Have you ever felt like your skincare products just don’t work as well with your skin as they’re supposed to? Something many people miss is that you have to pay attention to your skin’s ability to absorb products just as much as you pay attention to the products themselves.

Read on to learn our five top tips for making your skincare products more effective.

Five Ways to Help Your Skincare Absorb Better

1. Wash your face with lukewarm water.
   The importance of cleansing your face is a given, but you may have been making the mistake of using water that is either too cold or hot. Hot water strips your face of moisture and aggravates existing skin conditions, while cold water may cause the pores to close and trap all that gunk and bacteria that you're working to wash away.
   Lukewarm water is best because it neither irritates the skin nor make your pores contract. Plus, it's a comfortable temperature, too, especially in colder months.
   
   
2. Exfoliate once or twice a week.
   
   Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from your face. It is a necessary part of your weekly skincare regimen, so it pays to do it properly.
   How often you exfoliate depends on your skin type and condition. As a basic guide, once a week should be enough for those with dry skin. For those with oily and combination skin, on the other hand, we recommend exfoliating twice a week.
   
   
3. Layer skincare from lightest to heaviest consistency.
   The order of how you apply products also matters when it comes to skincare penetration. A rule of thumb is to start with lightweight products with thin consistencies then move to heavier products, such as moisturizers and creams.
   Here’s how a sample routine would look like with proper layering: cleanser → toner → serum → spot treatment → eye cream → moisturizer → sunscreen (for day routines) or night cream (for night routines).
   
   
4. Take Harker Herbals' Echinacea + Vitamin C + Zinc.
   Skincare products are not the only way to help keep your skin radiant. Taking supplements, like Echinacea + Vitamin C + Zinc from Harker Herbals, provides the body with antioxidants that promote skin health, especially those with dry and itchy skin. Healthy skin makes for a great canvas for all your best skincare products!
   This liquid supplement is also great for wintertime as it supports the recovery of lungs and sinuses and helps build the immune system. Oh, and did we mention that it’s vegan-friendly?
   
   
5. Use only clean products that care for you—like Antipodes.
   For our final tip, we’re going back to the basics. Now that you know how to help your skincare absorb better, it’s a good time to reassess your current routine. Make sure your go-to products produce scientifically validated results and are made with natural, vegan ingredients.
   We recommend the proudly New Zealand-based Antipodes, whose award-winning skincare solutions have gone through testing to ensure what they offer is ultra clean, sustainable, and most of all, effective!
   
   Spoil your skin and shop the best in wellness from Harker Herbals, Antipodes, and more at www.allowyourself.co.nz.