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 using a topical retinoid.
• 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.

Click here for a guide on how to manage expected reactions.

When starting out a new product or regimen, pay close attention to how your skin is talking back to you. Check for dry skin, flaking, redness, and, of course, 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.

This is where it may get confusing - not all products should sting! It all depends on the product and the ingredients. Many proven skincare ingredients, like acids and retinoids, might sting, and in that particular case, they're supposed to. Tingling and stinging from these types of active ingredients is to be expected and even beneficial if it is for a short period. The expected result is immediate inflammation and then skin peeling. This reaction encourages new collagen growth and cellular renewal.
However, there is a fine balance. Skincare products should not cause prolonged burning and irritation. If you have an allergic reaction, such as the eyelid, lip swelling, or hives, stop using the product. If your adverse skin reaction doesn’t improve in 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.

Click here for more information on what sensitizing ingredients to avoid.

Click here for more information on managing reactions from active ingredients.

Mild temporary dryness or flaking is resolved with a gentle, non-irritating exfoliator until your skin adjusts to your glycolic products. We suggest wiping off your facial cleanser with a lukewarm facecloth. This will help to remove the loose, flaking dead skin cells.

The eye area looks crinkled, dry, puckered, or wrinkled making your eye area look older; this is a temporary side-effect. Cutting back on applications will allow the dead cells sticking together causing the skin to pull together or pucker like a scab, to flake or exfoliate off returning your skin back 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 areas will have the same application schedule.