A dissolvable polymer thin film of polyvinyl alcohol is manufactured and placed in contact with the skin, or through a moisturizing layer by a cream, and lightly sprayed on the exposed side with water to achieve conformal contact with the skin by transition from a solid state, to a partial liquid/solid state, and then back to solid state upon drying. After the polymer thin film dries, which undergoes a tightening effect on the surface of the skin, a number of advantages are achieved, including a smoothed appearance, firmness, prevention of loss due to evaporation of the intervening cream thereby improving residence time of the hydrating agents, deeper diffusion of hydrating elements into the skin through a reduced volume.