Have you ever wondered how much of your serums and moisturizers are actually getting into your skin to effect visible change? You probably already suspect that 100% of the product doesn’t get absorbed, but it’s important that your skin is soaking up and processing as much of the key ingredients as it can. So you’ve probably wondered about how to increase skin absorption.

Spending money on skincare products that don’t properly penetrate into your skin seems counterintuitive. After all, you want to see a benefit from your use of these products. Not to mention, you don’t want your money to go to waste.

However, you can increase skin absorption of all the serums, moisturizers, and other products that you use. It’s a matter of prepping you skin properly to make sure it’s able to receive the most from all those products.

By increasing skincare penetration, you will get more out of every product, and whatever skin issues you are dealing with will get treated more efficiently. You might even discover that the entire reason your skincare products weren’t working the way you expected was because of penetration issues.

Here are the top methods to ensure you are getting the most of your skin care.

1. Exfoliate consistently

Sloughing off the dead skin cells that accumulate on your skin’s uppermost layer is essential for peak skincare absorption. Think of dead skin as a physical barrier to your fresh, healthy skin. Dead skin cells can also clog pores and ultimately cause the formation of blackheads. Blackheads can potentially become inflamed and turn into pimples. Even if your pores aren’t clogged and acne isn’t an issue, dead skin cells can still prevent proper skincare penetration. When you remove the dead skin cell blockade, you allow your serums and moisturizers to reach the healthy skin underneath and penetrate much deeper.

Use a powerful exfoliator like the Image Skincare ILUMA intense brightening exfoliating powder, which contains cell-regenerating coconut milk powder and buildup-dissolving pumpkin enzyme to buff away the lackluster layers while delivering nutrients into the skin. Pumpkin enzyme helps to dissolve the “glue” of dead skin cells and sebum (oil) that create a sort of barrier on the skin. This powder is so gentle that you can use it every day without irritating your skin. You’ll virtually never have to worry about dead skin cells getting in the way again if you use this exfoliating powder regularly.

If you’re extra blemish-prone or oily, you may want to follow up with the CLEAR CELL medicated acne facial lotion. It contains benzoyl peroxide, which is highly effective against acne-causing bacteria. It also helps to unclog pores. Together with the exfoliating powder, it can go a long way in helping your skin shed dead skin cells, while also combating existing blemishes.

2. Apply serums when your skin is still damp

Ever notice how smooth and soft your body feels when you moisturize right after you step out of the shower, and how much rougher it feels if you apply lotion when you’re completely dry? Your face is the same. The skin is a lot more absorbent when it’s damp (which is why Korean women slather on their skincare products within seconds after cleansing and rinsing). You can also opt to spritz your skin with a facial mist, if you don’t quite feel like wetting it with water before every skincare product application. Make sure skin is simply damp and not wet, however. If it’s too wet, gently pat dry with a clean towel. Do not rub.

3. Layer properly

Active ingredients like retinol (learn more about this ingredient here) or vitamin E are permeable and boast small molecular weights, so they are accepted by skin cells and eventually go into circulation. Ingredients with larger molecular weights, more often present in creams, won’t pass through as easily and will hang out around skin cells. If you apply larger molecules before the smaller molecules, the former will essentially block the latter from entering. This is why it’s so important to apply your skincare products in the correct order. Learn exactly how to layer your skin care by clicking here. If you can’t remember the exact order and are pressed for time, just remember to start with the thinnest products and move on to the thickest ones. For example, start with a serum or essence first before applying a moisturizer, eye cream, or night cream.

4. Steam your face

Your skin will drink up more of your skincare products if it’s in high humidity and increased temperature. This is why aestheticians often veil your face with steam or a hot towel before a facial! If you’re at home, you can purchase an at-home steamer or add hot water to a large bowl and hang your head over it with a towel draped over (to trap the steam). Steaming a couple of times each week will make a difference. You can also make this a satisfying skincare ritual and do it daily. After removing your makeup, steam your face for only a couple of minutes, then gently exfoliate and move on to layering on your skincare products from thinnest to thickest.

5. Look for skin care with a delivery system

Your skin needs all the help it can get to make use of the key ingredients you put on it. IMAGE’s Vectorize Technology™ enables your skin to reap maximum benefits. Up to 100 layers of active ingredients such as stem cells and peptides are encapsulated in spheres. These spheres time-release layer after layer, which means our products offer exceptional results. Vectorize Technology can be found in products like the AGELESS total overnight retinol masque.

6. Consider a dermaroller

A dermaroller is a long handheld tool with a cylindrical attachment containing tiny needles all around its surface. Also called microneedling, dermarolling involves sweeping the spiky roller over your skin to create microchannels—essentially, small injuries—on the skin’s surface, prompting the skin to produce more collagen. Studies have shown dermarollers can also improve absorption of skincare products. Many people receive this treatment either professionally (which is a lot more intense) or by using an at-home device. If you’re interested, talk to your IMAGE professional to see if he or she recommends it for you.

7. Increase the volume

If you save your skincare products for only the areas on your face where you see visible issues, you might want to rethink that. It may sound obvious, but applying an anti-aging serum all over your face instead of, say, your forehead will increase absorption by the skin, which means it will uptake more active ingredients for its benefit. Consider no longer relying on spot treatments, and instead really focusing on your skin as a whole.

Conclusion

If these seven steps feel overwhelming, remember that you do not have to do all of them. You can try them out and decide which one is most feasible for you. Exfoliating is definitely a key step so consider adding it to your routine. Steaming can also feel good both physically and mentally. Layering is a smart tactic that should be used by all skincare enthusiasts. The bottom line is that you should look at skincare as a habit and ritual. Make it an important part of your day that you look forward to. With that in mind, you’ll be more likely to actually do every step of your routine instead of simply wiping off your makeup and slapping on some moisturizer. Your skin is your largest organ. Your face is what you show to the world. It’s worth it to take care of it If you save your skincare products for only the areas on your face where you see visible issues, you might want to rethink that. It may sound obvious, but applying an anti-aging serum all over your face instead of, say, your forehead will increase absorption by the skin, which means it will uptake more active ingredients for its benefit. Consider no longer relying on spot treatments, and instead really focusing on your skin as a whole.