7 Tips on How to Introduce New Skincare Products in Your Routine

I’m very adventurous with makeup and love playing with new products all the time, but when it comes to trying new skincare products, I’m always hesitant. I’m scared they may not agree with my skin and cause irritations or breakouts or just find out that I’ve spent a lot of money on products promising miracle results that just didn’t deliver. And if you have sensitive skin that gets irritated easily, things get a lot more complicated.

Still, sometimes we have no choice but try new things. Of course if you have found products that work well for you, the best thing to do is stick with them. But there’s always the chance they might get discounted or reformulated, or maybe your skin changed and they don’t work as well as they used to, or you may not be satisfied with the products you currently use and think there are better options out there. Whatever the reason, it’s always best to be careful when introducing new skincare products into your routine. Here are a few tips to help you:

1. Determine what kind of products you’re looking for

The first thing to do is choose what products to try among the hundreds on the market. Sounds like a mammoth task but once you know what you want from a product, things will get easier and your options reduced. First of all, it’s important to know what’s your skin type and what concerns you have. Those with oily skin for instance need products that help reduce excess oil like those containing Salicylic Acid or Silica, while those with dry skin need very hydrating cleansers and moisturizers. Next, determine what ingredients you want your new skincare products to contain (should your new moisturizer contain antioxidants or SPF?) and which ones you want to avoid. Also, do you like your products to have a certain scent or do you prefer fragrance-free products? And what’s your price range?

2. Read reviews

Once you have an idea of what products to try, read reviews. A great place to start is Makeup Alley, where you can find millions of products reviews. Makeup Alley is particularly helpful because it allows you to filter the reviews by skin type and age, so you’ll know what people with the same skin type and skin concerns as you think about a product and how well (or bad) a product worked for them. Products review written by bloggers you know have similar skin as you are also helpful.

Another great source for product reviews is Beautypedia. It’s different from Makeup Alley because the skincare products are rated based on their formulas instead than Paula Begoun’s experience with them. On Beautypedia you’ll find out if the products you are interested in are really formulated to target your skin concerns and if they contain any irritating ingredients. Of course, just because a product is rated highly, it doesn’t mean it’ll work well for you as we all have different skin that doesn’t react the same way to the same products, but I still think her reviews are helpful, especially if you’re interested in expensive products and are curious to know if the ingredients they contain are really proven to be as effective as the brand claims or are just marketing hype.

The only downside to Beautypedia is that you have to pay $24.95 for a year subscription. That’s why I recommend it mostly to people who live in the USA as, once I subscribed, I found out that a lot of products reviewed on the website either aren’t available in Italy or their formulation is slightly different in Europe. Still, a lot of other products I have access to and I find most of her recommendations work for me, but that’s definitely something to consider if you’re planning to subscribe and don’t live in the US.

3. Try samples

After reading reviews, you’ve finally decided what product you want to try. The next step is to go to the counter and ask for small samples that will last you for at least 3 to 4 weeks so you’ll know how a products works for you before committing to buy the full size, especially if the product is expensive and you live in a country where you can’t return products. Unfortunately, getting samples ain’t always easy and some SA or companies just aren’t willing to give them away. My advice would be to simply walk away and try another product from another brand. If they don’t understand how important it is to give samples to potential consumers, they’re just not worth your time and money.

4. Do a patch test

Although most products clearly state on the label that you should perform a patch test before proceeding to use a product on your face or body, very often we tend to ignore this important advice. But the truth is that every ingredient used in beauty products could potentially cause an irritation and if you don’t do a patch test and you react badly to it, your skin will become all red, flaky and inflamed. And you wouldn’t wanna leave the house like that, would you? To prevent that from happening, just apply a very small amount of product on a small body area (I test everything on my wrist) and wait 24 hours. During this time check for bad signs like redness, swelling or itching. If you experience that, discard the product immediately. If instead nothing happens, you can use it safely.

5. Try one product at a time

Never introduce more than one product in your skin care routine at a time, not even if the products come in a set. There is always the chance of you reacting badly to a product and if you’ve been trying a few new ones at a time, it’ll be more difficult to determine which one is the culprit. But if you’ve only been using one and it doesn’t work for you, you can just discard it immediately.

6. Try new products on alternate days

If your products contain strong ingredients like Retinoids or Benzoyl Peroxide, then it is best to start using then on alternate days. These ingredients are very beneficial but can be a bit harsh as they both have a peeling action (Benzoyl Peroxide is an antiseptic too), so you need to give your skin time to get used to them or they may cause irritations if you use them often at first. Once your skin is used to them, you can start using them daily if you need to.

7. Don’t try new products before important events

Testing a new product the day or week before a big event like your wedding or graduation or just a date with the guy you like is never a good idea. If you didn’t do a patch test, you won’t know how your skin will react to it. And even if you did, there is always the chance your new moisturizer may work well the first week and break you out the second. If you experience a negative reaction and your skin becomes red, inflamed or full of pimples, it won’t have the time to get back to normal before your important event. If you need to try a new product, either try it weeks in advance or afterwards, so if anything bad occurs, you’ll have time to treat it.

Do you have any more tips on how to introduce new skincare products into your routine?

Tagged as: skin