As we close to the top of the yr, chilly temperatures, blistering winds, and snow days have us layering up with coats, hats, beanies, and gloves. Why? As a result of the extra layers, the extra protected we’re towards winter parts. The identical idea applies to skincare. Layering on merchandise over different merchandise is a good way to optimize the hydration in your pores and skin, particularly throughout the bleakest of chilly days. Because it seems, there’s a identify to this system and it’s known as moisture sandwiching.
A preferred Korean skincare technique, moisture sandwiching popped up on the Western magnificence scene due to Reddit, Instagram, and (that’s proper) TikTok. It basically makes use of a three-second rule the place you apply your skincare merchandise to damp pores and skin three seconds after cleaning — versus patting your pores and skin dry previous to continuing with the remainder of your routine. “Moisture sandwiching refers back to the means of making use of merchandise on high of damp pores and skin to make sure your pores and skin stays hydrated,” says Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, board licensed medical dermatologist and founding father of Episciences. The thought behind that is that damp pores and skin is extra receptive to absorption, supplying you with extra advantages to your merchandise.
Though moisture sandwiching is having a second within the buzzy magnificence world, in line with Dr. Karyn Grossman, co-founder of RAF FIVE and celeb dermatologist, it is among the oldest tips within the guide. “This has all the time been the golden customary in treating pores and skin gently for years,” says the professional. “Having some water on the pores and skin, then including components to carry the water into the pores and skin [humectants] then including components to seal that water within the pores and skin [occlusives] helps to maintain pores and skin hydrated and wholesome.”
Now that the historical past behind moisture sandwiching, what are the overall advantages and steps to include it accurately into your routine? Forward, TZR spoke to 6 knowledgeable dermatologists to get the 411.
What Is A Moisture Sandwich?
In case you take a look at the fundamentals of a skincare routine, you’ve three essential steps: cleaning, hydrating, and locking in moisture. Nevertheless, with the moisture sandwich technique, you add in additional vitamins between these three fundamental steps, piling on product from mild to thick textures. So you possibly can have an order that appears like this: cleaning, hydrating, moisturizing, firming, moisturizing, serum, and extra moisturizing … or another combo you want.
“The concept is to lock in hydration to the pores and skin to forestall trans-epidermal moisture loss (how a lot water the pores and skin holds) and maintain pores and skin glowing and hydrated,” says Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, triple board-certified plastic surgeon and founding father of 111SKIN. The aim right here is to begin with the lightest texture merchandise and layer with heavier ones. In response to the knowledgeable, the approach can be utilized year-round however is good within the colder months to maintain pores and skin hydrated.
Basically, when the pores and skin is dehydrated or dry, it’s paramount to lure in hydration for the pores and skin to carry onto. The sandwich technique does this by layering in light-weight, water-based formulation beneath thicker lotions so water is sealed into the pores and skin’s deepest layers — producing hydrated and bouncy pores and skin.
What Are The Advantages Of A Moisture Sandwich?
Sandwiching lotions, oils, moisturizers, and hydrators can lure water into the pores and skin and scale back water loss — permitting water to remain within the pores and skin for an extended time period, leading to more healthy and extra radiant pores and skin. “Each time you flippantly dampen your face with faucet water after which apply your moisturizer, you assist all of your merchandise penetrate higher,” says Dr. Sherwin Parikh, board-certified dermatologist and founding father of Tribeca Pores and skin Middle. “In the end, your pores and skin seems to be and feels completely hydrated and wholesome, for a noticeable glow.”
Not solely that, however it helps defend the pores and skin from the weather. “The whole course of supplies a protecting barrier to the dry pores and skin and retains pores and skin texture clean versus a moisturizer that tends to evaporate and never give the identical tactile textural enchancment you’d get from an oil,” says Dr. Loretta Ciraldo MD FAAD, a Miami-based board licensed derm and founding father of Dr. Loretta Skincare.
If you use merchandise with lighter textures and smaller molecules, it permits for deeper penetration and thicker formulation the power to lock in moisture. “The concept behind moisture sandwiching is to lock in additional moisture by making use of merchandise on damp pores and skin,” says Carmen Castilla, MD, New York Metropolis-based board-certified dermatologist. “It could theoretically draw in additional moisture than simply making use of the merchandise alone to dry pores and skin.”
How To Incorporate A Moisture Sandwich Into Your Routine
Dr. Gross says the sandwich technique is identical idea as making use of lotion to the physique post-shower. “The damp pores and skin will take in the moisturizer higher and lock in hydration,” the professional tells TZR. So if you’re prepared to use the approach to your magnificence regime, begin with water-based and light-weight choices like hydrating toner, essence, or face mist. Comply with that with a hydrating serum filled with glycerin or hyaluronic acid (aka, humectants that can pull moisture into the deepest layers of your pores and skin) to assist retain moisture on the floor of the pores and skin.
Third up, seize your favourite occlusive moisturizer to seal in long-lasting hydration and end with an in a single day or 15-minute masks to deeply hydrate the pores and skin. The best factor about moisture sandwiching is it may be utterly customizable primarily based in your skincare must see finest outcomes. Which means, in case you favor 4 steps, 5 steps, eight steps, or 12 — it’s nonetheless sandwiching. The consultants all agree this may be achieved every day, however to ease up when you have acne-prone pores and skin (extra on that later).
And it’s not simply your face, however your lips too. Merely moist lips with water, apply a moisturizer on high (could be a face cream), and a thick layer of lip balm to complete. Retaining the lips moist provides the moisturizer a greater probability at deeper penetration, whereas the lip balm prevents moisture loss.
Does Moisture Sandwiching Work On All Pores and skin?
Sometimes moisture sandwiching is very useful on dry and delicate pores and skin, however it might work on different pores and skin varieties as effectively. Nevertheless, when you have oily pores and skin, the consultants advise considering twice on the buzzy pattern. “Sufferers with oily pores and skin and who’re acne-prone ought to keep away from occlusive moisturizes since they might exacerbate zits flares,” says Castilla. As an alternative of making use of an occlusive moisturizer, Dr. Grossman suggests utilizing a hydrating hyaluronic acid in a gel method on damp pores and skin to hydrate with out added oils.
