HYDERABAD: Sounds bizarre! Well, it’s the hottest beauty trend on social media. Firstly, it’s nothing remotely related to an edible sandwich or how the dish affects your skin. It’s a beauty hack wherein you layer your skin with products to keep it hydrated. What makes this different from other beauty regimens and treatments is that you or your dermatologist chooses how to layer up the products depending on your skin type to achieve the best results.
“Skin sandwich involves applying products which helps one optimise the potential of their skincare regimen, especially since luxury skincare can burn a hole in one’s pocket while giving stunning results. It is based the concept of a sandwich, which has layers. For example, in a moisture sandwich, a moisturiser is sandwiched between damp skin and an occlusive product like a balm, oil or petroleum jelly, which locks in the moisture. It is not very different from the Korean regime of slugging, but a skin sandwich does not necessarily involve layering of multiple products,” says dermatologist Dr Syed Shazia Fatima.
The benefit of a skin sandwich is that you get to use products to their fullest potential to let them do their work with full efficacy. It is advised to work with a doctor to ensure that you are using the right products in your sandwich. For example, if someone with acne-prone skin decides to sandwich a vitamin C serum, it may not work well for them, she says.
Dr Shoba Segal, a cosmetologist and founder of Ace Beauty Consultants, talks about how water layering creates a hydration layer on the skin. “Skin or moisture sandwich is a technique which stresses on trapping in water to keep the skin hydrated. Water is applied followed by a moisturiser and again water and then serum. Layering the products this way seals the hydration. When watery products are layered with something thicker, it traps in the water for longer. You can use a face mist or even regular tap water to create a hydration layer. A moisturiser and serum can be used to lock in the hydration. As water gets trapped into the skin, it creates a long-lasting hydrated barrier resulting in a more supple skin.”