How To Avoid Product Piling

Share

How To Avoid Product Piling

By Shammi Mondal

 

Picture this: You apply your sunscreen or your favourite foundation only to find it balling up on your skin, much like tiny woollen balls forming on sweaters, a few hours later.  Infuriating, right? This is called pilling and it can be a nuisance because it takes off all your applied skincare or makeup, and your efforts yield no results.

 

Pilling usually occurs when your skin doesn’t absorb the products completely. This depends on factors like the amount of product or type of ingredient used, the order of layering and the condition of your skin.

 

Pilling can be a huge pain but avoiding it can be relatively easy. Here are five super-easy tips to prevent your makeup and skincare from balling up. 

 

  1. 1) Do not rush it  

The most important trick to stop your skincare or makeup from pilling is to WAIT! Breathe, don’t be in a rush to pile up all the products at once. Pause for at least 3 minutes before going in with another product (especially after applying sunscreen). This not only avoids pilling but also helps your products absorb better.

 

  1. 2) Consistency matters 

You might love a rich and creamy moisturiser or a thick sunscreen, but that could be a  reason why your makeup is pilling. Products with a thicker consistency take a longer time to get absorbed into your skin, which makes layering difficult. 

Pick a water-based, lightweight moisturiser or a gel-based sunscreen that will seep into your skin easily and hydrate it.

  1.  
  1.  
  1.  
 

  1. 3) Exfoliate regularly 

The little balls that roll off your skin are usually product residue; however, sometimes it could be your dead skin cells too. Exfoliation removes oil, dirt, and dead cells from the surface of your skin, and helps your products sink easily into your skin. 

If you have oily or acne-prone skin, exfoliate twice a week, for dry and sensitive skin, exfoliating once a week is sufficient. 

 

  1. 4) Layer your products in the right order 

As a rule of thumb, layer your makeup and skincare products going from thin to thick. Which means, if you have oil-based products and water-based products, use the latter first. Give it some time to settle, and then apply the oil-based product. 

Avoid mixing silicone-based products with water-based skincare. Pair products with the same base ingredients, for instance, a gel-moisturiser with a gel primer.  

 

  1. 5) Avoid rubbing skincare 

Are you rubbing your skincare products on your face? Don’t worry, we’ve all done that. But now that you know better, you should avoid it because rubbing causes friction and wastage, as the product smears all over your palm. 

Instead, use your fingertips to gently pat your skincare and prevent the product from balling up.

Products Mentioned