You’ve purchased several skincare products and have started using them, but you’re not getting the results you want as your skincare routine isn’t working. Read on to see what you might be doing that is hampering the overall effectiveness of your skincare routine.
Your Skin Has Changed
If you have oily skin, this does not mean that you’re stuck with it for the rest of your life. Your skin is a living organ like the rest of your body and changes over the years. When hormones cause the overproduction of sebum, your skin becomes greasier and more acne-prone. As sebum generation diminishes with maturity, your skin gets drier. Once this occurs, you need to tweak your skincare routine to adapt by applying products for smooth skin.
The Climate Has Changed
Certain climate conditions can affect your skin’s ability to stay healthy. During different times of the year, your skin is forced to cope with climate changes such as humidity and temperature fluctuations. In the winter, the outside environment can be cold and dry, but when you go indoors, the surroundings become warm and moisture-heavy. The reverse occurs in the summer, when it is hot and humid outdoors and then dry and freezing in an air-conditioned room. All these changes can be harsh on your skin.
During the low-humidity winter months, your skin is susceptible to dryness, while warm summer temperatures can lead to increased production of sebum and perspiration. In summer, the dense hydrators or creams applied during winter can be damaging to facial skin. Consider using a water-based treatment moisturizer that does not clog pores.
Your Skincare Products Are Not Penetrating Your Skin Deep Enough
Though it may feel so, much of the cosmetics that you apply to your skin do not get thoroughly absorbed. Still, the top skincare ingredients must enter the skin to be effective. Decayed cells, dirt, makeup residue, and other impurities that accumulate on your skin over the course of the day may obstruct passage and prevent beneficial ingredients from being absorbed into the layers of your skin. The way to successfully bypass this barrier is to exfoliate, and to cleanse thoroughly in the morning and evening. Regardless of how exhausted you feel, remove the makeup!
You’re Mixing Incompatible Ingredients Together
In most cases, less is more. Some skincare ingredients may not work effectively with one another. For example, AHAs and retinol do not go well together. AHAs have an exfoliating effect, while retinol stimulates cell turnover with a “peeling” action. You would be stripping away too much of your skin’s barrier function by using these two ingredients at the same time. If you are applying skincare products that contain these two ingredients, you are advised to watch out for symptoms of skin irritation such as bruises and scars.