Should you apply toner before or after your eye contour? When should you use a serum? To maximize the benefits of your beauty products and make your skincare routine as effective as possible, it's important to follow a certain application order.
Step 1: Makeup remover-cleanser for clear skin
Throughout the day, dust, dead skin cells, pollution particles, and even toxins accumulate on the surface of the face. All of these elements represent aggressive agents that cover the epidermis with a thin, uncomfortable layer. They hinder the skin's barrier function, making it unable to properly perform its functions. The result: impaired skin quality, dilated pores, loss of radiance, and dehydration are just around the corner.
The first essential step in any beauty routine, cleansing and makeup removal gently removes all impurities present on the skin's surface. The epidermis can then regenerate naturally. This step is particularly important before bedtime because it is at night, when it is not subject to external aggressions, that the skin renews itself deeply and peacefully. Contrary to popular belief, makeup removal is not the prerogative of those who wear makeup, but it helps all skin types clear the decks.
Step 2: Toning lotion to oxygenate the skin
The icing on the cake of cleansing and makeup removal is the application of a lotion or toning mist, which neutralizes the limescale film that can be left on the skin when rinsing with water. Domestic tap water is often hard, referred to as "hard water," and loaded with mineral salts that can alter the skin barrier and increase skin sensitivity.
Toning lotion promotes the skin's oxygenation dynamics. It improves the condition and quality of its surface. The epidermis breathes again and regains its freshness. Soothing, toning, or purifying, choose your toning lotion according to your skin type.
To perfect your makeup removal, Payot combines gesture with care thanks to a unique technique co-created with facialist Sylvie Lefranc: the Gym Beauté Démaq Détox. This natural and holistic practice activates the skin's detoxification and revives the complexion's radiance when removing makeup.
Step 3: Targeted treatment to pamper a specific part of the face
Targeted care allows you to tackle a specific beauty issue or area of the face to treat it effectively. The most well-known targeted treatment is the eye contour, and for good reason: this part of the face requires special attention. Highly stressed with several thousand blinks per day, the skin around the eyes is thinner than that of the rest of the face. Lacking in sebaceous glands, it is less well protected against external aggressions. As a result, it easily shows signs of aging—it's often the first area affected by wrinkles and fine lines—and fatigue such as dark circles and puffiness. Energizing, super hydrating, radiance-enhancing, firming, or even smoothing, there's an eye contour treatment for every eye need.
Aside from the eye contour area, there are many targeted treatments. These include an anti-blemish stick or an anti-blackhead treatment like our Blackhead Solution Gray Paste. Its fresh gel-cream formula cleanses, unclogs, and tightens pores. It should be applied to cleansed and toned skin before your day or night cream. Be careful, however, if the targeted treatment is a tinted treatment, it is recommended to apply it at the end of your routine.
Step 4: Serum to meet the skin's unique needs
To be applied under your day or night cream, the serum offers a highly concentrated formulation of active ingredients that acts quickly and deeply. With a very fine and ultra-dose texture, it dives into the heart of skin cells. While the moisturizer's mission is to protect the epidermis from external aggressions, it remains on the surface of the face. Hydration, radiance, firmness, anti-dark spots or even anti-blemish, the serum uses high-performance reference ingredients and provides a shot of active ingredients with targeted action to meet the skin's needs.
Step 5: Day care to protect the skin from external aggressions
Day cream acts as a shield for the skin. In the morning, the epidermis goes into defense mode to fight against all the external aggressions it may encounter. Indeed, sudden changes in temperature, wind, pollution particles, ultraviolet rays, and even cigarette smoke alter and weaken the skin barrier. Day cream supports the hydrolipidic film and strengthens it so that it can peacefully carry out all of its functions. It forms a defensive bulwark before deploying its treatment action.
At night, the skin switches to rest and regeneration mode. Night cream provides the active ingredients necessary to promote renewal. Its formula is often a little more nourishing and concentrated in active ingredients than that of day cream.
Step 6: Sun protection to prevent the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays
These days, it's not uncommon to use a day cream containing a sun protection factor (SPF). However, if this is not the case, it is strongly recommended, especially in summer, to protect your skin from the sun's rays with a dedicated treatment. As a reminder, the sun is the leading cause of skin aging. While they provide a beautiful, healthy-looking tan, UV rays modify the DNA of skin cells and damage them. They generate free radicals, which themselves create oxidative stress, which permanently damages collagen and elastin in the skin.
Applying sunscreen is done at the very end of your beauty routine and can be reapplied as often as necessary throughout the day.
Bonus Steps: Scrub and Mask for Plumped Skin
Once or twice a week, the powerful scrub-mask duo completes your beauty routine. Scrubbing exfoliates the skin, removing dead cells that accumulate on its surface. It activates cell renewal: fresh cells replace the old ones. It's as if your face is getting a new skin. Scrubbing also removes excess sebum and prevents the appearance of imperfections. It facilitates the penetration of the active ingredients in the skincare products applied afterwards, which is why it's always followed by a mask.
Anaïs Texier, E-commerce Manager at PAYOT
An expert skincare specialist, Anaïs deciphers skincare trends and shares her advice.