I wish I could give you a concrete answer, but I’m afraid the data isn’t quite there yet. Personally, I advocate the tapping method. Apply lotion to the back of your fingers, rub together and then press into your skin, tapping a little over cheekbones and temples. It will encourage blood flow to the area and so 'wake up' your skin a little, but avoid stretching the skin. It also allows you to concentrate more or less product where needed – for example, light taps under the eyes versus a thicker coat on the cheeks. The urge for caution around the eye area comes from the fact that the skin under the eyes is the thinnest on the body, so it doesn’t respond well to being toyed with, and apparently the ring finger has the least pressure. But really? As long as the product gets onto your face, evenly, and without causing irritation, that’s the key.