Skincare Routine: The 4 Rules for Adding a Product

There are countless products we’ll want to try eventually, but how many times have we found ourselves causing disasters by adding a new active ingredient to our skincare routine that we believed was perfect for our Skin?

Attenzione anche a come applichi il prodotto: forse ne stai applicando troppo o troppo spesso o puoi anche sbagliare l’ordine degli step della tua skincare. In questo caso controlla attentamente tutti i passaggi o chiedi un consiglio. La regola è di non lasciarti sedurre da una promozione o dal prodotto che ha funzionato benissimo su un’altra persona: acquista un cosmetico a seconda della tua reale necessità ed esigenza cutanea e, se hai la possibilità, chiedi consiglio ad uno specialista.

Where to Test It
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Now that you’re fairly convinced you need that skincare product, you need to figure out if your Skin tolerates it well, and the best way to do that is to test it! Apply a small amount of product to a small area of your neck or the inner part of your forearm (what doctors call a patch test) and leave it on.
How to interpret the results
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If there is no reaction such as redness, irritation, itching, dryness or even puffiness in the following days, the product can be safely used all over the face too. Be careful, however, with delicate areas such as the Eye Contour or the lip contour. If the product did not cause any reaction on the test area, it may still irritate these areas, which have a thinner layer of the epidermis and are therefore more prone to irritation.
Watch out for Skin Purging
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Have you ever used a new product only to find that instead of enjoying benefits, your Skin experienced worsening? This is the so-called skin purging phenomenon: a reaction of the Skin that can occur after using new cosmetic products, such as those based on retinoids, alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic acid, malic acid) and beta-hydroxy acids (salicylic acid, which is definitely the active ingredient that triggers this phenomenon most often). In particular, it involves an initial worsening of the Skin with a higher presence of blemish-like impurities, but importantly, these gradually fade away.

Why does this happen? These products speed up cellular turnover, so clogged pores — which lie beneath the Skin and take 8 to 10 weeks to surface as pimples, whiteheads, or blackheads — emerge more quickly on the surface. This situation typically starts to improve after 6 to 8 weeks, so be patient and consistent with using the products.
What should I do if the product doesn't work properly
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If, however, after two or three months of use, the Skin continues to worsen, it is time to stop using the product.
In fact, if your Skin still reacts badly to the product, it may be better not to use it, or perhaps use it differently: for example, you can use a BHA not on the face but on the body to combat blemishes, ingrown hairs, stretch marks, keratosis pilaris, or waxing stains (only if they are not inflamed).
Also be careful how you apply the product: you may be using too much or too often, or you might be getting the order of your skincare steps wrong. In this case, carefully check all the steps or ask for advice. The rule is not to be swayed by a promotion or a product that has worked perfectly for someone else: buy a cosmetic based on your actual needs and skin requirements, and if possible, ask a specialist for advice.