Skincare can be a rather confusing domain. There are tons of products, ingredients, and regimes, all promising to deliver a flawless skin tone. The details out there are just so much that one can easily get overwhelmed.
Even after buying the product that promised to deliver great results, or adopting that tested and trusted regime, how can you actually know that your investment was worth it? How can you tell if your skincare routine is working or whether you need a total reset?
While it is never possible to get 100% satisfaction on any skincare or beauty product, knowing what to look out for will considerably reduce the risk of damaging your skin with bad products.
If you have just started out with a new skincare routine, the following tips will help you know whether or not you are on the right track.
Even skin color
Finding that your skin has suddenly developed uneven colors is definitely a bad sign. This is even more alarming if the discoloration is on your face. While there are a lot of things that can make your skin change color or have an uneven color, if you just started a new skincare product, chances are that is the culprit.
In this situation, it means that your skin is having a reaction to one or more of the ingredients in your new skincare product. Possibly, the ingredient that is meant to lighten up your skin.
If you notice such uneven coloring just after changing your skincare routine, take a closer look at your products to see if any of them contain arbutin and hydroquinone. These are chemicals that bleach the skin.
But whether or not you find these ingredients on your skincare product, the best next step is to discontinue the new routine immediately. In fact, don’t try out any skin lightener until your skin restores to its original color. You can protect your skin with a sunscreen with SPF of 30 or more while you wait.
Your skin is happy
Realistically, if your skin is happy, it shows that your skincare products are doing the job they are designed to do. According to Vibs Amin, founder of okana.co.nz, you can tell that your skincare products and routine is working if your skin is balanced. This means that your skin is well hydrated and you are not experiencing breakouts.
Better still, as long as the products do what they say they are supposed to do, they are alright. Unfortunately, these days of multi-function products, determining the success rate may not be as straightforward. However, if a product is meant to brighten your skin, you should notice dark spots disappearing. In the same vein, if the product is meant to combat inflammation, dryness will improve, you will notice less red as well as little or no breakouts.
As long as your skin is happy and balanced after introducing a new regimen, stick to it. After this point, if you make any changes or add something new, and start experiencing problems, you can easily pinpoint where the problem is coming from.
Your skin is not irritated
The skin is the body’s largest organ. It also acts as a mirror and reveals when there is a problem in any part of your body. This feature makes it easy to detect when your skincare routine is missing it. For example, if your skin is reacting negatively to just one skincare product, it can reflect all over your body.
In fact, your skin can also reveal an allergic reaction to food and medicine. These allergies show up on the skin in the form of blisters and itches. If you just started out with a new skincare routine and begin to experience skin irritation, itches, blemishes, and blisters, it is obvious you are on the wrong regimen. But if your skin is free of irritation or blemishes, it means you are not allergic to any of the ingredients in your skincare product. While this alone is not significant enough that you are on track with your skincare routine, it warrants a pass mark.
That said, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between irritation that is as a result of your skin getting used to the new product and irritation that means the routine is a no-no. For some products, your skin will need a few days to adapt to the new ingredients. During this period, you may experience irritation and breakout. This is usually normal. However, if the problem persists after two or three weeks, it is a clear sign that you need to stop using that product.
Ask friends and family for their opinion
Instead of spending hours standing in front of the mirror scrutinizing your face and trying to decide if what you are seeing is actually a blemish or a trick of light, a better way could be to ask for honest feedback from friends and family members.
After your dermatologist, these people are the best option to judge the success of your new skincare routine. In the first place, it can be difficult to be objective by yourself, so asking your significant other or closest friend may get you an honest opinion.
If your skincare routine is actually working, (after passing the stage where your skin has to get used to the new products) people close to you will notice the improvements. If after a few weeks, no one can see any noticeable improvement, chances are there is none, and you have spent your money on the wrong set of skincare products.
Is it time to ditch your skincare products?
Breakups in whatever form can be quite difficult, but sometimes, letting go may be the only solution. The same thing applies to skincare products. It can be very painful to simply stop using your products, especially if you spent a great deal of money on them, but the alternative is to continue damaging your skin and plan to spend a lot more on repairs in the future.
The truth remains that whenever problems occur after changing the skincare routine, the best option is to stop. The only time to continue is if you are using a topical solution prescribed by your dermatologist. Even then, it is better to go back for a reevaluation and confirmation.
You can also try a plasma pen. The plasma pen treatment works without any contact with the skin, using controlled electric charges that emit plasma gas in one tiny dot on the desired area. Essentially, the electric charge promotes collagen and elastin production by stimulating the fibroblast cellular activity in cells. How many plasma pen treatments do I need? Check Dermavel to know more.