The Most Effective Way to Apply Face Creams

There comes a time in a woman's life when face cream becomes a part of her regular hygiene ritual. We begin with simple face cleansers that gently cleanse our pubescent pores. Then we may graduate to anti-acne soaps and creams. As the sun, wind and airborn pollutants bombard our gentle visage, we begin to apply products promising smoother, younger-looking skin.

Of course, not all of the world's women fall prey to compelling TV commercials and alluring ads in magazines that tease us with wild promises of overnight results. Not all women buy into the so-called "problem" of turning old and ugly before their time.

Hundreds and thousands of women everywhere choose to grow old the old fashioned way, by simply smiling through their wrinkles and by radiating joy. I admire those women and if you are amongst them, Namaste...but this Hub is not for you.

This article is dedicated to the rest of us who agree that face creams, while not always 100 effective, do make a difference and are at least a lot of fun. I also address all of you who have given up trying to read the 2pt type on the labels and multilingual instruction inserts. Practically all the advice given here has been taken from those impossible-to-read sources of information.

Many women wonder whether to apply their face creams in a particular order. The answer is "yes" if you want to get the most benefit from each cream.

Let's say you use a skin tightening cream, a moisturizer, a sun block cream and a liquid make-up foundation. Since the skin tightening cream most often targets your skin's cell structure, it should be applied first. Doing otherwise can undermine the action by blocking your pores with competing products. The moisturizer would be applied second and the SPF sun block cream next. The different ingredients in sun block deflect and/or absorb the UV light, so it makes sense to use the product as a "shield" against those aging rays. Liquid make-up goes on last to smooth over flaws. You wouldn't want to ruin the effect by smearing another layer of cream over your make-up. A dusting of powder is fine.

If you have the luxury of waiting at least 10-15 minutes between applications, each face cream will have time to absorb and you run less of a risk of compromising the chemistry of all those products.

I always suggest a moisturizer or make-up that has an SPF 30 built right in such as NeoCutis Journee Biorestorative Day Cream with SPF 30. It's a five-star moisturizer with a safe sunblock (no oxybenzone!). It even has a slight tint so you can skip the liquid make-up. Face powder clings nicely if you need it.

The only exception to the layering rule applies if your moisturizer or skin block is a gel. Gel skin products should be applied first or they won't absorb into your skin.

Treating Blemishes -If you have a blemish, cover it up with a good healing product like Almay Clear Complexion Oil Free Concealer. (light or medium shade). Apply it to the blemish and let it dry before you apply any other creams.

Neck Creams - If you are applying an anti-aging or skin-tightening cream to your neck, don't forget to apply it near your ears and to the back of your neck. Most women apply face and neck creams to the area that is most visible. Don't do half a job! Get the most out of those products by targeting the entire neck. Just tighten the back of your neck with your fingers and you'll see why.

Get Rid of Flakes - It's smart to exfoliate your face at least once a week. Gentle exfoliation clears pores and smoothes the skin so creams can be absorbed easily. If you don't exfoliate, make-up can look blotchy, especially if you use a skin cell accelerating product like Retin-A or Vitamin C serums. If you do use these products at night you might want to alternate them with a good moisturizer.

That Burning Feeling - If any product makes your skin tingle, itch or even burn slightly, it can mean that you are highly sensitive or allergic to the product. If that is the case and you get a rash or other negative skin reaction, wash it off and discontinue use. If the tingling subsides within a few minutes and there is no other adverse reaction, alternate between milder products each day, or wait 10-15 minutes after washing your face before you apply the cream. Also be advised that your skin can get sunburned more easily when you use acidic face products, so make certain to use sunscreen.

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