title: Improvement of the facial evenness of leave-on skincare products by a modified application method in Chinese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the habits of Chinese women applying leave-on skincare products (LOSCP) and to improve female facial evenness of anti-ageing cosmetics through modifying facial skincare smear ways.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire on the method of applying LOSCP was distributed to 60 women with habit of using LOSCP. Their facial images before and after applying LOSCP were taken, and their positioning and grey value were used to analyse the effects of different applying methods on the uniformity of facial LOSCP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LOSCP including anti-ageing cosmetics have been widely used among Chinese women for a long time. However, some women do not concern how to properly apply LOSCP. In our survey, the main focal points of the face are forehead, malar region, cheek, mouth corners and chin when they looking into the mirror, and mouth corners and inner canthus are often overlooked when applying cosmetic products. The image analysis found that after applying the LOSCP, the greyscale of the forehead, glabella, malar region, upper lip region and jaw changed significantly whereas that of canthus, mouth corners and lateral cheek region was not significantly different. Applying an improved smear method (11-point method)could significantly increase the grey values of various facial areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The way of Chinese women applying LOSCP may result in facial unevenness of skin products. By improving facial skincare smear method, one can make the products even in all facial areas, thereby ensuring the efficacy of anti-ageing cosmetics. Thus, further improvement and education regarding skincare is required.
authors.affiliation: Skin & Cosmetic Research Department, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, 1278 Baode Road, Shanghai, 200443, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003358:Cosmetics; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics
keywords: cosmetics; dermatology; skin ageing; skincare