Why do beauty products work for some people and not for others? The usual explanation has to do with individual body chemistry. Yet, most of the time, products fail to deliver because of improper application.
Your favorite skin care product, simply put, is just a blend of different chemicals, which can be grouped into two types, active and inactive. Inactive ingredients aid active ingredients penetrate the skin to allow them to do their job. Therefore, product efficiency greatly depends on whether active ingredients actually work and if they are able to enter the skin significantly. Both choice of product and proper application are the leading factors that affect product efficiency.
To gain optimum results from a product, it is important that we follow a proper method of application. Here are some tips:
1. Cleanse your skin before applying skincare products (preferably non-comedogenic). For better absorption, it is best to apply a product when you’ve just hopped out of a warm bath because the skin is moist and warm, and the pores are still open. Just pat off excess water. It is also not advisable to use water that is too hot because it promotes skin aging.
2. Never use plain soap or shampoo when cleansing your skin because it dries out the skin. It is better to use a moisturizing body wash or soap.
3. The topmost layer of the skin is made up dead skin cells that accumulate and may prevent or reduce skin penetration of active ingredients. To get rid of this dry useless layer, use a light exfoliating scrub together with a loofah. Overdoing it may irritate and damage the skin. For facial scrubs, four times a week or less is safe. You can also opt for cheaper and more natural ingredients like table sugar which can be used as an ingredient for a facial scrub.
4. When applying skincare products, make brief firm strokes using either your middle finger or ring finger. Then, gently pat, not rub, the area with your fingers for at least 30 seconds.
– Barbara Cruz
