You know sunscreen is important, but when it begins to pill up and give a flaky appearance, skipping the step may be tempting. Here’s what to do instead.
Pilling is not peeling. When you hear the term “pilling” in skin care, it means that products applied topically haven’t fully absorbed into the skin which leads to visible flaking and grittiness. Those little tiny balls? Pilling.
This can be caused by a number of things, mainly coming down to the ingredients, skin preparation and how you’re applying everything.
Inevitably, some ingredients are more prone to pilling than others, and you’ll most commonly see it occurring with silicone-based products.
Inevitably, some ingredients are more prone to pilling than others, and you’ll most commonly see it occurring with silicone-based products.
Looking at ingredient lists is key to distinguish what’ll get along with each other. If you’re using a heavier cream or oil underneath your SPF, try to pay attention if it has silicones in it.
Pilling can also occur if your skin isn’t ready to absorb skin care properly. Products absorb better onto the skin when it’s prepared in a proper manner.
A good cleanse and tone is key to having a good base in general, and exfoliating during the week keeps dead skin cells from interrupting the absorption process.
Alongside, make sure you’re not using too much product. Using an excessive amount of cream or product won’t do anything but sit on the skin and won’t allow SPF to properly absorb.
When applying make-up over your SPF, I've found disposable beauty blenders to be a gamechanger for the application in reducing pilling. The action of gently pressing make-up into skin, rather than massaging up the layers underneath with brushes or fingers, reduces the risk of pilling considerably.