“I Think I’ve Overdone It With Skincare”… Jordan Samuel Advises One Concerned Reader
Main image – Valbarstudio/Stocksy
Jordan Samuel Pacitti is an aesthetician, skincare founder and regular Live That Glow columnist. He is a go-to source of beauty advice for skincare fans across the world. Here, he advises a reader on what to do when you’ve overdone it with the skincare acids. Got a question for Jordan? Send it to columnists@livethatglow.com for a chance to have it featured.
I think I’ve overdone it with skincare and now my face is paying the price . I went a bit all-in on acids/‘glow’ products over the past few months, and now my skin just feels constantly irritated – like tight and somehow breaking out more? Should I be stopping everything and starting again, or is there a way to fix this without my skin getting worse in the meantime?
Jordan says:
‘Overdoing’ your skincare by overusing actives is actually a very common phenomenon, and something that I saw time and time again with clients in my facial treatment room. The great news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel no matter how sensitised your skin has become, and your skin will get better. Unfortunately, first and foremost, this means absolutely stepping away from actives while your skin gets back on track. When I refer to actives I am talking about retinol (vitamin A) products, exfoliating acids (AHA, BHA, PHA, enzymes), exfoliating scrubs, and high-strength vitamin C products to name a few.
In paring down your routine, you will want to focus on using a gentle cleanser, that you ideally are only using at night while your skin heals, a hydrating and fragrance-free moisturiser, and a sunscreen. That is it! While a lot of people will give a specific timeline, like use this simple combo for four weeks and then add your actives back in, there really is no one-size-fits-all linear timeline, as everyone’s skin is uniquely different. If you are consistent in sticking with these three steps for a decent period, you will eventually get to a place where you will know it is ok to tip-toe back into actives.
As a rule of thumb, I generally recommend that people go low and slow when reintroducing actives, as if they were starting usage for the first time. It is rare for skin to respond well when someone picks back up at the same strength/frequency that they were accustomed to before the barrier issues arose.
Another thing I like to remind people is that when you break your barrier down, the skin will have symptoms that are similar to skin conditions that commonly benefit from actives, i.e., breakouts, dryness, uneven tone and dehydration. When people see these symptoms come back after they are using active ingredients they will often double down on their usage, thus, further exacerbating their skin issues. So, it is important to note that using more actives will not resolve problems that are created by actives… everything in moderation, including moderation. 🙂
The silver lining… I always find getting back to basics to be a great exercise for your skin. If you use products for your skin type and skin condition(s), you will see how great your skin can be with so little.
Founder & CEO, Jordan Samuel Skin
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