Whether you’ve been using your current selection of products for a while or you’ve just added new things into your routine, you may find that your skin doesn’t respond the way you want it to. There are some fairly clear signs and symptoms that mean your skincare routine isn’t working for you, and we’re highlighting a few of them today to give you the push you need to make a change:
Irritation
There are many reasons for skincare to cause irritation – you may have an allergy to one of the ingredients, it may be too potent for your skin or you simply may have become more sensitive to actives as you age. Whatever the reason, we’d recommend that you switch to a gentler selection of products, such as Elemis Sensitive Cleansing Wash and Elemis Sensitive Soothing Milk which are both formulated for sensitive skin and will help to repair any inflammation.
Dryness
If your skin has recently become dry, there’s a good chance that something you’re using is stripping away your skin’s natural barrier because it’s too harsh. To help to turn things around, we suggest using Decleor Cica Botanic Face Mask, which is Decléor’s 99% natural-origin face mask enriched with centella asiatica extract. This face mask provides instant nourishment to help restore and soothe dry, delicate skin that is prone to redness and will promote skin barrier repair when your skin needs it the most.
Oiliness
If your skin has become too oily, this can be caused by a number of things. Obviously, using products which are too rich for your skin can make you look greasy, but actually, underlying dryness can also cause the skin to over-produce sebum. For this, you need a facial oil which will help to rebalance the skin, such as Aromatherapy Associates Mattifying Refining Face Oil, as it counters over-oiliness and brings the skin back into balance without stripping it.
Hyperpigmentation
While many people suffer from hyperpigmentation because of physical issues such as melasma or scarring caused by acne, there are several ways that skincare can also cause it. Over-exfoliating, using harsh cleansers too often and not patch-testing new products can all be responsible for hyperpigmentation, so if you’re starting to notice dark patches, take a look at your skincare routine first and foremost. If the patches have already occured, Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum is a potent skin brightening serum that helps combat hyperpigmentation and balance uneven skin tone – just remember to do a patch test first!
Outbreaks
Probably one of the most common effects of an unsuitable skincare routine is regular outbreaks of pimples and blackheads. This is a sign that you’re either using products which block your pores or you’re not cleaning your face adequately enough to rid your skin of spot-causing bacteria. If that’s the case, we’d suggest trying CeraVe Blemish Control Face Cleanser and CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser as the combination targets breakouts and blackheads to promote a visibly clearer complexion.