5 Things You Need to Know When Starting a New Skin Care Regimen
5 Things You Need to Know When Starting a New Skin Care Regimen

Opening up a brand-spanking-new bag of beauty goodies feels like a chance to celebrate your birthday whenever you want. From testing the texture and taking a whiff to see if it tickles your nose to watching your skin transform, there’s a reason why shopping for skin care and makeup is, well, super fun. The only downside to changing your skin regimen is that your face might not always demonstrate the outcome that you’d hoped for. (Especially if you have sensitive, finicky skin, then you know how it feels to try a trendy-sounding moisturizer and suddenly find yourself completely broken out.)

To guide you through your new skin care journey, we spoke with dermatologist Dr. Tsippora Shainhouse M.D., FAAD to get her best tips on what to expect when trying out a new daily skin care routine.

1. There’s a difference between normal skin reaction and allergic reaction.

According to Dr. Shainhouse, whether your skin is happy with the new concoction or not, you’re bound to notice a reaction, which can range from mild stinging, burning and itching to red rashes, skin swelling and blisters. “It can be an expected irritation reaction—like the mild stinging from an acid toner or the peeling and redness from using a topical retinoid,” Shainhouse says.

An actual allergic reaction, in contrast, could be painful and long-lived, instead of a mild bout of side effects. If you’re ever concerned, stop using the product immediately and call your dermatologist ASAP. “If a product stings your skin, wash it off. Beauty does not equal pain in this case. You can try the product again in a few days, and see if your skin can tolerate it,” Shainhouse says. Read more 

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