When using certain skin care or makeup products, you may begin to notice changes in the skin on your face shortly after applying these products or over time. Specifically, you might notice flaking or chunks of product on your skin, which indicates a condition known as pilling.

Here you’ll learn more about what pilling is, how it develops, and what you can do to prevent it.

What Is Skin Pilling?

Skin pilling occurs when flakes or globs develop on the face or other parts of the body after applying makeup or skin care products. This globbing or flaking could develop right after you apply your product or several hours afterward, but there are ways to keep this from happening with the right steps and products.

What Causes Pilling on Skin?

There are several potential causes of skin pilling, including the kinds of ingredients you use, your skin’s current condition, the amount of product you apply, and the use of multiple products causing a reaction.

These and other factors can prevent products from absorbing into your skin, forming clumps or scales on the skin. You may also notice that it rubs off onto your hands when rubbing affected areas.

5 Steps to Prevent Makeup and Skin Care Pilling

If you want to prevent skin pilling on face skin or other areas of the body when applying certain products, there are some steps that can help you avoid this problem.

1. Exfoliate the Skin on a Regular Basis

One step you can take to prevent skin pilling is to exfoliate regularly. Although dead skin pilling isn’t what occurs when you experience pilling, it’s still a good idea to continue exfoliating to maintain a healthy layer of skin.

Healthy, clear skin devoid of dead skin absorbs makeup and skin care products better, which will help prevent pilling. Consider trying a mix of chemical and manual exfoliation using a combination of buffing and acids.

2. Use the Right Products

Another element to look at is your makeup and skin care regimen. It’s important to know what kinds of products you’re using and how they may contribute to pilling on skin. For instance, you might be using products that work for dry skin when you require products for oily skin.

Products like all natural coconut oil face cream and remover might be better for your skin than what you’re currently using. The more you know about your skin type, the more you can determine which products are more and less likely to result in pilling.

3. Pat the Skin Instead of Rubbing

You shouldn’t rub the skin, as this can cause pilling in many cases. Instead, when applying your skin care products or makeup, try patting it onto the skin gently. This helps your skin naturally absorb the product and reduce friction that might otherwise contribute to skin care pilling.

Patting with products like sponges or safe soft face wipes can make all the difference when trying to keep your skin free of pilling.

4. Don’t Use Silicone Products

Silicone is another substance to avoid using on your skin in most cases because of its tendency to pill. This is because it tends to stay on top of the skin as opposed to absorbing.

While you don’t need to get rid of silicone entirely, you’re better off sticking with low-silicone products or opting for silicone-free products when possible. You should be able to determine how much silicone a product contains based on the ingredients list. If silicone is among the first items listed in the ingredients, this indicates a high level of silicone.

There are many silicone-free products out there to choose from if you’re looking to reduce silicone use or eliminate it from your regimen.

5. Use Compatible Ingredients Correctly

Not only should you use ingredients that are compatible with each other, but you must also apply them in the correct order to prevent skin pilling. If ingredients are too dissimilar from each other, this is likely to result in pilling on skin.

The best step to take here in most cases is to separate your oil- and water-based products. For example, you might want to apply an oil-based serum underneath a layer of face oil.

Keep Your Skin in Great Condition by Avoiding Skin Pilling

With the proper precautions, you’ll be able to prevent skin pilling and keep your skin looking and feeling its best. Using the right products and applying them in the correct way will help ensure your makeup and skin care products don’t become problematic in any way.