Skincare in 3 steps: cleanse, treat, protect

The first step makes sure the skin is clean and ready to absorb. At ZO Skin Health, this step is called «Getting Skin Ready». It consists of three parts:

• Cleanse: morning and evening with a cleanser that suits your skin. Oily skin tolerates a clarifying cleanser, dry and sensitive skin a mild, creamy one.
• Exfoliate: once to several times a week, dead skin cells are loosened – mechanically with a fine scrub or with gentle acids. How often depends on your skin.
• Tone: a toner or pads balance the skin after cleansing and prepare it for the active ingredients that follow.

If you skip this step, you lose some of the effect. Active ingredients spread more evenly on cleansed skin.

The second step is about what your skin needs right now. ZO calls it «Prevent + Correct». This is where routines differ the most, because the goals are different:

• calming and strengthening sensitive skin
• addressing the first signs of ageing
• evening out an uneven complexion
• regulating sebum and pores
• clearing blemished skin
• calming skin prone to redness
• preparing the skin for a treatment in the studio

Typical building blocks are an antioxidant serum in the morning and an active treatment in the evening, for example with retinol. The strength can be adjusted: a gentle routine to start with or for sensitive skin, a more intensive one once the skin is used to it.

With retinol and other active ingredients, it's normal for the skin to react at first with redness, dryness or slight flaking. Why this happens and how to deal with it, you can read in the article Retinol: why your skin reacts at first.

At ZO, eye care is also part of step 2. The skin around the eyes is thinner and reacts more sensitively, so it gets its own products.

The last step of every morning routine is sun protection – every day, in winter too. It doesn't just protect against sunburn, but above all against skin ageing caused by UVA light and against pigmentation spots getting darker. Without protection, step 2 is fighting a losing battle.

More on this in the article Sun protection every day – even in winter?.

A simple rule: from thin to thick, from liquid to creamy.

Morning

1. 1

   Cleanse

2. 2

   Toner or pads

3. 3

   Serum

4. 4

   Eye care

5. 5

   Moisturiser, if your skin needs it

6. 6

   Sun protection

Evening

1. 1

   Cleanse – thoroughly if you wore make-up and sunscreen

2. 2

   Toner or pads

3. 3

   Active treatment, for example with retinol

4. 4

   Eye care

5. 5

   Moisturiser, if your skin needs it

It's best to introduce new active ingredients one at a time and slowly. That way you'll notice what your skin tolerates well.

A good routine doesn't have to be long. Many skin problems only arise from too many products irritating each other. Three clear steps with products that work together are usually more effective than ten individual ones.

If you also have treatments in the studio – such as a chemical peel – your home care should be matched to them. Before an Intensive Peel, for example, the skin is prepared for a few weeks with suitable care.

We are an official ZO partner in Munich. In the free skin analysis, we look at your skin, talk about your goals and put together a routine from the three steps. You can get the products directly from us in the studio.