Give Your Face Cream An Extra Boost!

It may seem obvious, but it's important to fully cleanse before applying a face cream. If your skin isn't clean, your face cream's active ingredients won't optimally penetrate the epidermis. Result: a waste of time and money!

The solution: in addition to your morning and evening cleanse, apply a toner, cleansing foam or a thermal/floral water, according to your skin type. This will remove any remaining make-up, dirt, sweat and excess oil that could disrupt the skin's microorganisms balance and reduce the effect of a face cream's active ingredients. To protect this 'microbiome', opt for a neutral pH product that doesn't contain soap or alcohol. Use a gentle face scrub once a week to unclog your pores and remove dead skin cells. But don't scrub too hard, or you'll strip your skin of all its natural goodness! Once your skin is clean, your face cream's active ingredients will be better absorbed by the epidermis.

Gently massage in your face cream using circular movements, until it is fully absorbed. Massaging has another benefit: it boosts the skin's circulation and eliminates toxins. The deeper the active ingredients penetrate the epidermis the better they work.

You can find the same active ingredients in a number of different types of products: serums, day and night creams. Serums are packed with active ingredients (generally more concentrated than a cream). They are quickly absorbed and should be applied before your face cream. They prepare the skin as well as boosting a face cream's action. In the evening, opt for a nourishing night cream that contains the same active ingredients as your day cream. For optimal results, it's best to stick with products that have compatible active ingredients.