Skincare Layering: Your Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

Everyday Skincare is a process

Our skin shows us a new side of ourselves every day. It gives us a glimpse of how we are feeling on the inside and, above all, offers us protection from daily challenges. It is a mindfield and one needs to get to know one own skin to understand why I just woke up with a red spot, or why my skin feels dry and why do I all of a sudden have some dehydration. 

Many needs and many unanswered questions - But which skincare really suits me? 

Everyday skincare is a process. It takes time. And it is an investment into your health. And NAYA we have taken this sentence to heart. That's why we have developed a collection of products that can be the right skin care for everyone through targeted "mix & match"! It will equip you with the right product for the right moment.

How it works and how you can create your perfect routine? Let's have a look at it today. 

In this article you will learn...

• The idea behind NAYA - Driven by a Purpose!
• The principle: Layering!
• The active ingredient nightmare - dos and don'ts
• Everything at a glance

 

1. The Idea Behind NAYA - Driven By a Purpose

Prevention. We want to create skincare that helps your skin in the long term. In other words, prevent and maintain. Products that make you feel good everyday and that are reliable and respond to your skin needs. But we also want to focus on "sustainable consumption". Consumption that can generate benefits not only for each individual, but is also good for the planet. 

Transparency. NAYA is more than just skincare. We want to help you bring light into the darkness. We want to sharpen your knowledge about ingredients and refresh your understanding of chemistry. We want you to get to know your skin so that you can treat it with care. For this purpose, we want to be as transparent as possible for you. So that you know exactly what you are buying and why it is good for your skin. That every ingredient has its justification. A look behind the scenes!

Social responsibility. Because every company has a responsibility. It's so important to look beyond what we do every day and see what the ripple effect of our actions. Which issues are relevant and how we, as NAYA, can also make a positive contribution outside our immediate field of activity and reduce our footprint. To be good for your skin and for the planet. 

 

2. The Layering Concept

What does layering actually mean in skincare?

This special care principle originated in Japan/Asia. Roughly speaking, it is about the targeted and individual combination of pure care products. In this way, the ingredients can complement each other optimally and their effects can be sensibly enhanced. It promises that you can react perfectly to external influences such as weather, cold and sun. According to the principle of actio-reactio, you can adapt your care individually.

There are a few principles that help to better understand layering and skincare products in general, so this principle can also work well for you. The picture of a few drops of oil in water is a good example. You can clearly see that these two substances do not mix with each other, but are present in separate phases.

This is also the case in skincare. There are hydrophilic (water-loving) products that have water as their base. Examples are creams, serums, gels and lotions. And these are contrasted with lipophilic (fat-loving) products. They logically have a fat-containing base and these include oils, ointments, waxes and creams where the water content is very low or none. If you "mix" these two types of products on your skin at the same time, two phases will settle and you may get an unattractive crumb effect. You'll find out how to avoid this in a moment.

The next basic point, which we unfortunately often lack in everyday life - time. Hence, at NAYA, we take this equation out and provide potent products where you need fewer from and reduce unnecessary steps. We don't believe in a 7-Step routine using wafer-thin layers. Instead formulated products that target your everyday needs - a mix of vitamins and minerals your skin requires each day to be healthy and glowy. And then focus on phyto-actives to give your skin that boost to work preventatively and sustainably. For a timeless skin wellbeing. It then only comes down to they right order of the product. It sounds complicated at first, but in the end it is not as we have created our products with you in mind. To remove anything unnecessary and focus on simplicity. 

 

3. Layering - Step by Step

Step 1 Cleansing

In order to create access for valuable active ingredients, the access to your skin must first be cleared. The Oil Cleansing Method is ideally suited for this. It uses a gentle cleansing oil to thoroughly remove make-up, sunscreen, deposits and other dirt from your skin. The beauty of it is that the oil is super mild and leaves your skin's acid mantle alone and therefore does not irritate it. The Everyday Cleansing Oil does exactly that. It soothes the skin thanks to organic rapeseed, hemp seed and pomegranate oil - gently but thoroughly cleansing your face without stripping it of its natural oils. 

Step 2 Serum and Essence

Now your skin is ready and prepared to receive the jewels in the skin care routine. Time for phyto-actives. This is where the serums and essences and other high-potent type of products. With a high concentration of active ingredients (meaning a high percentage of an active) and light, mostly liquid to gel-like textures, they penetrate deep into the skin and can unfold their intensive effect directly. At NAYA you have the choice between the following products: 

Aura Essence: Intensive moisture thanks to the five different types of hyaluronic acid. Plus microbiome balancing hemp extract to strengthening your skin barrier.

Antioxidant Defence Booster: Antioxidant, cares for blemishes, acne, pigment spots & wrinkles. It is a high-dosage of ascorbic acid that can be mixed with Aura or Glow Serum for a high-concentrated Vitamin C. 

Everyday Glow Serum: Revive and recharge the mitochondria in your skin cell to bring back the glow and revive your skin. 



Just one pump are enough to supply your entire face with the serum or essence. Brands suggest that several serums, concentrates can be used in succession. We do not recommend this. The reason being: 

 

1. It indicates that the Brand works with a very very low percentage level of each active ingredient. Why? Because if an active is used at a high percentage, the skin can feel sticky or it can start to peel if you use multiple serums in succession.
2. It is way too much for your skin if you use different types of actives at one. Serums, essences are meant to be potent formulations. Your skin can only take that much hence you have a responsibility to provide these potents in limits to protect and maintain your skin barrier. 

 

Finally, you also don't need to use multiple serums. The objective of a serum is to be targeted. It is aimed at a specific skin concern. You then use one serum for one night and another one for another night based on your skin need. We will talk about Skin Cycling over the next few weeks as well. 

The important thing is that you understand what your skin need is. Otherwise, brands can sell you everything and anything. This way, you avoid disappointment as you are in control and in charge. 

 

Step 3 Eye care

While the serum is being absorbed, you can focus on the eye area. The skin here is very sensitive and thin, so special care is super. We all want an alert look and rejuvenated skin! You can use our Everyday Day Cream for the delicate eye area. We tell our customers not to use Face Oils around the eye area, as Face Oils are way too thick and can trigger milias. And we don't want those around our eyes - the windows to our soul. 

 

Step 4 Cream / Oils

And the last step: the tuning. Curtain up for the thicker face care. Every skin reacts individually, so you should decide for yourself which level of moisture & richness is right for you. For example, our Everyday Day Cream. It is quickly absorbed and is wonderfully nourishing for your skin. If you need it a little richer, you can drop a few drops of one of our Face Oils into the cream. Et voila! Again you are in charge of what your skin needs. If your skin does well with oils, you can also use them as a further step after the cream. We have offer the Everyday Face Oil, Renew Cacay Oil + A or our pure 100% Cacay Beauty Oil. 

 

Step 06 for the day - sun protection!

In the morning, however, the sunscreen should always be the tail light of the layering. Because as the name suggests, it forms a protective coat for our skin and should be on top of the layers. Make sure to use a sufficient amount (a min of 2g) and keep refreshing the protection.

SPA EXPERIENCE: Face masks

For the ultimate care, you could apply a mask 1-2 times a week. Face masks are generally applied after cleansing, left on and then rinsed off. Depending on which mask you use, you can continue your routine as usual. 

Hydration Mask: A deeply hydrating gel mask that has a gentle peeling effect. 

 

The following guidelines apply to your skin care routine: From thin to thick! Think Onion-Look. If you keep this in mind, you can integrate any product into your routine in the perfect order.

3. The Active ingredient Puzzle - Dos and Don'ts 

Can I combine the active ingredients wildly, or is there something to be aware of?

Basically, a little caution is advised with vitamin C, retinol/vitamin A and AHA. These substances influence the pH value of the skin and can therefore easily overtax or irritate it. 

Typically, you use a Vitamin C in the morning. And when we say Vitamin C, we refer to Asorbic Acid. Most Vitamin C derivatives are gentle enough to be combined with Retinol and AHA. Retinol is used in the evening to kick of the renewing and regenerative process of the skin.

AHA / BHAs need to be used once or tops twice a week. Try not to use them every day. Depending on the dosage they can weaken your skin barrier and external aggressors can enter your skin.

Retinol and AHA should be used in the evening, as these ingredients need some time to develop their full effect. And they make the skin more sensitive to light. Therefore, sun protection of at least LFS 30 is indispensable after use. More on this when we kick of our series on Skin Cycling. 

Another important question: Should all products be from one manufacturer?

Ideally yes. Products from the same manufacturer are developed to be compatible with one another. They are sourcing the same ingredients from the same suppliers and are thus specifically coordinated with each other. Each brand has their own philosophy what they use and what ingredients they don't use. So this is then consistent across the range.