When it comes to an effective skin care ritual, having the right products in your line-up is only half of it. The method of application also plays a big part, as it can affect the overall efficacy of your products. Avoiding excessively rubbing your skin and instead pressing in your product, which also makes them more effective and dramatically improves the condition of your skin.

What is pressing/patting?

Patting in your skin care products is a centuries old Japanese technique – a traditional ritual in which skin care products are gently patted or pressed onto the surface of the skin rather than tugging or rubbing.

To use the pressing method simply:

• Apply a small amount of product to clean finger tips of one hand
• Gently rub both of your hands together to evenly distribute the product and as well as warm up the product
• Starting at your nose and working outwards gently press your product into your face. Press the product into your oiliest areas, like your T-Zone, last. Also gently press the product into your neck and décolletage until fully absorbed.

Patting vs rubbing in skin care products

One of the main benefits of pressing in your skin care products is that it significantly reduces pulling and tugging of skin. Our skin is one of our body’s most delicate organs and without realising it, excessive skin manipulation by rubbing can stretch the skin and break down collagen, in turn leading to advanced signs of ageing like sagging and wrinkles. From the vigorous use of makeup wipes to being heavy handed when applying moisturiser, all of that rubbing adds up.

Pressing in your skin care products also allows the products to penetrate deeper without friction. Particularly around the area where rubbing in products and dragging the skin can cause irritation and inflammation.

When should you press in your skin care products?

Physical exfoliators and cleansers are the only products that should be rubbed into your face using gentle, circular motions: this motion helps activate the product and whisks away debris. For most of your skin care ritual steps you should practice pressing in your products.

• Misting/Essence: After cleansing your skin, use a toner or essence to restore hydration. Our Activating Water Essence is the essential step for every skin care ritual and is formulated to activate the skin’s ability to retain water and thus maximises the benefits of the products you apply afterwards. “Your skin is like a sponge, anything you put on top of a dry sponge will just sit there”, says Rebecca Nicholls, Jurlique Education Specialist. To enhance absorption, pour a couple of drops into your hand, gently rub your hands together to warm up the product and gently pat onto your face, neck and décolletage.
• Serum: Serums are a high-performance treatment step and usually packed with all the good stuff that helps improve your complexion. By pressing in your serum instead of rubbing, you’ll ensure that every juicy drop gets absorbed into your skin.
• Eye Cream: Your eye area is quite delicate so pulling and tugging is already a big no-no. Instead of patting with all of your fingers, use the tips of your ring fingers and gently take your time to pat the product under the eye area in until full absorbed.
• Moisturiser: When moisturising you can use the same patting technique as you would with your serum and essence step. But as a final technique you can also glide and smooth the moisturiser onto your skin. Moving from the middle of your face outward and using upward gliding motion on your neck and décolletage. Remember to be gentle and avoid any rubbing motion.

A circular rubbing motion is mostly our default option when it comes applying skin care products. Even though it feels like it gets the job faster and we’ve been doing it this way since forever, the bottom line is that it’s not that great for our skin. When applying your skin care remember to try and take a mindful moment and really treat it like the luxurious ritual it is. Take your time as your press in your products. Your skin will thank you for it.

Check out our step-by-step guide to the Jurlique skin care ritual. We recommend using the patting method to apply most Jurlique products including our bestselling Activating Water Essence. Explore our mists and essences and shop online now.