wow i'll have to try that someitme.
i suppose using a towel even if you
had a separate one for your face, would
be a nice communal congregating spot
for germs and bacteria.

Maybe a cloth towel. But air-dryeing takes time and we're usually rushing. I thnk cloth towel is gentle enough w/o taking so much time

sometimes i dry my face with a paper towel because I heard that it's better. like marley11 said, bacteria tends to congregate on towels because of the material. most of the time though (if I'm using a toner on my skin)I dry my face off with a tiny towel that's reserved for my face only and then I pat on lavender moisturizing cream from l'occitane. my complexion has definitely improved

I only try to pat my face lightly with a fresh washcloth. I'd never use a towl that has just been sitting there. I need to put my moisturizer on after that and need to pat off some of the water.

i use a really soft towel and massage in circles to dry my face. it's not a communal towel and i wash my towels frequently, so i don't worry too much about germs. besides, that's what the skin helps protect against.

sounds great, but who has time for that these days??

Yes I do...I hate waiting for my face to dry! I may try it again though.

I have a towel that I only use for my face. But, I'll have to try the air drying thing!

I'm going to try that! Hehe.

I do after the shower, my face always feels nice afterwards. Sometimes I will mix in my moisturizer with the water on my face.

Er.. I think she's onto something with applying her moisturizer to damp skin, but I doubt that the use or non-use of a towel has anything to do with it. I know women with gorgeous skin who don't even use water to wash their face, just cold cream and a cloth...*shrug* To each her own.

that towel thing seems like a load of poo to me.

I have a separate towel for my face.

I bought some washcloths that are nice quality and very inexpensive. I use a fresh/clean one every night when I dry my face. I have enough to cover until I do laundry again. LOL! This has made a huge difference in reducing the amount of irritation and breakouts I get since starting this.

i have a seperate towel for my face because having the same towel just seems wrong. i think i have to towel dry it or else i just feel odd and face seems tighter.

you are right, shafiii. My face feels tighter as well if I don't get to it. I like to pat off most of the moisture but I guess there is some still left and that's when I apply my moisturizer so it absorbs well. If I waited to air dry my face, my moisturizer wouldn't go on as nicely.

When I get out of the shower, I wet a washcloth with cold water, wring it out, pat my face with it [which closes pores], then immediately apply moisturizer while skin is still damp. It's worth the extra effort, as I've had good results. FYI - The person who mentioned using paper towels - I read years ago to never use paper products [tissues, etc.] on the face as there are tiny wood pulp fibers that are irritating to the skin.

I use paper towels too....I use them in the kitchen too because I think towels are so germy.

I never really thought about it. I should start using a towel for my face only and wash it frequently. I don't think I could let it air dry especially when it's humid. I'd feel dirty again.

i already do that any way! i guess i should keep doing it!

i use paper towels as well. Ive tried air-drying but I need to get use to it, it feels so naked-y. lol.

I apply my tonic after the shower so I guess it dries a bit with the cotton... I guess I don't worry so much about it.

That's one I've gotta try!!

i pat my face dry with my bath towel. gentle pats are the key!

I like to think that using a towel is also doing a bit of exfoliating. I wonder if the new microfiber towels are softer and dry so much faster. I plan to get one and dedicate it to my face.

i put my face cream on w/o drying my face. i read somewhere that doing this locks in the water and hydrates your skin. who really knows though, probably most of having good skin is a combo of good genes and limited sun exposure.

I do, even though I think it's so unsanitary because people do wipe their hands on it, even after going to the bathroom. I try not to think about it. Oh and I pat it on my face, not wipe.

Dermatologists usually say that one has to always tap your face with a towel, and never let it air dry. I'm not sure if I remember correctly, but it has something to do with the water on your face sucking away the water in your face... So I fave a little white towel i use for my face and my hands before putting on contact lenses. Trying to always keep that one super super clean (ok, trying... )

Gosh. There are a lot of differing opinions posted here. I will be testing some of the suggestions to see what works for me.

I use a towel that's just for my face and I pat dry my face so some moisture stays then add moisturizer. I going to give this tip a try on the days when I have time to see if it makes a difference.

yeah, that sounds good. but I always wash before put down my head to go to sleep. How's that going to work.

I always let my face air-dry after I wash it...

thanks for the tip! ima do what she does form now on

After a shower i always let my face air dry. But if im washing it with cleanser i use a clean washcloth for washing/drying.

I pat my face dry but its still with a towel (not my handtowel).

I don't air dry but I too, only pat - never rub.

I never even considered what towel drying was doing to my face. Interesting...

eh, as long as you maintain proper hygiene and wash your towels at least once a week, I don't see how that would make a difference. if you pat (versus rub), of course

I haven't used a towel for over 3 years. I wipe my face with a paper towel. I started doing this when I started getting chemical peels and treating my face. I was told there's tons of bacteria on a towel which was making my face worse.

pfftttt ... I've used a towel for 39 years and my skin is perfectly fine. I still get "carded" because I look so young and get complimented on my complexion all the time. As long as your towel isn't dirty, I don't see a problem with it.

I pat my face dry with a towel, but it's always a fresh towel reserved only for my face. Also, I wash all my towels after only one use so I don't think they are "germy". That's what the washing machine is for! I couldn't bear to dry off with a towel that's been hanging around air-drying after I had used it on another day!

i pat my face dry.

yes i pat it dry..unless its after a bath or shower then occasionally ill air dry it.

I pat my face with the towel to get most of the water off, and let the rest air dry.

Am I missing something here?! Isn't that what a towel is for, to dry off (face and body) with?!

I use a differnt washclothe eveyday to dry my face but while it is semi damp i put on my face lotion with SPF!

Yh i use a towel...i only dry when clean towels are in the wash.......but it feels so wrong air drying...like you havent wiped away the dirty water lol............but i'll try the concealer on damp skin thing! sounds gd!

What about the dead skin?? & also i hate the feeling of the air dried skin .. annoying & will dry my skin .. i believe that great skin comes from good genes.

I air dry my face too simply because of laziness.

I have seperate towels for my face and i change them 1-2 times a week, i don't dry my face totally, i just take the excess water drops and moisturize it when my face still damp. Wet skin is always better for the best penetration of the moisturizers.