Whether it’s a moisturizing product, a purifying mask or even a cleansing gel, we all have certain expectations when we buy a product from skincare. Except that depending on the condition and type of our skin, a product will not necessarily keep all its promises. Worse, if it is not adapted to our skin, it can even attack it.
How to recognize the signs of a product that is not suitable for us? And what to do when it does? We interviewed Paula Begoun, skincare expert and founder of the Paula’s Choice brand.
Redness, pimples and other joys: the visible signs of unsuitable care
Have you ever applied a product and immediately felt the need to remove it? Bingo! “Irritated or itchy skin is an unmistakable sign that this product was too aggressive or not suitable“, indicates Paula Begoun, who specifies that this can also happen with certain beauty tools, in particular the cleaning brushes. Another fairly easy to spot sign is when the skin blushes on application, stays red for a few minutes, and can heat up.
Nevertheless, it sometimes takes several uses to find that a product/tool is not suitable. This is particularly the case when you notice that your skin is drier or more oily than usual, or that you have pimples much more often than normal.
Finally, the one who has earned the nickname “cosmetic cop” warns against the use of products with a perfume and/or containing essential oils, which she accuses of being highly irritating. And among the sensitizing gestures that we do not always know, she cites the fact of using hot water to cleanse the face, of using an exfoliant that is too aggressive (whether grain or enzymatic), the dermaplaning or microneedling.
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What to do when a beauty product does not suit us?
“There’s rarely a good reason to keep using something that has caused a reaction on your skin,” says Paula Begoun. “The best thing to do is to immediately stop using the product that you identify as responsible (which is not always easy when you have suddenly changed your entire skincare routine, editor’s note) and see if you see any improvement.”
If ever the condition of your skin improves, it means that you have identified the culprit, but if that does not change anything, it means that you had probably targeted the wrong product/gesture, or that it was not not the only one to blame: try removing another product from your routine. And do not hesitate to consult a dermatologist if you have severe reactions or feel lost.
Paula Begoun also mentions the case where a product causes a “moderate” reaction: a single button, a slight discomfort, a redness that dissipates quickly, etc. “If you really like the product, you can try spacing out the applicationsfor example every 2 or 3 days, and see if the reaction is still present.
Product not suitable for my skin: keep, give or throw away?
If you ever have a product that does not suit you, you can divert it: a face cream, a mask or a eye area can for example be used as a hand or body cream. Ditto for a face cleansing gel that can be used as a shower gel.
Another option: if the product is almost new and offered in a tube, you can absolutely offer it to someone you know who has a different skin from you (however, this is not recommended for products offered in jars). , for hygienic reasons).
Finally, as a last resort or if the product is too old to be donated, you will have to resolve to empty them and take their containers and packaging to recycling points. Signs like Monoprix and Marionnaud offer this service.
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