WHY SKIN TRENDS AREN'T ALWAYS BEST FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN

With new skincare trends popping up every week, it can be difficult to resist the temptation to try them for yourself. And while we all agree it’s fun to try new things, especially new skincare things, the fun can quickly stop when you’re acne-prone. Acne prone skin needs a healthy barrier and consistency, which are two things that are impossible to maintain when you’re jumping from trend to trend. 

When your skin barrier is healthy, your skin can serve its primary purpose to protect and defend your skin. This means reducing inflammation, preventing water loss, regulating oil production and killing bacteria aka all of the things that contribute to and can exacerbate acne. It also means that when the inevitable pimple does come up, it will heal faster and be less likely to scar. 

If your routine focuses on preventing and treating acne, you probably are already using an exfoliating acid and/or retinoid. These products, while key for managing acne, can damage your barrier if used too frequently or incorrectly. Skincare trends often involve exfoliants (they can have that wow-factor that makes for good content!), but you don’t want to just add in another exfoliating step if you don’t need to. 

When it comes to treating any concern, from acne to wrinkles, consistency is key to see results. Ingredients take time to work and build up in your skin, particularly when they need to interrupt processes or cause change below the surface. Acne starts forming weeks before you see anything, so it would be unrealistic to expect anything to work overnight. If you are using your acne-fighting products inconsistently, you’ll never give them enough time to work to reach their full potential – even the trendiest product won’t live up to the hype if you don’t give it time to work.

Of course, not all skincare trends are off limits. When deciding whether the newest trend is right for you, ask yourself these questions: Who is promoting this trend? Do they have the same skin type and concerns as you do? A popular skincare trend, slugging, can be beneficial for dry, flaky skin, but may not be the best option for people who are acne prone. Do you already have a product that addresses what this trend does? How long have you been using that product? Don’t overwhelm your skin by adding in too much of the same thing or discontinue a product before it has time to work. Patience is very trendy.