New skincare products are coming out constantly, making it difficult to find out how to implement products in a way that will not damage your skin or waste your money.
Although you might be inspired to try out a 12-step Korean skincare regimen that you've seen rave reviews on YouTube, dermatologists warn it may be overwhelming for your skin.
Here are three tips on how to work a product properly into your routine, and how to find out if it is right for you.
Do a patch test
A patch test will tell you whether you are allergic to a product or not. To find out if your skin responds to a product, you should try a product on a small section of the skin behind your ear or within your elbow.
If, after 24 hours, the product burns or becomes itchy or flaky, this could be an indication to talk to a dermatologist before continuing to use it. While some ingredients such as retinoids can cause mild irritation when you start using them for the first time, it is always best to consult a professional just in case.
Even if your skin is not sensitive, testing for allergies still is safest.
Try one product at a time
Although buying a whole skincare system and trying it all at once may feel like the best thing to do, it is important to introduce new products into your routine gradually.
According to Dr. Mary L. Stevenson, assistant professor of dermatology at the NYU Langone Medical Center, if you overwhelm your skin with too many ingredients, you can cause inflammation or breakouts without understanding which products worked for your skin and which were the irritants.
The mixture of such ingredients can also aggravate skin irritation, depending on your allergies.
Be consistent
Once you pass the patch test and want to continue using your new product in your routine, make sure you have been using your product for at least one month before reassessment.
No skincare product is magic, so you never get results overnight. It usually takes 3 to 4 months to assess whether a change in skincare works to improve the overall skin appearance. The top layer of the skin, the epidermis, needs a full month to turn around. Three to four cycles of this turnover give the skin sufficient time to demonstrate a qualitative change.
Be sure to use the product once or twice a day, depending on the directions, for at least a full month before deciding if it's right for you, as skipping nights or weeks will affect its benefits.
