A: When your moisturizer stays on top of your skin in a greasy layer, it could mean the product is too heavy for your skin and environment. If you notice a consistent residue, “consider switching to a lotion rather than cream,” recommends Dr. Caroline A. Chang of Dermatology Professionals in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
It can also mean you aren’t applying your moisturizer at the right time, explains Dr. Cynthia Bailey, CEO of Advanced Skin Care & Dermatology in Sebastopol, California. Aim to apply lotion within three minutes of towel drying, before all the water has evaporated. “You want to trap the water percolating into your dead skin and living skin layer during washing,” Bailey explains. “Moisturizing dry skin is only adding oils, but you’re not hydrating the skin.”
