The Immeasurable Benefits Of Patting Your Serums Into Your Skin Over Rubbing Them In
Cleansers, moisturizers, and creams all have very important roles in a skincare routine, but nothing is quite as hard-working as our favorite serums. If you have a multi-step routine with several specific goals in mind, a common phenomenon after the massive rise in popularity and knowledge of skincare post-pandemic, your serums are likely where you'll find the bulk of your active ingredients.
With that in mind, it's important to know how to properly apply these powerful products. Once you tackle what time of day, how often, and what ingredients you should layer together, it might seem like there's nothing left to consider. This, however, isn't true, and there's one crucial step that even the biggest skincare fanatics often gloss over — application methods. It turns out, rubbing in your serum is one of the biggest mistakes you can make with it. Patting it in, on the other hand, can actually have immeasurable benefits for both your skin and your wallet.
There's less wastage
Serums are often one of the more expensive products in your skincare collection, so using your products in a way that prevents waste can help you save quite a bit of money over time. If you're acne-prone, you should avoid placing your dropper from your serum bottle directly on your face because it can spread breakout-causing bacteria. Instead, it's best to drop the product on clean hands, then apply gently to the face.
If you drop your serum on your fingertips and then rub them across your face, however, you might actually be wasting product on your hands. This likely won't cause any issues — you might just end up with ultra-moisturized hands — but it might mean you have to use more product to get the same saturation on your face. A better option is to apply a few drops to your fingertips, then gently pat in across your face. No mess, and less wasted product.
It's gentler on your skin
Rubbing your products into your skin might feel more effective and give the impression that you're causing them to sink in deeper, but all it's really doing is causing irritation underneath the top layer of the skin. If you have sensitive skin, struggle with cystic acne, or have rosacea, this irritation can cause unwanted flare ups, especially if you're applying products like this multiple times a day, per Fulom.
Aggressive rubbing can also accelerate aging. Frequently pulling the skin can cause fine lines and sagging, especially if you're already losing skin elasticity. This is extra important to consider when it comes to the thin, delicate skin around your eyes. To prevent this, try patting in your serums instead of rubbing them in during your regular routine, then opt for a more structured facial massage occasionally. Pulling your skin with no rhyme or reason can cause further issues, but, with proper technique, a facial massage can actually help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
It helps with product absorption
When you apply your products by rubbing, you're moving the product around your skin. This is great for cleansing, but if you want something to fully absorb, concentrated patting is your best bet to get the maximum amount of product to sink into the skin. To do this properly, take some of your serum on your fingertips, allow it to warm up for about 20 seconds, then gently tap it across your face, taking some time to focus on each spot. After a few seconds, you should notice that your serum has fully absorbed instead of just sitting on the surface.
Patting your skincare in instead of rubbing is a simple switch, but it can help you save both the health of your skin and your wallet. Getting the most out of your products is the easiest way to save yourself some money in the long run, and it could be just the change you need to finally start seeing some results from your everyday skincare routine.