Skincare, Opinions and More!

I used to be meticulous about patting in my serums and actives versus rubbing them in. Everyone and their mother said you need to pat everything in to help it better absorb. In fact, I’ve read the directions on many products that indicate the same thing.

The problem is I never felt like I was getting the product to evenly layer across my skin. It’s hard to pat your nose and the sides of your nose. I usually ended up feeling like my skin was super saturated on areas, and then completely naked on others. So I started rubbing it in.

The truth is I can’t tell much of a difference. If anything, I feel like I get a better layer by rubbing it versus patting it. But I like to do research and the results of my research just may surprise you!

The biggest argument I’ve found for patting versus rubbing is friction. By rubbing it in you’re creating friction on your skin, which can lead to irritation. You also run the risk of tugging or pulling on your skin, which can lead to redness and over time, probably increases the chance of wrinkles.

But…what about facial massages? Those aren’t typically administered by tapping your face, but rather rubbing your face. Think about it like this: If you apply moisturizer to your legs or body after showering, do you rub it in or pat it in? Personally I rub it in. Also, if your foot falls asleep, do you rub it or pat it to encourage blood flow? Personally I rub it.

I’ve also heard that rubbing your skin and creating that friction can actually break down collagen, which is the exact opposite of what most of us are hoping to do with skincare. Collagen helps our skin stay plump and full, which helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. That’s the primary goal for many people who stick to a skincare routine. Many skincare lines attribute the patting technique to ancient Japanese practices.

The truth is, however, I found pretty much nothing that concretely proves one method is better than the other. Both methods claim to increase blood circulation, promote better absorption, and be THE way to apply skincare. Almost every article I read ended with the caveat, “Do what feels best for YOUR skin”.

Myself I’ll continue to gently rub in products. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, I apply products to damp skin which helps reduce friction, tugging and pulling. I may start to make a compromise and rub in the products to ensure adequate and equal coverage, and then pat/press at the end of the application.

What are your thoughts, and how do you apply your products? Sound off in the comments!