Enter under things we need to speak about more: skincare pilling. It is the bane of any beauty girl’s existence and yet, it is rarely discussed beyond a couple of annoyed expletives when you’re rushing out the door with balls of product stuck to your face. So. Not. Chic.

One reason why we’re often so adverse to admitting that our skincare is pilling is because we have been patiently crafting a perfect skincare routine for years and well, let’s be honest, who wants to play the elimination game to work out what’s creating the issue? Not us. So, we have rounded up a couple of our favourite tips on how to prevent skincare pilling so you can get on with glowing about your day.

We may be biased, but skincare application is a technical science—not for the faint of heart and a delicate balance of playing it safe and risking it all. So, if your skincare is pilling and creating those pesky granular balls of product, you may need to look at the order with which you are applying your favourite formulas. 

For reference, you always want to start out with the thinnest texture and move to the thickest. The exception to the rule? Eye cream. This should always be applied first to protect the delicate eye area from irritation that other more heavy duty products could cause. Of course, what you apply and in what order will depend on your personal skincare routine, but a good rule of thumb is the below (all of this is applied to cleansed skin, obviously):

1. Essence/Toner
2. Eye Cream
3. Serum
4. Moisturiser
5. SPF (AM) / Oil (PM)

We’re all time poor and trying to get our skincare done as quickly as possible but this sense of urgency could be the reason your products are balling up. Sure, some products (i.e. your hyaluronic acid serum) should be applied to damp skin to ensure efficacy but for the most part, waiting 30 seconds between skincare layers will ensure they all apply seamlessly. 

It’s also a good idea to limit exactly how much product you’re pumping out. Not only will this keep your hip pocket happy but it will also prevent excess product from sliding around on your complexion. In short: apply less and wait more.

In the same way that late night margaritas and early morning walks don’t mix, sometimes some ingredients just don’t gel together. So, it’s always good to patch test when introducing a new product into your regimen and only introducing one new product at a time. This way you can pinpoint the issue from the get go. 

It’s also good to apply a product on its own as if it pills immediately, you’ll know it is a poorly formulated product. These are commonly carbomer-based products which is a gelling agent that can pill if it isn’t well-neutralised within a formula. So, keep your eyes peeled for carbomer on the back of your product labels and you should be sitting pretty (with a silky smooth complexion).