Our usual skincare is: cleanser – toner – serum – lotion – eye cream – face cream.However, it seems there is no difference between lotion and cream. They both can keep skin moisturizing. So to get the most out of your skincare products, you need to know the difference between them and how to use them.

The difference between Cream and Lotion

1. Textural differences

2. Different seasons

Lotions are generally suitable for use in summer, while creams are more suitable for early autumn and winter, but that’s not to say that they can’t be used at other times of the year, just that they are more suitable for these seasons.

3. Different groups of people using it

The lotion is suitable for people with normal and oily skin, while the cream is suitable for people with dry or normal skin.

4. Functionally different

There is a clear distinction between day creams and night creams. Day creams have the most important feature of protection and isolation, reducing the damage to the skin from UV rays and pollution, and usually contain SPF; while night creams focus on repair and nourishment, and are more nutritious than day creams, and can quickly repair tired skin at night, eliminating tiredness and bringing back a soft, smooth feeling skin. The classification of lotions is relatively simple, usually only according to the specific effects of the division into moisturizing lotions, whitening lotions, etc., but you can also pay attention to whether it has a protective function if this type of lotion is more suitable for daytime use.

5. Different in use

The lotion is suitable for all seasons because it is light and refreshing to the touch and is more easily absorbed by the skin; cream is not suitable for summer use at all, as it contains a lot of oil and has a strong moisturizing effect, which is usually a boon to dry skin, but keeps oily skin away.

Winter season should be a good opportunity for creams to be most effective,; while lotions should be a regular part of the home, suitable for all seasons, more cost-effective, in the current season if you feel particularly dry, you can apply a layer of cream on top of the foundation of the lotion to lock in skin moisture.

How do I use the cream?

After using a serum, using cream of the same brand allows the serum molecules to be firmly locked in. This is because as we all know if you want to get the most out of a serum, it is most important that it is fully absorbed. If you use a cream to cover the skin with a moisturizing and locking film after applying the serum, this film will prevent the small molecules from dissipating immediately and will double the effect. Lotions and gels are not nearly as effective as creams in terms of “film formation”.

The penetrating power of gel and lotion is so strong that few people bother to massage them in after applying them. Because creams do not penetrate as well as the former, many women take the time to warm up their cheeks with the warmth of their palms and then carefully massage them in while slowly pushing them out. This is good for strengthening the blood circulation in the face and enhancing the absorption of the ingredients.

How do I use the lotion?

Collagen-based cosmetics are all the rage nowadays, with almost all anti-aging creams claiming to contain this “youth restoring” ingredient. But how effective are these collagen molecules when added tonight creams? One of America’s top dermatologists, Binny, has a very interesting analogy “The collagen molecules in creams are often too large to penetrate the dermis to the inner layers and, therefore, do not have the effect that cosmetics claim.” This analogy is very graphic and makes it quickly clear why using collagen anti-aging creams is ineffective. Lotions with collagen are often more effective than creams as the molecules are smaller and are micronized when collagen is added.

One fact that I’m afraid many beauty professionals are not aware of is that a moisturizing cream, with the same 50ml, usually contains 1.6-3.4 times more oil than a 50ml moisturizing lotion. Many creams, although claiming to combat all the natural environmental factors against the skin, are indeed too moisturizing, which is why they often cause facial fat particles, so if you are constantly being harassed by these little white spots that pop up from time to time, try a lotion instead.

Analysis of the ingredients of different creams or lotions

Whitening ingredients: Arbutin, Tranexamic Acid, Ellagic Acid, L-C, etc. Note that certain whitening ingredients tend to oxidize and should be stored and used with care.

Anti-aging ingredients: vitamin A, collagen, peptides, and Q10.

Moisturizing ingredients: hyaluronic acid (hyaluronic acid), glycerin, amino acids, collagen, vitamin B5, AHA, etc. It should be noted that glycerin is a traditional moisturizer, but it retains moisture mainly by absorbing external water, so it is not suitable in the north where the weather is dry.