BEAUTY
Rubbing Or Pressing Your Skincare Products? Which Method Is Best For Your Skin
By KYLIE MCCREARY
After years of scrubbing our skin, we can now say that patting skincare products into it is just as effective as pressing and poses less of a risk of forming fine lines and folds.
For many, the first skincare instructions they received were to rub in products using circular motions. However, dermatologists no longer approve of vigorous rubbing motions.
For an ideal skincare application, whether rubbing or patting, dermatologist Dr. Peterson Pierre recommended to NBC Select that you move facial cleansers in slow circles.
Start the slow circles at the forehead, then near the eyes, moving to the cheeks next, and finishing near the chin. This includes products like serums, moisturizers, and oils.
There is one caveat: You shouldn’t rub around your eyes because the skin is delicate there, as dermatologist Dr. Rachel Nazarian explained to Marie Claire.
If you experience irritation or sensitivity at any point, consider a pressing application instead, as it will pretty much always be the better option.
While rubbing in serums can improve lymphatic drainage, there is little evidence that either pressing or rubbing will change your skin’s ability to absorb the product.
Since rubbing motions can pose risks to skin health, especially around sensitive areas like the eyes, some professionals prefer their patients to use a pressing method.
Sarah Lee, CEO of Glow Recipe, told Brit + Co that rubbing can "cause friction, stretch the skin, and break down collagen and elastic, which will cause wrinkles and sagging."
Another added bonus to the pressing technique is that it will stimulate greater blood flow. Beyond these benefits, both pressing and rubbing are just as effective.