Take a peek in your makeup bag or bathroom counter. Chances are, you’re up to your ears in product. Jars, bottles and tubes – oh my! Beauty staples like creams, serums, lotions and lipsticks weigh down your bag and crowd your counter top. Each item, needed for specific tasks, is crucial to your regimen. But are you making the most out of your must-haves? Simple tweaks might ensure you get the maximum benefits from your everyday items.
Here are three simple rules to make the most out of your beauty products:
Follow the directions
Every product, company and brand works differently, so make sure you are reading labels and following directions. If a product says to only use for 3-5 minutes, don’t leave it on longer—it might end up causing irritation! Another example is, if you apply a night-only product during the day, you could experience adverse side effects or hyper-induced sun inflammation. It’s imperative to follow the manufactures directions fully for optimal results.
Keep in mind that every once in a while, it is important to clean out your beauty care items. They just don’t last forever! Old and expired products can become less effective, grow bacteria and, in some cases, turn into a completely different state, like lush creams to hard rocks. Products can be expensive, and throwing them out can feel like a waste. But, it’s better to toss it than use an expired product that can cause a bad reaction.
Less is more
We have all been there–one too many layers of product, taking our skin from dewy and fresh to a sticky mess. When it comes to applying products, your skin can only handle so much. Make sure you’re checking the labels for guidance on how much of an item you should apply. You don’t want to over saturate your skin and cause irritation. Apply a small amount, and layer more as needed for desired results.
Start fresh every day: cleanse your face every morning and every evening. Next, apply serums, which can be layered for multiple benefits, just remember not to overdo it. Follow with cream or moisturizer, and last but not least, apply your sun protection. Shielding your skin from the harmful UVA/UVB rays is essential to healthy skin. This time of year, try a high-level, hydrating sunscreen like Replenishing Solar Defense SPF 30, which works to avert photo-damage, reduce the appearance of fine lines and maintain moisture levels. After sunscreen, you can apply concealers, foundations, powders and any other cosmetics you choose.
Switch it up
If you ever noticed your skin isn’t responding to treatments, or it simply stays in the same shape and condition with little progress or improvements, it’s time to check in with your skin and see what’s going on. If you feel like a product suddenly stops working, take a mental inventory of anything in your routine that might have changed (exfoliating less, going to bed without cleansing, started a new medication, etc.). There are many factors that can affect the way our skin responds to our products, including hormones, environmental elements, stress, medications, and most importantly, the sun. You should feel as though your skin is consistently balanced and healthy, but you should expect to see positive changes and improvements while using the right product combinations.
It can simply be changing a thing or two in your routine or tweaking product combinations to boost results. Our skin can adjust and build tolerance to our regular skincare routines, so it’s good to switch things up here and there. As seasons and climates change, so should our skincare products. A fall favorite for all skin types is the Incredible Pumpkin Peel. The properties of pumpkins used in the Incredible Pumpkin Peel work within a synergistic blend to enhance the skin with phytochemicals, polyphenols and fortifying compounds. These complexes strengthen and firm skin, while also accelerating the natural exfoliation process, revealing more radiant, healthy skin.