Quickly effective, strong skincare routines wear the skin down.
What I hear from my clients is something like:
-> I was put on this regimen and it worked GREAT for a while! Then I started getting more bumps and my acne was more inflamed. Then I tried ____ and…basically it all escalated from there.
-> Xyz treatment(s) worked for a while and then they stopped working. I guess my skin got used to them.
- Sometimes we need strong acne treatments (Retin-A, strong exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, etc) to clear up the skin. That is okay.
- “Strong” routines can only work until (and if) the skin keeps its health in check. The effectiveness of these treatments DEPENDS upon your skin’s ability to repair itself in between the “assaults” (aka, your am and pm skincare routine).
- As more time passes, the skin gets worn out because such strong products (especially if used too frequently and/or in a wrong manner) damage the skin barrier, and the skin is less and less capable of effectively repairing itself before we damage it again.
- This is when the inflammation in the skin starts to rise, and with it the very skin issue you are trying to solve. Many skin issues have inflammation as its root cause, including acne, rosacea, and perioral dermatitis.
- The more sensitive your skin naturally is, the quicker you will experience this phenomenon (even straight away).
- Also, you often need a DIFFERENT routine once you clear up the skin because there is no reason anymore to have so many “acne-fighting” actives if you don’t have acne anymore.
- There is a gentle way to maintain clear skin without adding any unnecessary irritation.
To conclude:
- Strong skincare ingredients, those that give quick results when we start using them, may also damage the skin barrier and the skin often gets less and less effective repairing itself as the time goes on, ultimately making the situation worse.
- To successfully use such strong ingredients/products when needed, make sure to incorporate them wisely into a routine that also supports skin health, and shift your routine from “clearing the skin up” to a gentler “maintaining clear skin” once you do clear your skin up.
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