You can use the best products in the world but if you’re not using them right, you might be missing out on some of their benefits. In clinic, I’ve found that it really pays to go into detail with patients about exactly how products can be used to maximize their benefits and thought I’d share some of these tips with you!
1) Not applying it all over
This is an especially common mistake in acne treatment – for instance, I’ve seen so many people use retinoids reactively and directly on spots only and stop them completely in their absence, not realising that use all over is the key to getting ahead of acne and preventing blemishes and clogged pores altogether. Understand the product’s purpose and apply accordingly.
I developed the idea of the 13 dot technique in order to get people to think more systematically about using their skincare – and this can be useful when applying your Actives and SPF.
2) Not encouraging absorption
There’s a lot of beauty myths out there when it comes to how you should be applying skincare. Your skin is a robust thing, so feel free to use vigorous massage to encourage penetration – remember that most problem-solving action is in the dermis, so that’s where we want to encourage our products to target.
3) Not applying consistent amounts
Think of skincare like medicine. You don’t take one pill one day, take a different number the next and maybe take 3 the following day. You’re consistent! The same should be true of your Actives. It’s fine to start less often and build up to daily use over time. But have a structure, in order to get results.
4) Not using it for a long enough time before abandoning
Skincare claims have gotten outrageous – please think of improvement in a sensible time-frame eg over multiples of 6 weeks (which is one skin cycle). Otherwise, you’ll have a trail of devastation in terms of abandoned products that might work perfectly well, given a sensible amount of time.
Ultimately, the secret to great results from your skincare is consistency – I want you to get the most out of the efforts you put in, so hopefully, with these little tweaks, you’ll reap the results you deserve!
