Have you ever followed the instructions on the back of a skincare bottle and dispensed the perfect pea-sized amount of product? Yeah, we don't do well with directions, either 🤷 There are always a few products in our beauty bag that we love to slather and layer all over our faces, like our go-to winter moisturizer, SPF 30 or our fave facial mist. And don't even get us started with lip products (she types while applying another unnecessary layer of lip balm).
Nevertheless, there are a select few ingredients and skincare treatments you want to take seriously and follow the appropriate direction of use (looking at you, retinol). Why, you may ask? Those of you who've gone a little retinoid-happy can take the mic on this one. In The ABC's of Retinol blog, we talked about how this powerhouse ingredient stimulates your skin's cell turnover rate, a natural exfoliation process your skin goes through. With the appropriate retinol use, your skin will work overtime to shed away old cells. Overdoing it can be a recipe for a disaster and seriously disrupt your skin barrier🙅
Regardless of your skin type, we always advise new users of retinol to start low and go slow. Begin by using our Retinol 30, only the recommended pea-sized amount of product and apply once or twice a week, increasing the frequency as you build up your tolerance. This is the best way to introduce a retinoid to your skin and avoid any possible irritation. But, if you've jumped the gun on this one, we have a few tips to help rescue your skin from too much retinol.
First things first, don't panic. So you overdid the retinol, join the club🙋♀️ The most important thing is knowing that your skin will need more support than ever. So, lay off the retinoids for the next couple of weeks while your skin heals and recovers. And when you do feel that your skin is ready to start up again, lessen the amount of retinol and frequency of use. We recommend starting twice a week until your tolerance has improved.
First things first, don't panic. So you overdid the retinol, join the club🙋♀️ The most important thing is knowing that your skin will need more support than ever. So, lay off the retinoids for the next couple of weeks while your skin heals and recovers. And when you do feel that your skin is ready to start up again, lessen the amount of retinol and frequency of use. We recommend starting twice a week until your tolerance has improved.
When it comes to your skincare regime, it's time to pare down. Remember, your skin barrier has been compromised. This means that the formulas you're putting on your face can reach much deeper into the epidermis layers of your skin. You'll want to reach for high-quality, well-formulated products to help speed up the healing process. During this time, you'll want to stop exfoliating, layoff the actives and just chill out for a bit. The only products that should grace your face are moisturizer and sunscreen. This goes for your makeup as well. If your skin is tender to the touch, we recommend avoiding makeup all together until the discomfort subsides.
After the first 2-4 days (which are usually the most uncomfortable), we like to treat our skin. We always reach for a soothing face mask to help hydrate and refresh. This is a process that takes time and patience. So get cozy, keep it low-key and by the time you're done binge-watching You season 2 on Netflix, your skin will be back to normal💁♀️
DISCLAIMER: The information we share on the Miracle 10 Blog should not be used in place of visiting a dermatologist or health care physician. If you are experiencing a severe reaction with open wounds, facial rashing and cracked skin (beyond your expected flakiness), it is time to visit a medical professional.