Beauty people, I bet you’re already accustomed to serum application (after cleanser and softener, before emulsion and moisturiser, for the record) but what about the subtler art of layering multiple serums effectively?  

Advanced-level beauty students, pens and notebooks at the ready. To decode the serum sequence, we need to figure out what goes where but first, boost the base with the aid of a luminising lotion, which will serve as a pre-serum “primer” to prep your skin for the salves to come.

Try: Astalift Moist Lotion, $64 for 130ml and $57 for refill.

For the purposes of this story, we’ll stick to two broad types of serums: Anti-ageing and brightening. Josephine Lim, Sisley Singapore’s PR and training manager, says we should always apply the former right after cleansing and softening: “Anti-ageing serums come first as they usually target the dermis, which is of course the deepest part of the skin.”

Alright, so we should apply anti-aging serums first. Got it. What next? Only one way to find out – click on the next gallery slide, pretty please.

Try: Sisley Sisleya Global Firming Serum, $550.

If you’re also attempting to stave off sunspots, now is the time to smooth on a brightening serum, as whitening treatments work on the pigment-creating melanocytes found in the basal layer, which is above the dermis.

Translation: Let anti-aging products work their magic on the innermost layer of the skin, then top up with a spot corrector aimed at the pigment cells in the layer above. Incredibly intuitive if you think about it, right?

Try: Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Blanc Pur Couture Concentrate, $159.

Bonus: I recommend doing things the Japanese way and bridging the gap between serum and moisturiser with a slightly creamier and comforting emulsion, so as to prep and prime your skin for the thicker-textured night ointments to come.

Oh, and this may seem patently obvious, but it still bears repeating that If you have multiple complexion concerns, you should start with the lightest textured out of the lot before working your way up. Extremely easy rule to heed to heart, right?

Try: Kose Sekkisei Enriched Emulsion, $82.

Try massaging a moisturiser into your mien to seal in all of the goodness and to smooth away any sagging and bagging. What you do is to warm up a walnut-sized bit of the product in your palms, then pat firmly into your face, paying extra attention to the jowl area, where your hands should be kneading upwards against the forces of gravity.

And yes, serums and moisturisers aside, this technique works well for just about any topical treatment from calming cold creams to the most luxe of lotions, so press away, baby.

So, to recap: When layering your serums, always start with an anti-aging (or lightweight) formula before proceeding to a brightening (or creamier) one. Not too hard, yes. Bookmark this story for future reference, and good luck. Beauty class dismissed!

Try: Kanebo Night Lipid Wear, $130.

Text: Eugene Quek, Her World Plus / Additional reporting: Arissa Ha

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