Your ultimate guide for how to apply natural skin care products for maximum benefits and healthy, more radiant skin!

Written by: 100% PURE®
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How To Use Natural Skin Care

Ever wondered how to apply a serum? How to use a cleansing balm? And everyone’s favorite: in what order do I apply skin care? If you’ve ever asked yourself (or Google) one of these questions, you’re not alone. When it comes to natural skin care, rules for use are definitely dependent on your skin type. Not sure what natural skin care products to use for your skin type? Click here!

Skincare Application

In this pain-free guide, we’ll tell you how to use the most common natural skin care products: cleansing balm, cleanser, scrub, toner, serum, face masks, facial oil, eye cream, moisturizer, night balm, and SPF. We’ve listed them in the order they should be used, from start to finish!

Using a Natural Cleansing Balm

What do cleansing balms do?

Using a cleansing balm can help with heavy duty makeup removal, degreasing, and softening skin. Cleansing balms have made a splash in the natural skin care world, thanks to their ability to both cleanse and moisturize at the same time. Our Blood Orange Cleansing Balm fits the bill!

If you’re looking for the best makeup remover, cleanser, and moisturizer in one, this triple threat serves as a must-have first step in any natural skin care routine. No makeup? No worries. The antibacterial coconut oil and degreasing blood orange in our natural cleansing balm will grab dirt and oil from even makeup-free dry skin. This gives your facial cleanser a leg up on dirt and oil in the next step.

When to use a cleansing balm:

How Often: Once daily (or as needed to remove makeup)

AM or PM: As preferred

How to use a cleansing balm:

Using clean fingers, scoop out a half dollar amount of cleansing balm into dry hands. Emulsify formula by rubbing between fingers; friction and heat will melt the balm into a creamy oil texture. Massage formula in circular motions, directly onto makeup and dry skin (even eye and lip area). Wipe balm off skin with a clean towel soaked in warm water, rinsing between wipes. Balm will grab and remove all traces of makeup and impurities as it’s washed from your face.

Apply with: Clean fingertips to apply/ warm and wet washcloth to rinse

Using a Natural Facial Cleanser

What do facial cleansers do?

Usually the first step in a natural skin care routine, the purpose of a facial cleanser is to lift and flush dirt, oil, makeup, and pollutants from your face. Depending on the natural cleanser formula you choose, your cleanser has the power to soothe, brighten, detoxify, and moisturize your skin. Using a facial brush or sponge with your cleanser will help to loosen and remove dead skin cells, resulting a healthy, more youthful complexion. Never ever skip this step! Just make sure you’re using the right cleanser for your skin type.

When to use a facial cleanser:

How Often: 1-2 times daily

AM or PM: As preferred

How to use a facial cleanser:

Pour a half dollar-sized amount of cleanser onto facial brush, sponge, or hands. Apply to wet face and neck, then gently and thoroughly massage in circular motions for at least 30 seconds. Finish by rinsing with warm water.

Apply with: Konjac Sponge. Clean fingertips work, but won’t be as effective at removing dead skin cells or loosening deeply set debris from the pores.

Using a Natural Facial Scrub

What do facial scrubs do?

Facial scrubs are necessary for removing layers of dead, dry, dull, or rough skin. Exfoliating can be a super satisfying step in your natural skin care routine. Smoothing away dry patches, brightening, and digging out buildup from your pores with a facial scrub can feel like a religious experience! Our Acai Pulp Facial Scrub uses crushed acai pulp, super fruits, and grape seeds to buff and refine for brighter, more supple skin.

When to use a scrub:

How Often: 1-3 times per week

AM or PM: As preferred

How to use a facial scrub:

Apply half dollar sized amount into hands. Using gentle circular motions, massage into skin of face and neck for a minimum of 1 minute. Rinse immediately with warm water, or leave on for an additional 15 minutes as a facial mask.

Apply with: Clean fingertips

Using a Natural Face Toner

What do face toners do?

Face toners work wonders for getting healthy, more hydrated skin. Able to balance pH, deeply hydrate, and remove dead skin cells left after exfoliating, toners are necessity for any skin type. A toner is the ultimate skin refresher after an exfoliating treatment! Try swiping a saturated cotton swab over freshly resurfaced skin. You’ll pick up loosened skin cells, excess debris, and any facial scrub that wasn’t rinsed. Your skin will breathe a sigh of relief as your natural face toner delivers soothing herbs and hydrosols into delicate, freshly exposed layers of skin.

When to use a face toner:

How Often: 1-2 times daily

AM or PM: As preferred

How to use a face toner:

After cleansing or exfoliating, pump toner onto cotton pad. Gently sweep onto face and neck.

Apply with: Cotton pad or cotton swab

Using a Natural Serum

What do serums do?

Mighty little serums can seem intimidating if you aren’t in-the-know. But don’t be shy about implementing these gems into your natural skin care routine! Serums are layerable, customizable to your skin type, and can give you supple, more hydrated skin. Our natural serums contain a smaller molecule size to penetrate cleansed pores for faster, more effective absorption. Each carefully stabilized serum is customized to a particular skin type, made with natural ingredients to hydrate and moisturize while delivering high potency nutrients deep into skin.

When to use a serum:

How Often: 2 times daily (AM + PM)

AM or PM: Dependent on serum formula; follow instructions listed on package

How to use a facial serum:

After cleansing and toning, apply pea-sized amount of serum onto fingertips. Gently massage into cleansed skin, taking care not to tug or pull.

Apply with: Clean fingertips

Using a Face Mask

What do face masks do?

It’s hard not to fall in love with a facial mask, since they’re basically a spa retreat for your face! Our aloe and plant cellulose based hydrogel masks and Korean sheet masks made from bamboo fibers are made with targeted natural ingredients. They can calm acneic skin, soothe sun damage, promote collagen production, hydrate dry skin, depuff eyes, or battle fine lines.

When to use a hydrogel/ sheet mask:

How Often: Daily

AM or PM: As preferred

How to use a hydrogel/ sheet mask:

Gently remove mask from package, holding by the outer edges. Lying back slightly, drape mask over face while aligning with eye, nose, and mouth holes.

Leave on for 10-15 minutes, or longer if desired. Mask will start to shrivel as nutrients and water content leave the mask and are absorbed into skin. Discard mask after single use, and do not rinse skin. With clean fingertips, apply any excess solution from mask tray to face, neck, and decollete in a gentle massaging motion.

Apply with: Clean fingertips

Using a Natural Facial Oil

What do facial oils do?

Facial oils are one of the most beneficial, nourishing elements of a good skin care routine, but are still widely misunderstood -- especially by oily skin types! A good natural facial oil is packed with nutrient dense natural and organic oils, and free of any ‘fluffy’ fillers.

Our Argan Oil naturally has a smaller molecule size to better penetrate the skin, and is made with only pure, organic argan oil. Naturally rich in vitamin E, phenols, carotenes, squalane, and essential fatty acids, argan oil is amazing for deep moisture retention and nutrient delivery, and is considered a ‘dry oil’ that won’t leave skin greasy.

When to use a facial oil:

How Often: Daily

AM or PM: Argan oil can be used AM + PM

How do I use my facial oil?

Massage gently into skin using circular motions; take this chance to try a relaxing facial massage technique! You can even use facial oils on body, hands, or wherever you need extra moisture.

Apply with: Clean fingertips

Using a Natural Eye Cream

What do eye creams do?

Since the skin around our eye area is so delicate, a good natural eye cream can immediately perk up eyes, thanks to a moisturizing base and targeted ingredients. Choose from a superhero lineup of natural eye creams: our Coffee Bean formula brightens and depuffs; Super Fruit formula nourishes and protects; Retinol PM formula visibly firms while lessening fine lines and wrinkles. No matter your skin type, adding an eye cream will definitely add some ‘oomph’ to your natural skin care routine.

When to use an eye cream:

How Often: 1-3 times daily

AM or PM: Dependent on eye cream formula; follow instructions listed on package

How to use an eye cream:

Using ring fingers, gently dab onto orbital eye area until absorbed. Take care not to pull or tug the delicate skin around the eye area.

Apply with: Clean fingertips of ring fingers

Using a Natural Moisturizer

What do moisturizers do?

All skin types need moisture (oil), just as all need hydration (water) -- a good natural moisturizer will provide both. Natural moisturizers are crucial for maintaining skin’s moisture barrier, to protect from environmental damage that can dry and damage your precious dermis. They also lock in nutrients from the prior steps!

When to use a moisturizer:

How Often: 1-2 times daily, depending on skin type

AM or PM:Dependent on moisturizer formula; follow instructions listed on package

How to use a moisturizer:

After cleanser and serum, apply quarter sized amount to face and neck. Gently massage and press into skin, taking care not to pull or tug.

Apply with: Clean fingertips

Using a Natural Night Balm

What do night balms do?

Night balms are able to pamper skin for hours while you sleep. Our Retinol Restorative Overnight Balm uses retinol and avocado butter to increase suppleness and decrease dry, damaged layers. Using a natural facial balm is easy: just apply, then get some shut-eye!

When do I use my night balm?

How Often: Can be used daily, as long as SPF is applied the next morning!

AM or PM: PM

How to use a night balm:

Warm a quarter sized amount in hands, then apply a thin layer onto face, taking care not to apply too close to eyes. The following morning, follow up with a broad spectrum SPF.

PRO TIP: Want to use an overnight balm, but worried about your pillowcases? You can always lay a small towel down to ensure nothing transfers onto your pillow!

Apply with: Clean fingertips

Using a Natural Sunscreen/ SPF

What does SPF do?

You’re probably great about slathering SPF onto skin for beach outings, but do you forget to apply it on a daily basis? SPF is a critical component of healthy skin care, and should be a part of everyone’s routine, no matter your skin type. Our mineral sunscreens work to block damaging free radicals and UV radiation: the leading cause of premature aging. Wearing an SPF can greatly reduce chances of painful sun damage, signs of aging, and even skin cancer. So DO NOT SKIMP on your sunscreen!

When to use SPF:

How Often: Daily

AM or PM: Reapply as needed whenever the sun is out, or you are exposed to artificial light that emits UV radiation

How to use an SPF:

LOTION: Before sun exposure, apply half dollar sized amount to skin of face and neck. Massage gently into skin.

SPRAY: Do not spray directly onto face. Spray into hands and rub onto your face.

  • To ensure adequate sun protection, avoid spreading too thinly when applying

  • Shake well before use

  • Apply liberally 15 minutes before sun exposure

  • Reapply:

    • after 80 minutes of swimming or sweating

    • immediately after towel drying

    • at least every 2 hours

Apply with: Clean fingertips (for spray formulas, hold 8 inches away from skin when applying)

Love our guides? Check out our guide for stress relief, finding matte lipstick guide, and how to choose natural hair care that’s right for you! Take a peep at our 100% PURE Beauty Blog for more!

We carefully hand-select products based on strict purity standards, and only recommend products we feel meet this criteria. 100% PURE™ may earn a small commission for products purchased through affiliate links.

The information in this article is for educational use, and not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should not be used as such.

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