Rome wasn’t built in a day, so why do we believe that any new skincare should work wonders quickly?
It may be tempting to throw in the towel when you’ve invested in a new regimen and haven’t immediately seen results, or even worse, had an adverse reaction such as breakouts or irritation. We’re here to tell you that there is no such thing as an overnight beauty fix and that above anything, the best skincare routines require going the distance. Just like delayed gratification, slowing down the impulse for an immediate reward to receive a more favourable one at a later time is going to serve you, and your complexion, very well.
Skin cell turnover cycle
You probably didn’t know that, generally speaking, it takes approximately 30 days for our skin cells to turn over, which means that almost all products require at least one month of use before you see desirable results. It may sound like a lifetime to any beauty junkie, but when it comes to dermatology, this waiting period is very reasonable. If we get scientific, during this cycle, the average adult skin cell will form deep within the dermal layers to make its way to the skin’s surface before dying and shedding. This is when the cell matures and strengthens as it travels up to the outer layer. By the time the cells are exposed, they’re strong and healthy enough to form part of the barrier function that protects the body from toxins and locks in moisture. In short, any skincare products are competing on a genetic level, so letting them work their magic will take considerable time (and patience).
What is ‘skin purging’ and why does it happen?
But what happens when you’ve placed huge expectations on your new skincare to deliver glowing results, only for there to be zero improvement after a couple of days of use? In actuality, your complexion now looks worse. This is what experts call “skin purging” - aka a reaction to an active ingredient that is increasing skin cell turnover rate. It’s common for new skincare to cause more breakouts than usual, as to expose the fresh skin cells underneath the surface, there needs to first be an elimination of any excess sebum, flakes, and any other backed up bacteria. This is particularly common with products containing active ingredients, such as the BB SKIN range, so it is important to keep this in mind during the application process and to surrender to the purge, because there is no way you can skip this stage altogether, despite your best efforts. The sooner you start, the sooner you will have the complexion of your dreams!
The key ingredient to skincare is patience!
Say it with us - patience is a virtue, and skin that has had ample time to experience the efficacy of any new products used is the ultimate prize at the finish line. Some ingredients will work quicker than others, such as physical exfoliants, moisturisers and cleansers, however the general rule of thumb is to wait, particularly if you are targeting a specific skin concern like hyperpigmentation. Chopping and changing new products into your routine is also not recommended, as considering the skin cell cycle timeframe, you aren’t allowing your skin to adjust or make progress. This is why keeping consistent and going slow will work better than any secret ingredient or beauty hack.