeMee]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

I also get confused with this.  I am right now applying hydroquinone to some brown spots on my face.  I apply it to my dry washed skin and let it dry.... then apply MANY other serums and creams over it..  

My question is... does it just get wiped off when I apply things over the hydroquinone... or does it actually go INTO the skin enough so when I apply my other products it is still on my skin working???  I probably will never know. 

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Most active ingredients, HQ included, are designed to penetrate the skin so that they can do their thing. That is why they are called 'actives'. Skin usually allows things to start penetrating after just a few minutes and can take up to 15 to 20 minutes to fully absorb. After that you won't be able to wipe it off because the active ingredient is inside the skin and not on the surface any more. @SeaMaiden 

[SeaMaiden]

@SilleeMee    Many thanks for the explaination!

[Judaline]

Well, thanks, I value your opinions. I see the point. I know that thinner goes on first. Manuela taught me that eons ago, but sometimes I have questions. I can't use retin-a so I use retin-ol~I don't care that it takes more steps to work. At least I'm not flaking all over the place like I did the whole year and a half I used retin-a. I just can't do it. I have to say using the alpha hydroxy lotion every morning made my skin much brighter. I put the serums on afterwards because I just think the AHA would eat them away if I put them on first and I can't wait 20 mins in the morning for them to dry. So! I get what you all are saying. I just have to be a darn mathematician (or scientist @SilleeMee lol) and I'll have it. Thanks

[Shanus]

IMHO, serums go on first in the morning routine. The days I use an acid, it’s an acid pad that gets wiped on & stays on for 2-3 minutes and rinsed off leaving skin “clean” w/o product. It’s then prepared for my Vit. C serum. Next is my moisturizer/eye cream/neck cream and lastly is the SPF. 

I don’t use a serum at night or acids. On my oil cleansed, makeup free skin, I exfoliate w/ my Clarisonic and a second mild cleanser...(on nites I won’t be using Retin A). Then I moisturize face, neck, chest and eye cream.

On Retin A nights, it’s the only product I use on clean dry skin. It’s strong enough to do it’s own exfoliating and cell turnover. The exception is mixing it with my Obagi for fading brown spots. I don’t do this in spring and summer...too much SPF is needed to protect from the stronger sun rays and the spots are more likely to reappear. In the fall, I do a professional facial/peel for a fresh start and begin my Retin A/Obagi routine.

[Starpolisher]

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@Porcelain wrote:

It means they want you to put that product on first so it can completely absorb and not get diluted. Doesn't mean you have to do it. Nothing will explode if you do something different.

If you have multiple products that say apply to clean skin, then it's up to you which one you want to give the stronger effect by putting it on first. I'd probably go with prescription products first, followed by collagen building products, followed by antioxidants, followed by humectants (meaning hyaluronic acid, glycerin), followed by occulsives (your moisturizer). Serums and essences before lotions and creams.

You can buffer and reduce the effect of an overly strong product by applying it over another. For sure let your most important products absorb and dry to a slightly tacky finish before applying the next.

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What about when you "cocktail " or mix products? I've heard Manuella(Isomers)  say you can do this. If they are mixed together(serums) and applied at once(as first step, to clean skin) how does that work?

[Judaline]

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@Shanus wrote:

IMHO, serums go on first in the morning routine. The days I use an acid, it’s an acid pad that gets wiped on & stays on for 2-3 minutes and rinsed off leaving skin “clean” w/o product. It’s then prepared for my Vit. C serum. Next is my moisturizer/eye cream/neck cream and lastly is the SPF. 

I don’t use a serum at night or acids. On my oil cleansed, makeup free skin, I exfoliate w/ my Clarisonic and a second mild cleanser...(on nites I won’t be using Retin A). Then I moisturize face, neck, chest and eye cream.

On Retin A nights, it’s the only product I use on clean dry skin. It’s strong enough to do it’s own exfoliating and cell turnover. The exception is mixing it with my Obagi for fading brown spots. I don’t do this in spring and summer...too much SPF is needed to protect from the stronger sun rays and the spots are more likely to reappear. In the fall, I do a professional facial/peel for a fresh start and begin my Retin A/Obagi routine.

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Wow.

[Porcelain]

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@Starpolisher wrote:

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@Porcelain wrote:

It means they want you to put that product on first so it can completely absorb and not get diluted. Doesn't mean you have to do it. Nothing will explode if you do something different.

If you have multiple products that say apply to clean skin, then it's up to you which one you want to give the stronger effect by putting it on first. I'd probably go with prescription products first, followed by collagen building products, followed by antioxidants, followed by humectants (meaning hyaluronic acid, glycerin), followed by occulsives (your moisturizer). Serums and essences before lotions and creams.

You can buffer and reduce the effect of an overly strong product by applying it over another. For sure let your most important products absorb and dry to a slightly tacky finish before applying the next.

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What about when you "cocktail " or mix products? I've heard Manuella(Isomers)  say you can do this. If they are mixed together(serums) and applied at once(as first step, to clean skin) how does that work?

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You cocktail similar-based serums together. They should all be water-based gel type serums. And no retinol and no acids in the mix--those should be used separately. If you have a serum with a buffered vitamin C in it like MAP, you can include it in the serum cocktail. Anything creamy should be cocktailed separately after the gel serums.

Isomers can give specific info about individual products.