You take your moisturizer and you do the most logical thing with it: you put it on your fingers and smooth it onto your face, hoping for the best. It promises to hydrate, nourish, reduce fine lines, fight aging and the list goes on and on. But if you’re making these seven moisturizing mistakes, there’s a good chance you’re missing out on all the benefits your product has to offer. What fun is that?

You overanalyze your moisturizing routine

We can get a little obsessive about our beauty routine. Instead, identify what you want your moisturizer to do for you, find a product that promises that, and give it a try. 

You use harsh cleansers

Depending on your skin type, some cleansers are too harsh. So, instead of dealing with dry skin by lathering on lots of moisturizer, consider a gentler cleanser.

You skip hand washing

If you don’t wash your hands before applying makeup, two things can happen. First, you can add lots of bacteria to your jar of cream. Or, you squeeze it onto unclean hands and then apply this unhygienic mix to your face. Breakouts, anyone?

You hold back on product

When it comes to moisturizing, you want to use a nickel sized amount. This way, your entire face gets some TLC.

You’re too rough when moisturizing

The skin on your face – especially around the eyes – is delicate and sensitive (even if you’re not a sensitive skin type), and aggressive rubbing isn’t going to help anybody. So, avoid irritating your skin and apply your creams gently.

You apply makeup too soon

To allow the moisturizer to really sink in and nourish the skin, wait a couple minutes before you apply your makeup. 

You’re only moisturizing once

It’s totally cool to moisturize throughout the day, as needed. Foundations can be drying and air conditioning doesn’t help. So, don’t be afraid to add a drop or two of moisturizer to your skin to keep it well hydrated.