Whether your skin is happy with the new product or not, you're bound to notice a reaction, ranging from mild stinging, burning, and itching to red rashes and skin swelling.
It can be an expected irritation reaction, like the mild stinging from an acid-based product or the peeling and redness from topical retinoids. An actual allergic reaction, in contrast, could be painful and long-lived, instead of a mild bout of side effects. If a product stings your skin beyond tolerance, wash it off. Try the product again in a few days in a small area, and see if your skin can tolerate it better.
When starting a new product or regimen, pay close attention to how your skin "talks back to you". Check for dry skin, flaking, redness, and acne. If your skin becomes dry, red, and irritated from a product (and this can be an expected result from certain products like chemical exfoliators), reduce the frequency of use: Start one to three times a week. Give your skin a few days between applications to get used to it.
Most skincare products with active ingredients, such as topical antioxidants, retinoids, and pigmentation treatments, take about two months to show efficacy.
You may experience tingling and stinging from active ingredients. This is where it may get confusing—not all products should sting! It all depends on the product and the elements.
Many proven skin-care ingredients, like acids and retinoids, might sting; in that particular case, they're supposed to. Tingling and stinging sensations from these types of active ingredients are expected and even beneficial if they last a short period. The desired result is immediate inflammation and then skin peeling. This reaction encourages new collagen growth and cellular renewal.
However, there is a delicate balance. Skincare products should not cause prolonged burning and irritation. Stop using the product if you have an allergic reaction, such as eyelid, lip swelling, or hives. If your adverse skin reaction doesn't improve a few days after discontinuing the product and you can't manage it with over-the-counter skin-calming options, see your medical practitioner. Tingling and stinging sensations from irritating and sensitizing ingredients can harm your skin, accelerate aging, and worsen skin conditions like acne and rosacea.
Mild temporary dryness or flaking is expected when using glycolic products because dead skin cells are starting to shed. We suggest wiping off your facial cleanser with a lukewarm facecloth or microfibre sponge. This will help remove the loose, flaking dead skin cells.
Signs that you may experience sensitivity reactions include: The eye area looks crinkled, dry, puckered, or wrinkled, making it look older; this is a temporary side effect. Cutting back on applications will allow the dead cells to stick together, causing the skin to pull together or pucker like a scab, flake, or exfoliate off, returning your skin to normal.
We suggest wiping off your facial cleanser with a lukewarm facecloth. This will help to remove the loose, flaking, dead skin cells. Thinner skin around your eyes, mouth, neck, and nose is sensitive.
Reducing applications in these areas until your skin adjusts will solve the problem. Eventually, these areas will catch up with the rest of your face, and all sites will have the same application schedule.
