How to: Shopping Skincare

With hundreds of different skincare products available at your fingertips, it can be overwhelming trying to decide what to use, especially when you’re unsure where to start. A good place to start is by understanding what actually makes a product and routine effective. Your skincare routine doesn’t have to be complex and clunky but it DOES have to work for you. In this blog, we’ll walk you through what to look for in a product and how to build a personalized routine! 

You know it’s time to switch up your skincare when…
Have you been using the same toner FOREVER, settling for products that don’t flare up skin concerns rather than treat them? Believe us when we say that your skincare routine can and should help your skin be strong, radiant, and healthy - not just take up your time and money on a routine that doesn't serve you. So is it time for you to take a leap of faith and switch up your routine? Let’s take a look! 

1: You’re Not Seeing Results

Your skincare routine should give you visible results! If you aren’t seeing any positive changes in your skin and you’ve been using the same products for a long time, it may be time to switch things up. What constitutes a “long time” you may ask? Well, generally it takes between 4-8 weeks to reap the benefits of a product. We don’t encourage you to abandon your routine too early, patience is a virtue when it comes to testing the “new product” waters, but if you’ve been using a routine for 3-6 months with no change in your skin - that’s when you know it’s time to try something new!

2: Your Skin and Skin Concerns Have Changed

As you go through life your skin will change. Change is life’s only permanence after all. This can look like ageing, hormone fluctuation, and new skin conditions or concerns. Skin that changes is normal - however, a change in your skin might call for a change in your routine. Your routine should evolve with your skin to ensure you’re getting the most out of your routine and moving towards meeting your complexion goals. 

3: Your Routine Isn’t Compatible 

It’s important to consider your routine as a whole. To get the most out of your routines and thus your results, each product needs to play well together. This is also true for the ingredients in each product. Ingredients between products don’t always mix well with each other, impacting the results your products promised you. This is something to consider when building an effective routine. 

How DO you choose the right skincare routine?

We’ve all been there, you’re standing in a store or clinic looking at rows upon rows of boxes and tubes, all promising to solve the world's problems and make you look 10 years younger in 10 minutes. It can be mind boggling to navigate the world of healthy skin with all the claims, ads, and misinformation out there. One of the best ways to ensure that you’re empowered in your choices is to educate yourself on what is best for YOU and your skin.

1: What Works for Someone Else Might Not Work for You

When you’re trying to combat a skin concern it’s important to remind yourself that what works for your friend, a celebrity or a random amazon reviewer might not work the exact same way for you. Your skin is as unique as you are which means taking an individualized approach is always the best route. Rather than follow in the footsteps of your favourite Youtube influencer and hoping for the best, we recommend listening to what YOUR skin is telling you.

2: Look for Medical Grade Skincare With Active Ingredients
Skincare ingredients are not all created equal. When choosing skincare that will work for you - the ingredient list is everything! You should look for the purest forms of the active ingredients that are best suited for your skin type and concerns, beware of derivatives of these ingredients like L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and Retinol. Below we’ve included a list of the most effective ingredients based on concern. Next time you’re shopping for products you can reference this outline to make sure you’re getting something worthwhile! 
Acne: alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), benzoyl peroxide, beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), retinol, salicylic acid, sulphur

Dark spots/hyperpigmentation: AHAs, hydroquinone, kojic acid, L-ascorbic acid, phytic acid, retinol, sunscreen

Dryness: ceramides, hyaluronic acid, colloidal oatmeal

Redness/blotchiness: ceramide, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, colloidal oatmeal, peptides

Uneven texture: AHAs, BHAs, hyaluronic acid

Wrinkles/fine lines: retinol 

3: Hit Your Key Components

The most effective skincare routine is one that includes all of your key components. If you’re not into coming home to a 10 step routine every night, you certainly don’t have to! There are 2 non-negotiable components we recommend everyone have in their skincare arsenal. These products fall under the category of cleansers and SPF’s. These products are a must for healthy, protected skin! Other key components of a skincare routine will be more dependent on your individual needs. If you have oily skin one of your key components should be a product with oil-controlling properties. If you have extremely sensitive skin one of your key components should be a serum or lotion with soothing, anti-inflammatory properties. Figuring out what your skin needs can be a learning curve. Observing your skin in its natural state as well as how it responds to certain ingredients in your current routine is where we start. 

4: Ask the Experts

Seeing a professional doesn’t have to be a last resort - we’re here to help after all! Certain conditions actually improve much faster with a combination of at-home and in-clinic treatment. This is true for skin conditions like melasma and stubborn concerns like hyperpigmentation or acne. These may require a professional diagnosis or even a prescription to help treat your concern alongside your skincare routine. As a general rule we recommend booking an appointment with an expert for any skin condition that persists for more than a month without relief. Another reason not to wait? Some conditions, like scarring, actually respond better the earlier you’re able to treat them. 

5: Take Note of Ingredients That Have Worked Well in the Past

If you’ve noticed your skin reacting positively to a product in your routine, take note of the ingredients in this product. If you aren’t already using medical-grade skincare you’ll want to seek a product with the same ingredient you know works for you but at a higher active amount. Drugstore skincare often doesn’t contain pure or high amounts of the active ingredients you want (and are paying for) in your product. Their product may claim to be a retinol but when you take the time to read the back of the bottle you’ll realize it’s not even retinol but a derivative of the ingredient (such as retinyl-palmitate) and it’s listed close to the bottom of the ingredient list which means it’s provided at a low concentration in your product’s formula. Medical-grade skincare is straight to the point. If it says it’s a retinol you can be assured it’s in a pure form. By paying attention to the active ingredients in your skincare you can a) get the most bang for your buck and b) begin to see visible results! 

At the end of the day, your skincare routine should work for you, not the other way around. By getting to know your skin type and narrowing down the ingredients that will help you combat your personal concerns, shopping for a routine will be much more manageable. This process might include some trial and error but don’t be discouraged. Your perfect routine is out there and we’re here to help you find it!