Skincare layering how-to: meet the ‘correct and protect’ pairing duos that work harder together

When it comes to skincare, finding the perfect product pairing can help maximise the effects. Here beauty writer Catherine Hufton explores the best duos by complexion need

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So, you’ve done the research, genned up on the best ingredients for your skin concerns, and put some products on your wish list. But do you know the order that your skincare should be applied or the perfect pairing for your complexion need?

According to skincare experts, the order we apply our products can actually make a big difference to the results we achieve, especially when it comes to tackling concerns and helping protect our skin from future damage.

To help you find the best routine, we asked Dr Emma Wedgeworth, a Consultant Dermatologist, to share her recommended La Roche-Posay routine for two common skincare concerns: targeting and improving dark spots and hydrating skin and giving a plumper appearance. Here she outlines the perfect products to help tackle these issues, and how to pair them for the best results.

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Desired skin benefit: Help target and improve the appearance of dark spots

Corrective and protective duo: Niacinamide serum and Anthelios Pigment Correct

Dark spots, or hyperpigmentation as it’s also referred to, are caused by several factors such as sun damage, hormones, and acne scars. These factors create an increase in melanin and darker patches of uneven skin to appear. If this is a concern you’re hoping to improve, Dr Emma suggests using a corrective serum after cleansing such as La Roche-Posay’s Niacinamide Serum.

La Roche-Posay Niacinamide Serum can help even and brighten the skin’s appearance (La Roche-Posay)

“For sensitive skin with dark spots, I recommend La Roche-Posay Niacinamide Serum, enriched with niacinamide,hyaluronic acid and HEPES (Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid).  It also has multiple other benefits such as evening the skin tone,” she says.  These benefits include helping to brighten the appearance of the skin and reducing the look of visible pores, hydrating the skin, and exfoliating away dead skin cells.

Having targeted the appearance of dark spots,  Dr. Emma advises protecting your skin against them with a broad-spectrum sunscreen such as La Roche-Posay Anthelios Pigment Correct SPF50+. This lightweight formula, also enriched with niacinamide helps protect the skin from UV rays and leaves skin looking more even and feeling smoother. This makes it the ideal pairing with La Roche-Posay’s Niacinamide Serum.

Desired skin benefit: Hydrate and re-plump the appearance of the skin

Corrective and protective duo: Hyalu B5 and Anthelios Age Correct

If you struggle to retain moisture in your skin and find your complexion often feels dehydrated, a corrective and protective routine can help to improve things. Dr. Emma suggests that after cleansing with a gentle product such as La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser, a hyaluronic acid serum such as Hyalu B5 can help seal in moisture.

La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 serum can help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (La Roche-Posay)

This corrective serum contains two different sized molecules of hyaluronic acid that can help to improve the appearance of concerns such as fine lines and wrinkles. This is what helps plump up the look of the skin while improving overall hydration levels.

As UV damage and pollution can damage the skin barrier (which is responsible for retaining water in the skin), your skin will also benefit from a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen. Dr. Emma says that La Roche-Posay’s Age Correct sunscreen not only defends the skin from UVA and UVB radiation, but it also has true skincare efficacy; the formula is enriched with Hyaluronic Acid, PHE-Resorcinol & LHA, Niacinamide and La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water to hydrate and re-plump the appearance of the complexion, help target pigmentation and soothe the skin. Don’t forget that while the Age Correct only needs to be applied in the morning, you can benefit from Hyalu B5 day and night for best results.

Deeply rooted in dermatological heritage, La Roche Posay skincare products are developed to combine maximum efficacy with optimal tolerance– making them perfect for all skin types. Rigorously tested and developed with results in mind, their formulas take a less is more approach to skincare, effectively combining small numbers of actives and ingredients to create skincare that really works, whatever your skin type or issue. To find out more about the range, and find your perfect skin prescription click here