You've watched hours of makeup tutorials, unboxing hauls, online product reviews, you've read the articles, you've been on self-care Reddit, and you've assembled your own personal skin care product hall of fame. But even after all the skincare research, knowing what order to apply your skincare products in can be a stressful point of confusion.
Skin care involves a delicate balance of products and a meticulous routine. With each new product or technique added, another decision point arises. One persistent conundrum that consistently crops up in the world of skincare is the debate over whether to use a facial oil before or after moisturizer.
So we've got our question: Do you put facial oil on before or after moisturizer? We have a hypothesis about the answer, but let's take a deeper look.
The order of your application can really impact how effective your products are. So let's dive into a few helpful tips and understand the Why behind applying facial oil or face moisturizer first.
Do You Put Face Oil on Before or After Moisturizer?
Before getting into the order of application of your skincare routine, it's good to understand the difference between facial oil and face moisturizer:
Face Moisturizers
Face moisturizers primarily focus on hydrating your skin using a blend of botanicals, organic oils, and hydrating agents. They lock in moisture, prevent dehydration, and provide a protective barrier for your skin.
A great example is our Daydreamer Natural Face Moisturizer. Powered by shea butter and jojoba oil, this natural formula can lock moisture in to soothe irritated skin and increase microcirculation for brighter skin and all-day hydration.
Daydreamer Natural Face Moisturizer is formulated with beneficial ingredients and nutrients that keep your skin feeling hydrated, including:
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Vitamin E: Shields your skin from premature aging caused by pollution by neutralizing free radicals.
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Botanical Hyaluronic Acid: A hydration powerhouse that provides extra moisture to the skin, maintaining its plump appearance and deep hydration, combating signs of aging.
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Geranium Flower Water: Extracted alongside essential oils from geranium, this soothing substance provides nourishment to calm sunburns, rashes, and various skin conditions effectively.
Cocoa Seed Butter: Derived from the process of making chocolate, this natural ingredient forms a protective layer on the skin's surface, slowing down water loss and keeping your skin hydrated.
Face Oils
Also sometimes known as face serums, face oils on the other hand, are skin care products that are formulated with a concentration of oils rich in vitamins, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and other nutrients. They penetrate deeply into the skin, nourishing and revitalizing it, often targeting specific concerns like dry skin, fine-lines, or environmental damage.
For an overall regenerative and recuperative hydrating experience, our High Society Face Oil is an absolute moisturizing go-to treatment. Its natural ingredient list blends and compliments perfectly with any skincare regimen, so it's easy to see why people wonder whether to use facial oil or moisturizer first.
High Society Face Oil has a plethora of naturally potent parts that include:
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Marula Oil: Extracted from the nutrient-rich marula tree fruit kernels, facial oils containing marula is incredibly moisturizing. With a high content of oleic acid, it is quickly absorbed into the skin, leaving you with glowing beauty no matter your skin type.
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Jojoba Oil: Facial oils infused with jojoba are equally moisturizing, as jojoba resembles our skin's natural sebum. It steps in to hydrate when our skin's natural moisture levels dip below their optimal state.
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Grapeseed Oil: Cold-pressed to ensure maximum efficacy, it delivers stable vitamins to your skin. Because it's packed with omega fatty acids, it visibly diminishes signs of aging and environmental damage.
The Debate: Face Oil Before or After Moisturizer?
So, do face oils go before or after moisturizers?
There's no shortage of opinions on how to apply products in the correct order. To get the best results for you, we recommend applying face oil after face moisturizer in your skincare routine. Here's why:
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Locking in Moisture: Face moisturizers act as a hydrating base, prepping the skin by providing essential moisture. Applying a face oil afterward helps seal in this hydration, preventing water loss. This maximizes the moisturizing benefits of both products.
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Enhanced Absorption: Compared to other products, most moisturizers are lighter and thinner in consistency than most serums or face oils. Applying them first makes sense because this helps you prepare a foundation for better absorption of the subsequent serum. This is how the face oil can penetrate deeper into the skin. This delivers its nourishing properties as effectively as possible.
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Forming a Barrier: When you use facial oil over moisturizer, it forms an extra layer of protection that helps retain the hydration the moisturizer provides. This extra layer also shields the skin from pesky external irritants and aggressors, like pollution or harsh weather conditions.
The Science Behind the Sequence
The effectiveness of the formulation of face oils (and skincare products in general) often hinges on their ability to penetrate the skin barrier. Overall, facial oil molecules are larger than that of moisturizers. Applying moisturizer after face oil works to seal in the smaller particles of the moisturizer, ensuring your hydration stays locked in place.
Optimizing Your Skincare Routine
Here's a step-by-step guide to incorporating face oil after moisturizer for every skin type:
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Cleanse: As a general rule, always begin your skincare regimen with a gentle cleanse to restart fresh and remove impurities.
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Apply Moisturizer: Use a dime-sized amount of Daydreamer Face Moisturizer and massage it into freshly cleansed skin.
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Wait: Allow a few minutes for the moisturizer to be fully absorbed into your skin.
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Apply Face Oil: Take a few drops (around 2-4) of High Society Face Oil serum and gently press it onto your skin, focusing on areas where you have skin concerns or dryness.
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Lock It In: Pat the oil into your skin, allowing it to create a protective layer and seal in the moisture from the moisturizer.
Conclusion to the Face Oil or Moisturizer Debate
Ultimately, the sequence of applying face oil after face moisturizer isn't just a matter of preference; it's rooted in science and can hyper-charge the effectiveness of your skincare routine.
Like in science, it makes sense that the order of operation matters. By sticking to this routine order, you can optimize the absorption of your favorite skin care products, ensure deeper hydration, and get the full benefits out of both your face oil and moisturizer. By playing to the strengths of each product you'll be on your way to the results we all want: smoother, more nourished, and hydrated skin.
Try experimenting today with this double dose of hydration technique and see if you make a new radiant skincare discovery!