What to Expect
When You Start using Active ingredients in skin care products

Rather than claim the Holy Grail on barely-there volumes, the products that deliver active ingredients in their optimum doses and the ones we have chosen to partner with, are the O Cosmedics, it is formulated with potent, concentrated active ingredients.

Each formulation is based on ‘functional actives’, where we use the active ingredient to the dose or percentage that the scientist recommends will actually make a difference to the skin.

If you’re just starting your new skin care journey with active ingredients, here’s three things that may happen:

1. Your skin immediately loves it: Perfect outcome.

2. Your skin may purge: You may experience one of the following:

warmth as the actives enter your skin, your skin may flush, tingle, breakout, feel dry or flaky.

Don’t panic.

Simply stop using everything and allow your skin to return to normal.

Reintroduce the products one at a time giving your skin time to adapt to a new level of skin care.

Purging means your cells are annoyed with you for making them “get back to work” and are resisting acclimatising. Be patient and they will soon understand who’s boss!

3. Your skin may look older: Ok, fair to say not the look we were going for yet a good sign just the same.

This can happen if you are not used to using an active skin care, so when you do it pushes the underlying redundant cells to the skin’s surface and your skin can look dull, devitalised and yes, older.

The good news is this is a sign your products are working, and the redundant cells are turning over! The best option is to visit an approved professional clinic who will perform an enzyme peel to reveal fresh, radiant, youthful skin.

No matter what happens, remember that even options 2 and 3 will bring you back to 1.

It’s a journey and remember if you can keep a skin journey diary/blog, or whatever you find easier, do so. You’ll be amazed at how awareness and little tweaks can help you. Sometimes you can see patterns emerging. Sometimes you don’t like a texture or smell of a product, so you’re not really keen to use it. Whatever it is it’s a good idea to make notes and communicate with your skin therapist.

Just let us know the next time you come in. We can help you find solutions.