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Everyone has their own way of putting on skincare products. Depending on what brand you’re using you should either press, pat or spread the product into your skin. For instance, serums should be pressed as opposed to rubbing. While I was working at L’Occitane, I was taught it’s best to pat/press in a facial moisturizer.
It sounds weird to not rub lotion into your skin, right? Depending on how thick your moisturizer is, you should either pat or press it into your skin. By doing this instead of rubbing, you won’t be tugging and pulling at your skin, which leads to less fine wrinkles/lines over time. It’s a much gentler way of application.
At L’Occitane, I was taught to warm up product between my hands then channel Madonna and “Vogue.” Pressing and patting product into your skin allows the product to penetrate deeper, which is obviously a good thing. It also ensures a more even distribution.
Francesa Fusco, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in NYC, explained to Cosmopolitan why it’s better to press or pat. “It doesn’t mess up the flow of your lymphatic system,” she said. “If you spread on your cream, you can accidentally push against the flow of your lymphatic system, which can actually make you puffy—especially around your eye area.”
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