Apply morning, apply night; put on face, put on body; one pump, two. When it comes to putting on skin-care products, it should all be spelled out for you on the bottle, right? Well…not exactly. We spoke to the experts to find out the single most important tip you need to be doing to apply your skin-care products correctly—and, chances are, you’ve been skipping it (or doing it incorrectly)!
Hydration Really Helps
According to cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos, when it comes to maximizing the potential of anti-aging ingredients—or any ingredients for that matter—it’s always important to moisturize and wear sunscreen. “Having hydrated skin helps improve the penetration of anti-aging ingredients, while sunscreen prevents future damage and protects the results you have achieved. Another staple of an anti-aging skin-care routine is regular exfoliation with a mild alphahydroxy acid to remove dry, dull skin with anti-aging benefits.”
But, There’s a Certain Way to Do It
Sure hydration is key for making ingredients work better—and a huge helper in keeping your skin looking better—but how exactly do you do it to make sure you are getting the most of your products? Celebrity aesthetician Dangene says it is more effective if your face is steamy-damp when applying anything that’s an anti-aging or skin-clearing product. “Products works better when your skin is freshly exfoliated and steamy-warm to drive the ingredients into the skin,” she says. “Layering products is always a great way to strengthen them as well. But, you do need to be careful and read labels.”
