To keep our skin looking young and healthy and slow down the aging process, it’s important to have a good skincare regimen and use products with effective active ingredients. But that’s not enough. The efficacy of a product also depends on the way it is applied. If you apply it wrong, the active ingredients may have trouble penetrating into the skin and won’t perform as well as they should. To enhance penetration of your skincare products just follow these tips:
Cleanse skin
Before applying any skincare product, cleanse your skin to remove all traces of dirt, makeup and other impurities. The best time to apply your lotions is after a warm bath or shower, when you skin is clean and moist.
Apply products to moist and warm skin
After you’ve cleansed your skin, don’t dry it completely but pat it gently so that it is still a bit damp. The active ingredients in skincare products, with the exception of prescription topicals that should be applied on dry skin, penetrate skin better when it is moist. In addition, never apply products to cold skin. If you need to, warm it up first (you can use a towel for this).
Exfoliate
The outermost layer of the skin is made of dead cells. When this layer becomes too thick, skincare products may not penetrate deep enough to provide benefits for the skin. Exfoliating two to three times a week depending on your skin type will remove the dead skin cells on the surface enhancing penetration of the active ingredients. But be careful not to exfoliate too much or you’ll risk to irritate your skin!
Apply products in the correct order
Always apply products with a thinner consistency, like serums, first. That’s because products with a thicker consistency may prevent the thinner ones from penetrating the skin properly, affecting the way the work. For more information on the correct order to apply skincare products, please refer to my previous post on the topic here.
Short strokes, tap, don’t rub
To apply skincare products, use short but firm strokes. Be careful not to rub nor stretch skin. Once the product is applied, tap your face gently with your fingers to enhance penetration of the active ingredients.
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oh I am doing the last part wrong as I do rub on my face.
Sherry´s last blog ..The important of cell phone
Now I am a firm believer in exfoliation. If I don’t wash my face religiously, I am sure to have more zits than I can handle. This is a very good post, Gio! I enjoy reading it.
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Sherry, that’s not good for the skin! Treat it gentle and it’ll thank you
Thanks Dao, I’m glad you do. I think exfoliation is very important too and I do it regularly. If the layer of dead skin cells on the surface is too thick, pores don’t function properly and it’s hard for skincare products to penetrate skin as they should.
very helpful tips. But exfoliating 2-3 times is a little too much. Usually 1 time per week. 2 max if you really need to.
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Angela, thanks. I think how many times you exfoliate depends on your skin type. Those with oily skin can get away with exfoliating 3 times a week while those with sensitive skin should only do it once a week and use a gentle scrub. I have combination skin and like you, I exfoliate once a week, two at the max and only if my skin needs it.