Face Good

A basic beauty regime consists of the use of multiple products, and most skin care brands tap into this phenomenon by producing entire sets of products, complete with sequences. While some people are brand loyal, not everyone uses products from the same product line.

I for one, enjoy trying out products from different brands, because some brands are particularly good with certain products but not others, and certain products come cheap but are equally effective from other brands. Taiwanese programme 女人我最大 often introduces top selling products in Taiwan which are known to be highly effective and reasonably cheap if purchased online. Some of the brands are not even mainstream. Yet that shouldn't stop you from trying something new or incorporating it into your beauty regime. If I had stubbornly insisted on one of my most often-used brands Loreal, I would never have discovered the miracle which is BB Cream, for it was invented by the Korean skincare companies.

However products from different brands and product lines are not specifically made to complement each other. Using them inappropriately may render a product ineffective, or worst, cause skin damage.

There are some basic principles one should follow when using different products from different brands.

1. Do not use products with similar functions simultaneously

Many people believe that if they use two whitening products together, for example, they will experience an increased intensity of whitening effect. This is not true. Because these products consist of similar chemical compositions and produce similar reactions, they may cancel out or neutralize each other when used together, hence reducing the products’ effects instead. Furthermore, there’s a limit to the skin’s absorption power. Too much may result in rejection.

2. Follow a sequence

Regardless of product brands and type, there’s a sequence of application that you should follow after cleansing and toning your face: Essences > Gelatin (Gels) > Milk > Creams > Oil-based products.

Going down the list, you’ll realize that the composition of the products at the further end consist of larger molecules and have greater moisturizing properties. Applying them last will create a protective layer over your face.

On the other hand, products on the other hand are made of smaller liquid molecules which would be difficult to absorb if applied over that protective layer, much less produce any effects.

3. Sensitive Skin

It’s perfectly all right to use products from different brands, but take care to choose products that have soothing and stabilizing properties.