Skincare products stock shelves at stores and there are countless videos out there of people walking you through their 15-step skincare routine. It’s good to take care of your skin and to incorporate products that will address your specific concerns, but is your skincare routine too complicated? How do you know if you’ve gone overboard and should pare back? The truth is that even the highest quality skincare products can end up backfiring on you if you’re not using them properly or are using too many.
While many people are fine with cleanser, moisturizer, eye cream, and sunscreen in their day to day lives, others like to invest more time and effort into their skincare. What many people don’t realize, though, is that you can actually end up irritating your skin if your skincare routine is too complicated. Overcomplicating your skincare routine can result in skin issues and damage that you didn’t have before as well as render your products ineffective. Is your skincare routine too complicated or is it working for you? Let’s dive in.
What Your Skincare Routine Needs
Many serums, toners, and treatments are fun add-ons to your skincare routine that can really help to improve your skin. Incorporating some into your routine is generally not an issue; what can end up damaging your skin and lessening the effectiveness of the products is using them in the wrong order or using too many. In general, though, your skincare routine should consist of the following basic steps:
- Cleanser. You’ll want to cleanse your face in the morning and in the evening. You don’t want to cleanse your face too much, as this can dry your skin out.
- Moisturizer. Moisturizer helps your skin stay hydrated and elastic. People of all skin types should use moisturizer, including those with oily skin, as moisturizer can help decrease your skin’s oiliness. Look for moisturizers formulated to your specific skin type.
- Eye cream. Many people neglect their eyes, yet they’re one of the first spots on our faces to show signs of aging and have delicate, delicate skin that needs to be cared for. An eye cream or serum keeps this area hydrated and protected.
- Sunscreen. Everyone needs sunscreen, regardless of their skin tone or the time of year. Sunscreen protects your skin from UV rays, which can cause damage and premature aging, as well as skin cancer.
Everyone’s skin is different, so everyone’s skincare routine will vary. In general, these are the steps that each skincare routine should incorporate, and you can add on to it as you wish. If you have questions about creating a skincare routine that best suits your skin and addresses your concerns, a dermatologist can help you out.
Are You Overcomplicating Your Skincare Routine?
Is your skincare routine too complicated? How can you tell if it is? The truth is that there typically isn’t anything wrong with incorporating serums and toners and masks and the like into your skincare routine. What matters is how you do it and the products you use. With how there seems to be a new incredible skincare product influencers are talking about every week, it can be easy to overcomplicate your skincare routine. However, most people only use these new products for a short period of time before they end up discontinuing them due to irritated skin.
There are some telltale signs you can look out for that can tell you if your skincare routine is too complicated. These include:
- Your skin negatively reacts to your skincare. If your skin gets all red and flaky and uneven, many people’s first assumption is that they just have sensitive skin. However, this can be a sign that you are overdoing it with your skincare routine. This is especially true when it comes to skincare products with active ingredients. While one product with retinoid can do wonders for your skin, layering multiple products with active ingredients can irritate your skin and cause negative reactions.
- You have shiny skin that isn’t oily. When we say shiny, we don’t mean pretty and glowy. We mean skin that looks like it’s oily even though it’s tight and dry. This is a sign of over-exfoliation and can mean that you have too many drying products in your skincare routine or that you are exfoliating too frequently. You don’t want to exfoliate daily, as contrary to what instagram filters would have you believe, having skin that isn’t perfectly smooth can actually help light scatter and keep the shine away.
- Your skincare isn’t absorbing into your skin. Another sign you have a skincare routine too complicated for your skin’s needs is when your skincare just sits on top of your skin, rather than absorbing into it. This could be a result of simply not layering your skincare properly (you always want to go lightest to heaviest), but it could also mean you’re overloading your skin.
Is Your Skincare Routine Too Complicated?
Just because you use serums and toners and the like in your skincare routine doesn’t automatically mean that it is too complicated. When creating a skincare routine, you want to pay attention to your skin’s specific needs and avoid using multiple products that do the same thing. If you’re wondering if your skincare routine may be too complicated, Intermountain Aesthetics is here to help. We can advise you on how to create a skincare routine that works for your skin, as well as provide you with high quality skincare products.
Is your skincare routine too complicated? Contact us today and let us help you find out what your skin needs.