Managing Skin Reactions to New Skincare Products: What to Do

Skin reaction to a new product or new skin care routine

When starting a new skin care routine, you may suddenly experience a rash, tiny bumps, stinging, burning, redness or other unwanted skin reaction to a new cosmetic product. How do you know which skin care product is causing the problem? Is this an allergy or just a temporary irritation? How to know which product caused it? Our dermatologists are here to help.

skin reactions to new products and routines

What to do when you have a skin reaction to products

Our goals are to calm your skin as quickly as possible, help your figure out what caused the problem, and change your regimen to products that you can tolerate.

If you bought the products from Skin Type Solutions, let us know and we will give you a form to fill out. We track all skin reactions to products by skin type to help us give better skin care advice. Email us and we will return the product for a refund in most cases.

1. Stop using the products that caused the problem

If you are experiencing any irritation or reaction to products, stop any products with these ingredients:

AHA (Glycolic or other acids)

BHA (Salicylic acid)

Retinol

Vitamin C

Chemical sunscreens like methoxycinnamate

Stop using these until your skin feels normal. In the meantime use a soothing oil like Argan oil such as PAORR Argan Oil.

ClarityRx Glimmer of Hope Shimmering Facial Oil

$58.00

Add to Cart

Murad Multi-Vitamin Infusion Oil

$79.00

Out of Stock

Shea Terra MD 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil

$24.00

Out of Stock

PAORR By Zerafite Organic Moroccan Argan Oil

$22.75

Add to Cart

ClarityRx Glimmer of Hope Shimmering Facial Oil

$58.00

Add to Cart

Murad Multi-Vitamin Infusion Oil

$79.00

Out of Stock

Shea Terra MD 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil

$24.00

Out of Stock

PAORR By Zerafite Organic Moroccan Argan Oil

$22.75

Add to Cart

ClarityRx Glimmer of Hope Shimmering Facial Oil

$58.00

Add to Cart

Murad Multi-Vitamin Infusion Oil

$79.00

Out of Stock

Shea Terra MD 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil

$24.00

Out of Stock

PAORR By Zerafite Organic Moroccan Argan Oil

$22.75

Add to Cart

2. Restart One Product at a Time

Restart each product, one at a time. Use the moisturizer first. Wait 4 days to see if you react. If no reaction occurs, then add a second product. If you do react, then we know the moisturizer is at least one part of the problem.

Then skin care product that caused the skin to react is most likely the retinoid. For this reason you should restart the retinoid last. If you do restart the retinoid, make sure you are following these instructions.

Adding each product back in one at a time is the best way to find out which product is causing the skin reaction.

It is less likely that you have a true allergy to the skin care product-most reactions are irritations rather than a skin allergy, but it is possible.

Fragrances and preservatives are the most common causes of allergic skin reactions to products.

Other ingredients that cause a skin allergy can be found here.

Make sure you are using the right skin care routine for your Baumann Skin Type! Even using the wrong cleanser can cause your skin to react.

What skin type am I?

Contact a dermatologist for advice

If you bought your products from us, we are here to help. Email us at [email protected].

If not, you can find a medical provider in your area here.

If you cannot figure out what you are allergic to, dermatologists can do patch testing to find out.

“Why is my skin reacting to everything all of the sudden?

Once skin inflammation gets started from a new skin care product, other products in the skin care routine can begin to bother you – even products that did not cause you to get a rash before. This occurs because inflammation turns on other inflammatory pathways causing a domino effect.

This can make it hard to figure out which skin care product is causing the skin reaction to the new product. Make sure you are not using too many exfoliants and over exfoliating.

Any time you use the wrong skin care products for your Baumann Skin Type, you can get a skin reaction.

This is why we always recommend to shop for skin care by your Baumann Skin Type.

Take the Quiz

why does my skin react to new products

You should not have negative reactions to new products except in the case of retinoids like retinol.

Retinoids can cause:

redness

stinging

purging (breakouts)

peeling

tightness

If you get these reactions form retinoids, follow these instructions, and make sure you are only using the products in the skin care routine that we customized for you.

Th reason you should not mix our recommendations with other products we did not recommend is because, ingredients in products can affect the absorption of other ingredients or can change the chemical structure of other ingredients. So skin reactions to products can occur when they are not combined correctly in the skin care routine.

If you do have a reaction to a product that is not a retinoid it is caused by one of the following:

over exfoliation

using too much of an ingredient like an acid or benzoyl peroxide

allergy

chemical reaction between products

If you bought the product from us and cannot figure it out- we are here to help.

what are the most common irritants in skin care products?

The most common products that can irritate the skin when starting a new skin care regimen

When starting a new skin care routine- these are the skin care products most likely to cause skin reactions to products like skin irritation and rashes:

Retinoids like retinol

Alpha hydroxyacids or salicylic acid cleansers, serums, creams, pads

Vitamin C serum

Skin lightening serums for dark spots

Foaming cleansers can irritate dry skin or can irritate oily skin when used 2 times a day.

Exfoliants (over exfoliating)

Benzoyl peroxide

What is causing my skin reaction to products??

There are some clues to finding out why you reacted to a product. Dermatologists sometimes feel like a detective because we have to look at clues to figure out which product is causing the a skin rash. Here are the things we think about to solve the mystery:

Where is the skin reaction to the product?

Location matters!

Is the skin reaction in a sun exposed area? If so it might be a photoallergic reaction.

Does it have a pattern? For example does it follow the lines of clothing such as the waist bad of your underwear or the hook on your bra or where your glasses or earrings touch?

If so, you might have a nickel allergy (Hook or bra or earrings) or an elastic allergy (underwear).

If the skin reaction is to a new product, did it occur everywhere you applied it? Retinol allergies are most common around the nose, nasolabial folds and mouth.

A skin rash on the face is often caused by skin care products that have been used on the face in the area of the rash. A rash around the eyes is most often caused by nail polish. It is less common for a rash around the eyes to be due to an eye cream or serum.

Have you ever reacted to products before?

If you have a skin allergy then you may have reacted to this type of product before. The most common causes of skin reactions to products caused by allergy are preservatives and fragrances. You can find a list of allergens here. If you are allergic to formaldehyde, it can be tricky because this preservative goes by many names.

If you have not ever reacted to a product before, this may be an irritant reaction instead of an allergy.

We hope you found this helpful. if not, visit us on social media and ask us questions there.

And don’t forget- always shop for products and read reviews according to your Baumann Skin Type! Look for your colored octagon with your skin type number.

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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