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If you’re as big of a skin care enthusiast as we are, we know how tempting it is to try every new serum, toner, cream, and spot treatment on the market in the hopes of finding that holy grail product. But when it comes to products, piling on layer after layer can actually do more harm than good. Besides the fact that many ingredients don’t work well together, using too many products on your skin can cause irritation and even damage your delicate skin barrier.
If you do want to add a new product to your daily routine, there’s a safe way to do it. We spoke with Courtney Chiusano, a skin whisperer and facialist based in Los Angeles, to get all her expert tips.
Research ingredient lists before making a purchase
“I recommend researching before buying anything to see if it’s something that works for you personally. Hydroquinone, Retin-A, retinyl palmitate, benzoyl peroxide, chemical sunscreens are the more common, controversial ingredients that you see in a lot of popular products that I think people should research before using so they are aware of the potential side effects.”
Incorporate new products slowly
“If it’s a gentle product like a creamy cleanser or a basic moisturizer, that’s fine to jump right into but anything that is exfoliating or has active ingredients (vitamin C, retinol, etc.) it’s best to start incorporating once or twice a week for your skin to get acclimated,” Chiusano said.
Consistency is key
“Products are most beneficial when you are using the right ingredients for the right skin condition consistently. For example, if you are looking to lighten hyperpigmentation, something like vitamin C used routinely will be most beneficial. The consistency is just as important as the ingredients itself so it’s important to research the best ingredients for your skin concern you’d like to address and make sure you are sticking to a routine.” Also, results can take time. “It generally takes about a month to see the efficacy of a product, but some people can see improvement in a little as a week.”
Don’t mix too many active ingredients
“The general rule of thumb is to not do more than 1-2 active ingredients per routine application. Try not to have too many active ingredients together, like using an acid-based cleanser, exfoliating toner, active serum, retinol, etc. If you are mixing too many things together in one application your skin will get red, agitated, and can be more prone to breakouts and dryness.”
Remember, less is more!
“I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen great results from just scaling back a client’s regimen to a few effective products used with less frequency.”
Now that you know how to effectively incorporate new skin care products, here are some products Chiusano recommends. “My favorite products that seem to work well on most skin types are antioxidant and peptide-based products like EmerginC Hypervitalizer Cream and EmerginC Peptide Booster. They are anti-aging but not stripping or agitating in any way. As for gentle exfoliation and more active serums, I love the Nuori Supreme Polishing Treatment and the Nuori Bio-Fusion Serum; both resurface and brighten without irritation.”
As always, consult your dermatologist with any skin care questions or concerns.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
