Should You Apply Your Face Oil After Your Serum?
The Best Way to Use Serums and Face Oils Together
Skincare can feel confusing, especially when it comes to layering products.
One question I get all the time is: should I apply face oil or serum first?
The short answer is that your serum comes first. The long answer lies in understanding how these products work with your skin.
From what I’ve learned over the years, serums are packed with concentrated active ingredients that target specific concerns like aging, hydration, or hyperpigmentation.
Face oils, on the other hand, nourish our skin and create a protective barrier to prevent moisture loss.
Therefore, to maximize the benefits of both, it’s essential to apply your serum first to deliver a targeted treatment, followed by a facial oil to lock in moisture. Preferably, we’d also be applying a moisturizer in between the two steps, but you don’t have to.
In this article, I’ll explain everything you need to know about how to use facial oils and serums together in your skincare routine.
What are face oils?
Face oils are skincare products packed with essential fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Unlike serums, they’re about providing hydrating ingredients, but rather supplementing your skin’s natural oil production.
That said, face oils are versatile; you can use them to treat dry and sensitive skin, and at the same time, they can also deliver active ingredients like salicylic acid and retinol.
Some oils even have properties that can help balance your natural oil production, making them suitable for people with oily or acne-prone skin.
In the end, it’s all about finding the right oil for your skin’s unique needs.
How do you use facial oils?
To maximize the benefits of your facial oil, you should apply a few drops as the last step in your evening skincare routine.
This helps in two ways: it locks in the extra moisture from your serums and cream, and it also ensures that the facial oils spreads evenly across your skin.
If you’re layering your oil over a serum or moisturizer, give those products a moment to absorb before applying the oil. Just like with serums, you should apply moisturizer before oil.
This ensures that each product can work effectively without interfering with the other’s absorption and efficacy.
Benefits of Face Oils
While you might think face oils are simply a luxurious addition to your skincare routine, they actually provide many benefits for your skin.
While each product from rosehip seed oil to jojoba oil has a unique composition, they still share some common advantages.
Skin Nourishment
Because your skin barrier is made of lipids, studies show that facial oils help fortify and strengthen your skin’s natural barrier
Antioxidant Protection
Many face oils are rich in antioxidants that help fight environmental stressors like pollution and protect your skin from premature aging
Healing Properties
Studies show that oils with ingredients like rosehip oil and calendula have natural soothing and anti-inflammatory properties that help calm redness, reduce irritation, and promote wound healing
Balancing Oil Production
Even though it sounds counterintuitive, lightweight oils like squalene closely mimic your skin’s natural sebum which can help fight acne breakouts by normalizing sebum production in people with oily skin
Whether you have oily or dry skin, the right facial oil can certainly make a difference in your skincare routine.
What are serums?
Serums are skincare products formulated with high concentrations of active ingredients designed to tackle specific skin conditions.
You’ll commonly find serums formulated to treat issues like:
fine lines and wrinkles
hyperpigmentation
dehydration
and dull skin
For example, a good anti-aging serum might be formulated with retinol, while vitamin c serums can treat dull skin.
Unlike moisturizers, serums have a lightweight, more fluid consistency which allows them to spread and absorb easily into your skin.
How do you use serums?
If you want to maximize the benefits of your serum, you have to know when to use it!
To do so, follow these steps:
First, wash your face with a cleanser
Apply 3-5 drops of your serum and gently pat or massage it into your skin
Allow 1-2 minutes for your serum to absorb
Follow up with moisturizer and either sunscreen (AM) or facial oil (PM)
And that’s it – you’re done! Pretty simple, right?
The only tricky part here is if you’re applying multiple serums in the same skincare routine.
In that case, I suggest applying the thinner, more watery one first and apply the others in order of increasing viscosity.
Benefits of Serums
Serums are some of the most versatile skincare products you can find, and they come with tons of benefits like:
Concentrated Treatment
The strongest skincare products are often serums which are packed with high concentrations of active ingredients, making them powerful enough to address a wide variety of skin conditions
Targeting Specific Concerns
Whether you want to target aging, hyperpigmentation, skin texture, or something else entirely, I promise there’s a serum out there to address it. For example, you can use a vitamin C serum to brighten your skin or a hyaluronic acid serum for hydration
Quick Absorption
Because they’re so lightweight, serums are absorbed more quickly and deeply than moisturizers and face oils which allows them to work more effectively
Overall, incorporating the right serum into your skincare routine can enhance your overall skin health in about a thousand ways.
Face Oils vs Serums: The Key Differences
While both face oils and serums are great additions to your skincare routine, they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics.
Composition and Texture
Serums are concentrated water-based formulations that are designed to deliver active ingredients. They’re typically lightweight, absorb quickly, and penetrate deeply into your skin.
On the other hand, face oils are lipid-based instead of water-based. They’re thicker and primarily work on your skin’s surface by forming a protective barrier to lock in moisture and active ingredients from other products.
While serums are lighter compared to moisturizers, face oils are heavier than moisturizers.
Function and Benefits
The primary function of your serum is to deliver targeted treatment to specific skin concerns, such as fine lines, hyperpigmentation, or dehydration.
Then, you have face oils which are more about nourishing and protecting the skin. Rather than hydrating, they reinforce your skin’s natural barrier and can even help regulate sebum production.
Place in Your Skincare Routine
In your skincare routine, you should apply serums after cleansing and toning but before moisturizing and applying face oil.
Their thin consistency allows them to be absorbed quickly and work at a deeper level than your heavier products.
Because they’re thicker, your face oils should be applied after your moisturizer or even mixed into it.
Facial oils act more as a sealant for all the skincare products applied before them, ensuring maximum absorption and efficacy.
So, which should you apply first?
Here’s the golden rule: apply your serum first before moisturizer, then finish off by applying face oil.
Why? Well, serums are designed to penetrate deeply into your skin, delivering active ingredients to the areas you need them most.
By applying your serum first, you’ll maximize its absorption. Then, after applying your serum and waiting a moment for it to absorb, follow up with a face oil.
The oil acts as a sealant by locking in the serum’s benefits and adding its own nourishing touch.
By applying oil last, you create a protective barrier that locks in moisture and active ingredients from the serum which enhances both hydration and efficacy.
Do you need both a face oil and a serum?
While you don’t need both a face oil and a serum, they are both great additions to your routine.
Truly, the answer largely depends on your skin’s needs and your personal skincare goals.
Tailoring Your Routine to Your Skin’s Needs
Serums are specialized products designed to target specific concerns like premature aging with high concentrations of active ingredients.
They’re essential for anyone looking to make significant changes to a specific condition.
Then, we have face oils which provide an extra layer of nourishment and protection. They’re particularly beneficial for those with dry skin or those using strong active ingredients.
Layering Them for Enhanced Benefits
Using both a serum and a face oil can offer enhanced benefits as compared to using one or the other.
Your serum works at a deeper level to address specific concerns, while your face oil seals in the serum’s benefits and adds its own nourishing touch.
This layered approach can lead to more comprehensive skincare results and ensures that your skin receives all the love and care it needs.
Personalizing Your Skincare Approach
Ultimately, whether you use both a face oil and a serum should be based on your unique needs.
When making your decision, be sure to consider your skin type, concerns, and the results you’re aiming for.
While some may find using both beneficial, others might prefer to use just one, depending on their skin’s response and needs.
Can people with acne-prone skin use face oils?
Yes, people with acne-prone skin can use face oils! In fact, a common misconception is that face oils are a no-go for those with acne-prone skin.
The truth is more nuanced than that; the right face oil can actually be beneficial for acne-prone skin types.
Choosing the Right Oil for Acne Prone Skin
The key for people with acne-prone skin lies in selecting non-comedogenic oils that won’t clog your pores.
Oils like jojoba, argan, and squalane are known for their lightweight properties and similarity to natural oil your skin already produces, making them less likely to cause breakouts.
These oils can help balance sebum production and, in some cases, even soothe inflammation.
How to Start Incorporating Oils for Acne Prone Skin
For people with acne-prone skin, it’s important to introduce face oils gradually and observe how your skin reacts.
Start with a small amount in the evening, following your usual cleanser, serum, and moisturizer.
Then, monitor your skin’s response over a few weeks. If you notice any adverse reactions, it may be worth trying a different oil or skipping the face oils altogether.
The Correct Order for Your Skincare Routine
Did you know the effectiveness of your skincare routine is influenced by the order in which you apply your products?
It’s true – a well-structured routine ensures that each product is absorbed properly and works to its full potential!
A Step-by-Step Guide
Follow this guide in order to make the most of your skincare routine:
Cleanser: Start with a clean slate by using a gentle cleanser to remove sweat, dirt, and oil from your skin
Toner: A toner can help remove any last traces of dirt or makeup and even make your other skincare products work better
Serums: Apply your serum next. Whether it’s a hydrating, brightening, or anti-aging formula, this is when its active ingredients work best
Eye Cream: If you use an eye cream, apply it before your moisturizer so it can target the delicate skin around your eyes
Moisturizer: A moisturizer hydrates and helps to lock in the benefits of your serum
Face Oil: Finally, apply your face oil. This step seals in all the previous layers and adds an extra level of skin nourishment
Sunscreen (Morning Routine): In the morning, you can finish off with sunscreen if you wish.
And remember, this is just a general guide.
Your exact route will vary depending on your skin type, the products you use, and your specific skin concerns.
Overall, a general heuristic is to apply your products from “thinnest to thickest” or “wateriest to oiliest” for best results.
The Bottom Line: Face oil or serum first?
You should always apply your serum first before moisturizing and finish off by applying face oil.
In the end, the debate between the two products really just boils down to understanding how they work and what they offer for your unique skin concerns.
Both have distinct benefits and play different roles in your routine, and they complement each other beautifully.
For example, serums, with their concentrated active ingredients, need to be in closer contact with your skin to work effectively. Then, face oils are designed to seal in moisture and lock in the benefits of the products applied before them, including serums.
By understanding the correct order of application, you can unlock the full potential of this dynamic duo!
Cheers,