Premium skincare products are the key to glowing, wrinkle-free skin. That’s what the countless ads, articles on beauty sites, and social media testimonials preach, right?
It’s not always true, though.
Intricate skin care regimens may be trending on social media as skincare product sales continue to climb, but we’re seeing more and more people stress out their skin by overusing skincare products – including those who have access to the best products money can buy.
Skin issues and breakouts can be caused by lots of things, but overapplying products is one of the most common reasons.
The skin barrier is the body’s outermost layer. It’s also your immune system’s first line of defense, protecting you from a host of environmental threats, like allergens, sunlight, pollutants, and microbes.
Skincare products are another potential threat for the barrier to assess. The more products you use, the harder it can be for your barrier to identify and break down aggressors.
As a result of product overuse, skin can become dry, red, blotchy, and inflamed. It can also cause flareups of underlying skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
The good news: Scaling back on the number of products you use will de-stress your skin.
What needs to go?
A good place to start is with things like retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, lactic acid, and vitamin C, which are celebrated for activating surface-level changes like evening skin tone and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. But these impressive results can sometimes come with unwanted consequences.
You should also stop using any facial cleanser that makes your skin feel itchy or tight, both of which are signs of a compromised skin barrier. This is especially true of cleansers with surfactants, which can trigger irritation, dryness, and eczema.
Forgo products with fragrances, essential oils, alcohols, and exfoliants since they’re also likely to irritate.
While you’re at it, consider giving up washcloths, too, because rubbing the skin can damage it.
Basically: If a product is irritating your skin in any way, stop using it. The same goes for any products that cause stinging or tingling sensations.
Your new routine
As your skin heals, limit your daily skincare routine to cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
The cleanser should be gentle, non-foaming, and pH-balanced. And use lukewarm water to rinse. You don’t even have to wash your face twice a day. Simply splashing your face with water in the morning is fine for the time being.
Look for a moisturizer with ingredients known to support the skin barrier, such as jojoba, squalane, sunflower seed oils, and ceramides. Apply it to damp skin.
A mineral sunscreen made with zinc oxide can be gentler on inflamed skin than chemical formulas.
Finally, try to be patient. It can take around four weeks for your skin to repair itself and clear up.
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