Skincare can be confusing. All the different products, ingredients, scientific terms, bold promises, and you-absolutely-must-have-this claims can easily overwhelm us. Even after I’ve bought some (or a lot) of products from my favourite online beauty store in Singapore, deciding which one is actually working and thus is worth the price and which one is just a waste of money is often difficult.
A lot of different factors determine the efficiency of skincare products, most importantly, the ingredients, and whether I’ve accurately assessed the needs of my skin and selected appropriate products.
In this article, I would talk about some things about how you can now that the products you bought are working for your skin's liking. However, I learned that there’s another important factor at play here, something that’s often difficult to practice. Patience.
I know we’re increasingly conditioned to expect instant results and gratification by all the clever beauty ads, but some products just take their time to produce results.
Not all of them, of course, some products should work quickly, if not, or you’re not experiencing the right effects (more on that below), you should ditch that product and find something better. But others take more time and it’s important to be patient because often those slower products are the ones that make a long-term difference.
Often, we make the mistake of falling in love with a fantasy of a beauty product, then we become disappointed when the results do not come overnight, and quickly move on to the next. This is the worst thing we can do to our skin, not to mention, it’s a waste of money as well. Give them time to prove their worth.
Active ingredients that do more work on the cellular level (e.g. increase collagen production) need considerably more time to produce results.
Even if products take longer to work, it’s worth getting a sample to test them beforehand to see how your skin reacts and avoid allergic reactions. There are ways to increase the efficiency of beauty products. Exfoliation, for example, helps the absorption of most ingredients. The right skincare order also matters, lighter formulations should be applied first followed by heavier products. In my experience, a facial massage will also help product absorption; you can do this with your hands or with a jade roller.
Also, some beauty products may have less than pleasant results at first, for example, you may experience some tingling with exfoliators or peeling and dryness when you first start using retinol. These are usually normal. However, if there are immediate bad reactions like lasting redness, bumps, red spots, breakouts, or rashes, it’s probably best to ditch the product.
Here is what I learned: Consistency is key. Don’t expect steady and lasting results if you don’t commit to using a product. Don’t expect miracles, especially not from a single product. Don’t believe the exaggerated product claims and keep in mind how beauty marketing works. Sometimes you realize how much a product works when you stop using it. Try to introduce products gradually to have a chance of assessing what might work and whatnot.
I would only cover the basic products that most women get from online beauty stores. When it comes to cleansers, makeup and dirt are thoroughly removed with no leftover residue. The skin should feel plump, soft, moisturized. Forget the term squeaky clean if your skin feels tight or dry, it means you probably killed your skin’s protective barrier. Ditch that cleanser and find a gentler one.
I don’t think we should expect anything more from a cleanser, they don’t spend enough time on the skin for any life-changing results.
For toners, I don’t expect much from toners and mists apart from some slight moisturizing benefits. For me, these are feel-good beauty products. I like using them, they dampen the skin and thus help the absorption of serums and moisturizer.
For moisturizers, there are short and longer-term effects. Good moisturizers have almost immediate effects (considering your skin is not insanely dry), so your skin should feel softer to the touch. If you use them (or other night creams) overnight, you should wake up with pretty, glowy skin. The long-term result is simply that your skin is happy and remains well-hydrated.
For facial oils, after your product sank in, generally a couple of hours later or overnight in case you used the oil in your evening routine. Most facial oils also contain antioxidants and other active ingredients. They will take a couple of weeks to maximize their power.
Just remember that each beauty product can have different effects since, we all have different preferences, skin types, and even lifestyle. So, my tip when you're shopping from an online beauty store. Read the reviews and the description carefully. You can never go wrong with that.
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