I came across an interesting quote by UK dermatologist, Dr. Sam Bunting, in one of her videos. She says this – “Your skin does not need entertainment.”
I liked the quote.
It described me to a T. LOL!
This was Dr. Sam’s response to a question as to whether you have to change your skincare products from time to time. Her expert and professional view is that you should not product hop, or change products too often, so you can reap the benefits of each product you use.
Yet, how many of us are guilty of product hopping? *raises hands sheepishly* Are you?
Slow and steady wins the race
When it comes to using skincare products with active ingredients, Dr. Sam takes the position that you must give it time, and progress slowly, to allow your skin to reap the most benefits from these active ingredients.
This is true in particular, when using ingredients like retinol. The benefits of using retinol aren’t quick. They take time to show, as it works with your skin renewal cycle. You cannot, and should not expect results overnight. Often, results with regular retinol use only shows up after 3-4 months.
I understand that, which is why I have taken my time with products that contain retinol, acids or Vitamin C – active ingredients that I currently use and focus on using.
Most products will last you about 2-3 months, if you use them up fully. This allows you enough time to see (or not see) results.
Thereafter, you are supposed to continue using them, to build up your skin tolerance, or to continue reaping the benefits, or even to derive more benefits from the product, or ingredient.
However, what happens very often, not only to me, but to many people is this – boredom.
Guilty of product-hopping!
I cannot speak for anyone else, but I do get a little bored using the same product over and over for months on end. As much as I enjoy using a product, be it a sensorial pleasure or because it’s effective, I find my attention wandering, especially when there’s something new and exciting in the market.
I admit also that it is the peril of what I do as a blogger. I am bombarded with new and newer products all the time, that I feel obliged, or inclined to try out. Some are a hit. Some are a miss.
But what I do is product hop, and that might not be the smartest thing to do.
There is also that perception that a product doesn’t feel as effective after a while.
I suppose this phenomenon is what Dr. Sam means, when she says that our skin does not need entertainment.
As a reader Maja often reminds me, skincare is like training for a marathon. You must keep building your pace, and when you hit your plateau, do something to take the training up a notch, so you hit your stride for the long run. Not hope for a quick sprint and quick results.
Not having run a marathon (and with no intention to do so LOL!) I cannot add to that, save to say that I think it makes a lot of sense. We should be sticking to our skincare products and percentage of efficacy of active ingredients, prepping our skin for the long term.
Slowing down on the product hopping
What I have noticed with myself in recent times, is a marked slow down in my product hopping. I now stick to using certain products for longer. Till they finish, at any rate. Sometimes, I *gasp* even continue with a fresh bottle! 😛
I do still hop around, in that I don’t use the exact same products in the exact same sequence every day (which Dr. Sam says you should). But I am a little more dedicated to the products that I do use, and to finish them.
For this reason, I have found myself in a little bit of a quandary.
Not being so fickle means that I try fewer new products than I did before. I accept far fewer new products to try these days as well, which bodes well for my new resolve.
However, this also means that it puts a bit of a cramp in my blogging routine. You may notice fewer reviews of new skincare products, or that I’m slower to talk about new products in the market.
The reason is a practical one. I have found my groove, as far as skincare is concerned, and I am quite careful in my product selection now. Products that might have interested me in the past no longer do.
Ultimately however, I do have to remember that as much as I love blogging and sharing reviews of skincare I use and try, I am also realistic. My skin health comes first.
So product hopping will slow. Product reviews will slow.
But hopefully, that doesn’t change anything. I’ll try to make up for it in other ways 😉
But now, it’s your turn to tell me about YOU!
Are you guilty of product hopping?
Go on, tell me! 😀
Paris B
I think it is a sensible move, Paris. It is practical in a real life situation too. I took a picture of my “beauty” shelf now and then, out of own interest and also to catch a glimpse of what I was using at certain period. Often enough, behind this shelf, there is another “stock” (we are not a beauty store owner!) cabinet which stores various samples, “deluxe” samples, backup of backup.. endless products which could have last us another year or more. That’s why I hop, thinking that by hopping then at least I am using more of the stocks. But now I stick to a fewer products and keep the same routine everyday. The benefits is, I can actually see and feel if the routine works or otherwise, with constant use. Great post, Paris. 🙂
All I can say is I’m a loyalist. I stick to products and brands that work. It’s too risky for me to switch as I spend more time and money dealing with clogged skin, white heads and breakouts.
I remember you saying you have sensitive skin and if so, staying loyal is really the best way to keep skin at its best! No point hopping or trying new things if it’ll just bring grief! 🙂
You are absolutely right about us not being store owners who need to keep stock! I have to remind myself of that all the time. In fact, I haven’t been buying a lot of skincare lately, which is a marked improvement from previous years, when I’d hoard them like crazy especially whenever I see a sale come on. These days, I just delete the sale emails LOL! But as you said, it’s a sensible move for us to take a more ‘slow and steady’ approach to our skincare, and to allow our skin to receive the full benefit of the product. What a waste otherwise right?
I don’t product hop. If I do, chances are, I have a good reason for it eg have run out and too difficult to obtain, it’s no longer working, I want something else, influence from blogger 😛
The reason why I don’t hop is as simple as pure laziness. I’m a sloth. It works, I’m not going to fiddle with it. I also have fairly sensitive skin and once I find something that works for me, I hang on to it for dear life. I used to say, sneeze wrongly, I’d get a new spot on my chin 😛
I suppose in your line of work, it’s only natural to product hop. If only you have a spare face – one to just keep using what works. The other for experimentation 😛
Laziness is also the flipside of dedication. Why mess with what works? This is more true for those with sensitive skin. I am lucky I suppose, that I don’t have skin that is that sensitive, and especially less so for breakouts. But I think despite what I do, I owe it to myself, and to the product, to be more consistent with it, so I actually enjoy the full benefits. A spare face would be helpful too LOL!
Partly guilty… but I always finish bottles (unless I had adverse reactions which hardly ever happens). And I always use the holy grail triad of anti aging: retinoids, AHA and Vitamin C. Plus insane amounts of SPF50 and Hydration. So in a way there’s plenty of continuity, too.
BTW, I recommend keeping a skincare protocol. I have a list of all products currently in use, when I started and when I finished them. Things I would repurchase are underlined, HG products underlined and fat. It’s brilliant.
I’m dedicated to using a form of AHA, Vitamin C, sunscreen and most recently, retinoids too 😀 I suppose it’s the brand or product that will change but the active ingredient remains a constant in my routine. The idea of a skincare protocol is most interesting. I will have to sit down and write it all out, and figure it out for myself 😀 Thanks for the idea!
Yes, I product hop, but not as much as before as my samples and deluxe gifts now are under control to the few brands and products that I am using. I seldom try new products, at least not getting every single Free sample available out there, as I know my skin better and I stick to the ones that works. They are from different brands though.
I think once we have been at this for a little while (read: A few years) we will have figured out what works and what doesn’t, and more importantly, what we enjoy. So it should be natural for us to slow down on the product hopping. Well, if we really pay any attention, that is LOL! Good on you for sticking to the tried and true!
I used to hop a lot in the beginning, when I only started learning properly about skincare. Everything was new and exciting and I didn’t want to miss out on anything potentially lifechanging :). Now that I’ve tried out a lot of different products, I realise that most of this newness is actually more of the same in a different packaging, so I tend to stick to my favourites and order something new and fancy only occasionally. Having sensitive skin also helps :). My skincare routine is definitely becoming pretty boring but effective!
I think we have all been through that Ivana 😀 But once we start paying a little more attention, we start becoming aware of what works for us, and what doesn’t, and what we enjoy using. That is progress. I think that anyone who still hops around after a few years of trialing new skincare just isn’t paying enough attention! As you said, boring skincare is fine, as long as it’s effective. At the end of the day, we all just want effective skincare that keeps our skin at its healthiest and best 🙂
I am definitely guilty of product hopping! I do it mostly so I can try new things for my blog content, but lately, I’ve been feeling very reluctant to try “trending products”. I have found some that work for me best and I’ve decided to stick to them for the most part 🙂
Sticking with what works is the best thing you can do! At least you know it’s doing something good for your skin 🙂
I used to product hop during my younger, childless days till acute eczema had such effect on me that I was limping (too painful just to bend my legs due to the dryness caused by eczema). After that eczema and being a mom now, I am a lot more selective in changing product. Will always ask for sample first before trying on new things. Reading your blog helps as you have sampled most of them, honest and informative about the product! Thanks Paris 😀
Happy to have been of some assistance Adrienne, although I also caution being too adventurous with new products, especially as you have more sensitive skin than I do! The trick I think is to understand the sort of ingredients and products that trigger our skin sensitivities e.g. I can’t use products that have too much surfactants or lavender, as it triggers my contact dermatitis on my hands. So we just have to be careful that not everything out there is good for us 🙂
I used to use the same skincare brands for several years and then switch to a different brand because I don’t see any improvements. Or my skin is getting worse. I have rosacea with a normal to combination skin type. I used to use Estée Lauder, Clarins, Clinique and Shiseido as my go to brands. However, nothing was helping my rosacea so about 2 months ago I started researching other skin care products and brands. I pay more attention to the ingredients lists now and try to stay away from products containing alcohol, fragrance and gluten (I am gluten intolerant). I recently started using retinol and Vitamin C serums but I am careful to use medical grade serums that are actually dermatologist recommended and tested.
I am still on my skincare journey but I have learned so much more in the last 2 months. My goal is to find the right products for my skin as I am getting frustrated with these flare ups I keep getting. I am also monitoring my diet and water intake.
It’s so important to pay attention to your own skin because ultimately, only you know what works best for it. It doesn’t matter how good a product is for someone else, if it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t! I hope you’ve found products that have helped you since, and to calm your skin from rosacea flare ups. As I don’t have that condition, I won’t be the best person to tell you what to do, but I do hope that you’ve found a winning combination of products that work for you 🙂
I read in one your reviews oil cleansers was too drying for you, but isn’t oil cleansers the most mild cleansers of all?
Curious because i really want to find the mildest cleanser which actually cleanses but is mild and leaves no residue, but this is a difficult task
Hi David, apologies for the late reply, but yes, I do find oil cleansers (the type that emulsify) very drying for my skin. This, I attribute to the fact that they are meant to be deep cleansing, and I don’t have very oily skin, so all the repeated deep cleansing dries out and dehydrates my skin. I personally prefer to use a cleansing balm, which I find more nourishing for my dry skin. As for very mild cleansers that don’t leave a residue, I’d suggest a gel cleanser that doesn’t have sulfates. My personal favourite is the Antipodes Juliet gel cleanser. It is gentle, leaves no residue, and is lovely.