You hear about this highly enthusiastic beauty product that promises to zap all of your pimples and make your skin glow.
However, once you get it, nothing more happens. Worse, your skin condition seems to be getting worse and worse. Here are the signs to help you decide whether it is time to quit your skin care products and move on to something else in 2021.
brown spots
If you still notice these after long periods of exposure to the sun, your sunscreen may not offer broad spectrum protection.
Get one with an SPF of 30 or higher, with zinc oxide or titanium oxide for the best coverage.
Light pain
If you experience pain and signs of inflammation such as redness or stinging, stop using it immediately.
While there are common ingredients in acne treatment – like benzoyl peroxide – that can cause mild irritation, redness, or a burning sensation that lasts for more than a few days, this is an indication that you should throw the product away.
Alternatively, you can try diluting it with a moisturizer. If you continue to have discomfort, remove it once and for all.
Tiny balls or flakes form when you rub the product on your skin
This can only mean that there is an incompatibility with the formula or your routine (how you layer your products).
Be on the lookout for ingredients like emulsifiers that can cause the small balls to form.
Lumps and bumps
When starting a new skin care product, an outbreak may occur as your skin takes two to three weeks to adapt.
However, if you get more than one or two pimples at a time and they don’t seem to clear up, then this product is likely not for you.
Try to get products that contain ingredients that are non-comedogenic or have a lighter water-based formula.
Super oily or super dry
If you have dry spots or dandruff, the product may be made with desiccants such as alcohol, or you may be allergic to a specific ingredient.
On the other hand, overly potent oil control products can actually remove the skin’s natural oils and, in turn, cause it to produce even more oil.
Photosensitivity
Ingredients like AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) and benzoyl peroxide can cause chemically induced changes in the skin that make it more sensitive to the sun. If the sensitivity is unbearable, drop the product or only use it if you plan to stay indoors or at night.
It doesn’t matter at all
Spot treatments take approximately 10 days to clear a pimple, while an antiaging wrinkle and dark spot fighter can take up to a month to work their magic. With moisturizers and moisturizing masks, you should see the effect almost immediately.
If you’re using an exfoliating product like a chemical peel, give it about a week or two.
This article was first published in Her World Online (www.HerWorld.com).