A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body having a top surface and having formed therein a combustion bowl surface, a base material of the piston body having a first thermal conductivity, a first layer of metal bonded to the top surface of the piston body, the first layer of metal having a second thermal conductivity that is lower than the first thermal conductivity, and a second layer of metal bonded to the first layer, the second layer of metal having a third thermal conductivity that is higher than the second thermal conductivity.