3 Clear Signs Your Skincare Routine Needs a Makeover

For a busy person, routines feel like a safe, warm blanket that protect you from the unpredictability of life; something refreshingly unchanging you can rely on when everything else is at its most chaotic. But, when we rely too heavily on the ease and predictability of the routines we set out for ourselves, it’s easy to become willfully blind when they lose their efficacy.

Since it’s often hard to see the forest through the trees in your skincare routine, we’ve identified some red flags to look out for so you can update your system accordingly.

If you don’t know when your products expire

It would admittedly be kind of weird if you knew the expiration date of your skincare products you use off the top of your head, but gaining a general knowledge of when they’ve passed their prime is critical to staying on top of your skin care routine.

If you’ve never even considered checking the expiration dates on your products, it’s definitely a clear sign your whole routine could use a refresher. Effects of using expired skincare products can range from ineffectiveness to full-on irritation so you should make it a habit to check the labels on all of the products in your routine at least once a year.

For more specifics on when to retire old skincare products, check out this article we wrote a few years back!

If you use the same products every. single. day.

Unfortunately, when it comes to most things having to do with your health in general, things are rarely black and white. When you have an infection, you wouldn’t take cough medicine, just like when you have a cough you wouldn’t necessarily take antibiotics. The same symptom/remedy system should be applied to your skin care.

The problem with keeping the same routine day in and day out is your focus becomes too general and you end up missing the core problems (if you have any) of your skin health. If your skin feels particularly dry one day, use a moisturizer or beauty oil. If your skin is oily, try an exfoliator with benzoyl peroxide.

The state of your skin can vary from day to day so mix up your routine by focusing on your skin’s symptoms and doing your best to treat them individually.

If your skin health is no longer improving

Although your skin doesn’t actually build a resistance to your skincare products (barring certain topical prescription retinoids and steroids), there are numerous claims that certain products seem to inexplicably lose their luster over time. There are a few possible reasons this might occur.

Firstly, you could have changed your application habits from when you first started using the product. It seems reasonable to be very excited about a product when you first get it and follow the instructions to a T, but then life happens, you lose your excitement, and start to get sloppy. This process could happen gradually so you barely notice but could certainly inhibit the effectiveness of your products.

Second, your skin health could have just plateaued. If you are using a product that really works wonders for your skin, after a while you might not remember what your skin looked like before so you’re just maintaining your current look.

Lastly, and this is specifically for exfoliants, your skin could be stronger than when you first started using the product so the results aren’t as noticeable any longer. When you use the same exfoliants and peels on a regular basis your collagen production increases, leaving your skin thicker and healthier as a result. So when you continue to use those same products, it has less of an effect on your thicker skin. If this is the case for you, consider trying a slightly more acidic exfoliant, but be careful! You don’t want to go overboard and end up looking like a Captain America villain.

“I’m so pretty I make babies cry.”

The point is, if what you’re doing isn’t working for you anymore, you don’t need a smart, attractive blogger to tell you to change things up. Start a new routine and never be afraid to re-think your old ones!

Besides all of those reasons to potentially shake up your skincare regimen, the most important reason is because it’s fun! Be adventurous and try new things since, who knows? Maybe you’ll find the new miracle potion that works perfectly for you and your skin!

Need a place to start? Hmmmm…. I don’t know. Oh! I heard about this little place called Lira Clinical. They’re really great. The best even. I’m honestly embarrassed I even had to think about it.