What is the best way to apply skin care?
If you’re at all like me, you’ve never really given it much thought. Either you’ve watched someone put on skincare and mimicked them – or you made it up along the way. It’s not hard. It’s not rocket science. Is it even worth taking the time to think about?
Well, dear reader, if you’re me then the answer is Yes. Curiosity should always be rewarded!
For as skincare obsessed as I am, it never occurred to me to think about HOW I was putting my skin care on. As I was wandering the internet, I stumbled on mentions of the thirteen dot method. Thirteen? 13?! Besides being my favorite number, my curiosity was piqued!!
Techniques
This is all in the name of fun. I don’t think any of my naming conventions or described techniques would be considered “official” but once I started paying attention, I noticed habits and general rules of thumb that I followed. And when I say followed, I really mean that I blindly, thoughtlessly, and habitually employed these “techinques” in my daily skincare rituals.
Rub and Spread
Pure beginner technique. Imagine making a mudpie ON your face. That’s probably where this unrefined technique originated for me. I use it for any thing that 1. applies all over my face and 2. is creamy or thick. Moisturizers, sunscreen, thicker serums that don’t automatically run down your hand if you tilt your palm.
This (dare we call it a) “technique” involves slathering a generous amount of product in the middle of your palm, RUB your hands together and SPREAD it all over your face. Down your neck, onto your chest, across your hands. It is an indiscriminate way of applying product.
I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve even used this approach for applying foundation – more a tinted moisturizer – but it lacks serious finesse. I’m blushing just writing about it.
Dot and Pat
As it sounds, this is what I’d consider a moderately advanced technique. It’s not one that I created myself but one that I had to be taught, listening to experts or watching social media beauty gurus. I use this technique for applying eye cream in the morning and night. (There is surprising controversy around whether or not eye cream is even necessary or if it’s just a nefarious marketing ploy by the skincare industry. Many will argue that products “bleed” or “migrate” when applied to your skin and applying a separate eye cream is unnecessary. Though I am inclined to agree this is a marketing ploy, nonetheless I dutifully apply eye cream every day and every night.
The idea with this technique is that the skin under our eyes is delicate and easily tugged and pulled. Properly executed, DOT a small amount of product with your ring fingers (they are the “weakest” finger and therefore less prone to tug the skin) and then PAT it gently into the skin without tugging at the skin.
I’m a bit of a rebel because I use my middle fingers but I’m very careful to dot and pat.
Pat and Press
For some reason, this technique feels the most luxurious to me. When I employ it, I almost feel like I’m giving myself a spa treatment. Perhaps I first had someone do this to me at a spa.
I have a very clear memory of watching a group of Korean women in my gym apply their skin care in this method. Place the product in the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together to warm the product and then PAT and/or PRESS it into your skin. This method has NO rubbing or spreading or tugging.
For me, I reserve this method for oils or very runny serums. It feels decadent but there is a little voice inside my head that questions if it REALLY works or just seems like it might.
As I searched for techniques, this is one that I actually saw endorsed by organizations, beauty gurus and aestheticians. The argument is that it both warms the product and presses it into the skin to increase absorption. I didn’t find any scientific studies to back this up but I’m convinced enough to keep it in my arsenal of skincare application methods.
I have noticed that the PAT is often vigorous and sometimes almost looks like a light slap. I presume this is to stimulate circulation and promote a natural, rosy glow – but that may also be very much in my mind.
Dribble and Swirl
This technique is much maligned in my head because I think it’s both unnecessarily messy and wastes product. However, if you’ve ever seen a social media beauty influencer dribble liquid product from a bottle directly onto a cheek before swirling it around your face, you’ve seen this technique. It’s visually appealing for media, it showcases the product for marketing purposes but please, do not apply skin care this way. It’s just silly.
Five (Seven/Nine) Dot
I haven’t seen anyone call this technique by this name but I’m including it as a pre-cursor to the main event. This technique involves placing a dot of product in five places before you rub it in.
- Forehead
- Nose
- Chin
- Left Cheek
- Right Cheek
- Neck (Optional)
- Chest (Optional)
- Back of Left Hand (Optional)
- Back of Right Hand (Optional)
I think this was an observed technique that I picked up watching other people apply product, mostly active ingredients where you didn’t need a large amount but wanted to make sure it was evenly distributed. It’s a method that I’ve used unconsciously for years when someone says to use product sparingly but evenly. There was always something about it that didn’t feel right.
Thirteen Dot Technique
Enter the thirteen dot technique. I’ve only found Dr. Sam Bunting’s video on this technique, and only a couple of blogs beyond that which reference her so I’m comfortable with her assertion that she developed this technique.
She developed this technique to address a couple of specific things related to skincare application.
- Application Placement – are you getting the product everywhere you need it to be?
- Absorption – are you encouraging it to sink into your skin?
- Consistent Amounts – are you applying a consistent amount over time?
- Length of Use – are you using it long enough for it to show results?
I’m extrapolating that the first three points above really means this applies to active ingredients where placement, consistency and absorption matter. Solely for this reason, I’ve tried this technique with my active ingredients – tretinoin (retinol) and vitamin C.
Here’s the 13 dot technique:
- Three dots across the forehead
- Three dots on left cheekbone
- Three dots on right cheekbone
- Two dots by the nose
- Two dots by the chin
Then massage the product in.
I added in an additional five to seven dots because I always take skincare down my neck and on my hands.
6. Two dots on my neck
7. Three dots on my chest
8. One dot on left hand
9. One dot on right hand
I won’t lie – I felt silly the first time I tried this technique.
But now that I’m used to it, I think it has its place in skincare application. I like to use it for my active ingredients where I want to be CERTAIN that I’m not mistakenly skipping over a part of my face. Honestly I only use it for my tretinoin application because I feel like it does regulate the amount and placement of it consistently. I definitely would NOT use it for every product because it feels excessive for general use products.
Pause
The other thing I learned while looking into different application methods for skin care is…patience. Some skin care needs a little time to soak in before you immediately follow with other products. I’m horrible at this and my patience tops out at a few minutes, but some active ingredients (and sunscreen) really want a little time to soak into your skin so they don’t get moved around a lot by the next layer of product.
I know, I know. I’m sounding pretty high maintenance at this point. But I found the very notion that different products WANT to be applied differently an intriguing one.
I’m sure there are methods I haven’t uncovered or learned.
What different application techniques have you seen, heard of or used? If you try something new, what do you think of it? Does it make sense to your brain or does it feel like unnecessary nonsense?
This is where my rampant curiosity landed me this week. Thanks for coming along for the ride!
