Beauty Sleuth #11: Aye, there’s the rub!

It was Hamlet who said, “To sleep, perchance to dream; aye, there’s the rub…” Well, the Prince of Denmark might not have been speaking about skincare, but so what? I’ll use the reference anyway, because, my guess is that it might make you remember this entry in my blog! The question is not “to be” or “not to be”, the question is “does rubbing skincare products into the skin improve their absorption”? Fact or fib?

Research shows that not only is rubbing not necessary for product absorption but it also can exacerbate wrinkles, irritate the skin, and even compromise an evenly applied layer of sunscreen! And as a sub-corollary, rubbing in sunscreen only makes it get whiter and whiter. I repeat: there is no need to rub product into the skin and in fact, it actually can be harmful. Dot the product all over your face / neck and then use the heat of your hands to gently push / pat product into your skin all over you face and neck, including sunscreen.

When conducting my makeup lessons for example in the studio, I tell my clients to treat their skin and hair like silk. Be gentle on the skin! The more you rub and tug, the more redness and irritation you get. This is applicable to all products, but let’s take eye cream for example. The Hershey Medical Center at Penn State indicates “Under-eye products <<should be>>  applied with light dabbing to stimulate absorption of the cream into the skin. Do not rub the cream onto the skin. Rubbing causes wrinkles to form, which over time can become permanent.”

And what about when you are cleansing, you ask? Dr. Rodan and Dr. Fields, the two doctors with whom I collaborate, note you should never rub cleanser vigorously all over the face. “Over scrubbing is just as bad <<as not cleansing at all>> and can create small abrasions or leaks where germs and dirt can sneak in.” Even the American Academy of Dermatology states ”Never scrub the skin or use harsh products as doing so irritates the skin, which makes skin look worse.”

Some clients wonder how long you should wait in between skincare products for one layer to absorb before applying another? This can be different for different brands and types of products but in general, you should only have to wait a minute or two between products. Dr. Katie Rodan: If you follow the directions and use the recommended amounts, your R+F products should absorb quickly, leaving little wait time between layers. However, humidity can affect product “dry-down,” in which case you may want to wait a full minute or two before applying the next product.”  Personally, I like to apply one step of skincare, then maybe do a step on my hair routine or put on my blouse etc, then I do the next step. I stagger it all so each step has a minute to absorb. 

In addition, order matters when talking absorption. If you are applying your products in the wrong order, you could definitely be preventing absorption of beneficial ingredients. In general, cleanse first. Then tone. Then apply your regimen from the most aqueous product to the thickest product. SPF should always be last, before your primer or foundation. If you haven’t already seen it, here’s a video I did on how to apply SPF so your face is NOT white!

So there you have it. Think of this blog entry when you next apply your products, and remember “don’t rub!”