Some skincare terms immediately pique our interest. Last month, it was “slugging“, a Korean skincare trend that purportedly gives you the coveted glass skin.
This time around, however, it’s all about creating a “moisture sandwich” for your skin – a trend that we’re totally on board with.
Moisture sandwich: What is the hype all about?
To create a moisture sandwich, all you have to do is layer on your skincare products – it’s that simple! By sandwiching your creams or oils in between layers of moisture, it traps water in the skin, reducing transepidermal water loss and boosting your skin’s moisture levels.
By doing so, your skincare products are able to absorb better, which in turn helps you reap the full benefits of your skincare. It’s recommended to apply your skincare on damp skin instead of dry skin, because damp skin is more permeable and absorbs the product 10 times better.
So when you apply lighter layers of skincare on damp skin and follow it up with a richer formula, the latter traps water longer and gives your skin that much-needed hydration boost!
Benefits of moisture sandwiching
Simply using thin layers of skincare sandwiched with moisture will enhance your overall skincare experience and benefits. Piling on skincare has always been counter-productive, so what better way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your skincare by just adding this extra step?
With this moisture sandwich method, you can bid adieu to your dry skin woes – gone are your days of red, irritated splotches, flaking skin, and makeup that cakes and sits in the crevices of your skin.
What’s more, if you practise moisture sandwiching in your daytime routine, strategically placing your skincare in areas to highlight the cheekbone, nose tip, and brow bone can give your face a natural glow, sans highlighter!
If you’ve got dry, dehydrated skin, go ahead, because this Reddit skincare trend’s perfect for you. It’s going to give your skin the extra hydration boost it needs and leave you with a dewy hour glow like no other.
How to do a moisture sandwich
Great news, because you’re not going to need to fork out money or make room on your vanity for more skincare products! A moisture sandwich can be easily achieved with the products that you already have. The trick is just to use more of it and layer them in the right order.
Begin by cleansing to prep your skin. Then, spritz on a facial mist to dampen the skin and add your first layer of moisture. Follow it up with a few drops of your regular hydrating toner or essence like you normally would.
If you’re using a serum, now’s the best time to layer it on and gently massage it in. You can either spritz another layer of facial mist or apply a few drops of the hydrating lotion or essence to create your moisture sandwich!
Make sure to pat in the moisture and let it “sit” for a while before sealing it off with a moisturiser.
Everyone’s skin is different, so make sure to adjust the steps and create a routine that works for your skin type and treats your skin woes – be it a lack of moisture, dullness, or irritation.
It’s important to take your time and not rush the process, because you’ve got to let the layers of skincare properly absorb into your skin. Otherwise, your products may start to ball up and pill.
What to avoid when creating a moisture sandwich
While it’s that simple, you’ll want to be careful not to overload the layers.
When you use one too many active ingredients, they might end up cancelling each other out, rendering your skincare useless or worse, react and trigger irritation. So don’t mix retinol with exfoliating acids, which can potentially irritate your skin.
It’s also important to avoid using occlusive skincare products – these are skincare products that provide a protective seal over the surface of the skin to prevent water loss. This method may not be suitable for those with oily, acne-prone skin too, as layering occlusive may clog your pores and lead to breakouts.
