Fashion & Beauty / 19 March, 2025 / My Baba

Sandwiching Skincare Method: Dermatology Nurse and Skincare Expert Reveals All

If you’re looking for a way to lock in moisture and keep your skin plump, dewy, and healthy, the sandwich skincare method is your new best friend. This viral technique is all about layering your skincare like a sandwich—starting with hydration, sealing it in with a nourishing barrier, and repeating for maximum effect. Whether you’re battling dryness, irritation, or just want that glazed, glowing look, these tips by dermatology nurse Emma Coleman will help you perfect the skincare sandwich for your skin type.

The Sandwich Skincare Method

Whether it’s chemical or natural this is one of the best gifts you can give your skin because even short-term exposure to UVA and UVB light creates long-term changes in the skin including reduced DNA production and accelerated ageing.”

Although the sun is out, unfortunately, the temperature hasn’t quite got the memo! When the temperature drops the skin often becomes more sensitive and prone to dryness. One trending skincare technique – of which Emma is a fan of – is SANDWICHING, or the sandwich skincare method.

Moisture sandwiching involves layering products from thinnest to thickest, often finishing with a moisturiser that seals in the added moisture from hydrating serums applied in the earlier stages.

Your Skincare Morning Routine

Start with a creamy face wash or balm to gently cleanse without stripping your skin. As we sleep, a thin layer of sweat and sebum forms over your skin, which can lead to congestion and breakouts, so start each day with a morning cleanse to prevent pore clogging and create a good base to applying further skincare products and makeup in your wearing. A cleansing balm offers a gentle way of hydrating the skin through cleansing, which is especially good for anyone with rosacea, eczema and sensitive skin.
This step is optional. If you have oily or combination skin, apply a gentle toner to balance and prep it.

Next, tap a hyaluronic acid serum onto damp skin to lock in moisture. This is one of my favourite skincare ingredients to include in your routine. The reason we suggest applying to damp skin is that Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant, which draws moisture from its surroundings. Don’t let the ‘acid’ in the name scare you off from using if you have sensitive skin as Hyaluronic Acid is incredibly gentle and phenomenally helpful for all skin types, even the most sensitive, redness-prone skin.

Finish with a moisturiser that contains SPF 30–50. Sunscreen is one of my favourite skincare ingredients and I’ll never stop talking about why it is so important to protect the skin!

Your Skincare Evening Routine

Cleanse: Use a face wash to remove makeup and dirt from the day. Even if you haven’t applied makeup, you’ll be shocked to learn about the impurities that can collect on the skin throughout the day!

Treatment time! Another of my top skincare ingredients is retinol, it’s the ultimate multi-tasking hero and will increase the skin’s cell turnover, reduce signs of ageing, and combat dryness or dullness. Retinol serums are derived from Vitamin A and are designed to gently exfoliate the skin, which can treat a range of skin issues. I often combine Retinol Serum with other treatments for faster results.

I love this ingredient so much that I even created my own for use at this stage, ‘Emma Coleman Skin Retinol Overnight Serum’. This product helps to reduce pore size, resulting in firmer, younger-looking skin and reducing visible signs of ageing, including pigmentation and uneven skin tone. I recommend using three to four times weekly. It is important to use a daily sunscreen with SPF 3-50 when using a retinol cream, as retinol increases the skin’s sensitivity to sun exposure.

Lock in the moisture. Look for key ingredients like Vitamin E, often it doesn’t carry the kudos of some of the more active ingredients around today, yet there is a lot of evidence supporting this antioxidant’s powerful benefits in protecting the skin’s barrier and improving skin texture. If your skin is irritated in any way, this would be a good ingredient to assist healing!

Why Stripe & Stare Is Our Favourite Sleepwear Brand For Women

Luxury Travel with Kids? Yes, It’s Possible – Here’s How