The 10-Second Step You’re Missing In Your Face Washing Routine Will Make Your Serums Work Even Better

Washing your face is about more than just cleansing. It’s about prepping your skin for the next steps of your routine so that the rest of your products have the best environment to do their work. And according to Todd Davidson, director of global education at skin-care brand Eve Lom, there’s one easy trick that can help your products sink in deeper. All you have to do is place a warm washcloth on your face for a few seconds before wiping away your cleanser, which will open up your pores to get them prepped and ready for the actives to come.

“It’s an often skipped, but essential, simple step for achieving radiant skin,” says Davidson. “When your pores are open they are ready to take in the benefits from the next step in your skin-care routine.”

This is perfect for any products that you’d regularly apply to damp skin. If you use a hydrating toner or essence, you can put that on here. The same goes for hydrating serums, moisturizers, or oils. If you want to use active ingredients like retinol or glycolic acid, you can still open your pores with the washcloth trick, but make sure your face is fully dry before you apply them because they work best on dry skin.

For best results, Davidson recommends using a regular washcloth or a muslin cloth, like this one from Eve Lom.

“Simply saturate the muslin cloth with water from the faucet that is warm, but not too hot to the touch. Then, ring it out well to remove excess water,” says Davidson. “We recommend first laying the muslin cloth over your entire face while your cleanser is still on, and holding and pressing with both hands for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, fold the muslin cloth into a square to remove the cleanser in small circular motions, paying extra attention to areas of congestion or dryness on the face.”

Eve Lom Muslin Cleaning Cloth — $22.00

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