If
your skin changes for the worse after starting a new product, you may
be having an allergic reaction. Or you could just be intolerant to one
or more ingredients in one or more of the new products. Contrary to what
you might have heard, a product should not cause breakouts when
you first start using it. One client said she was told to give a new
product three weeks for her skin to adapt. Even though she was breaking
out from using this product, that was acceptable as far as the
salesperson was concerned.
If your skin reacts adversely upon first using a new product, stop using it! If, however, you develop a skin condition such as eczema (a dermatitis
or skin inflammation) or some other intolerance to a product you have
successfully used in the past and just now are reacting to, try The 72-
Hour Test. This test is helpful in narrowing down possible
culprits that have caused a skin reaction.
Many
times allergic reactions like a dermatitis can occur because something
is compromising your immune system. And a product that you have used, perhaps for a long time,
without any issues may suddenly give you problems.
Stress is a known culprit when it comes to skin reactions and
allergies.
So if you are going through a stressful period in your life and are
having problems with
products you normally have no reactions to, I think you have to look at
the state of your inner health before completely discarding your skin
care
regime. Pregnancy also can cause skin sensitivities or a reaction to products you may have used for years.
You
may have to find other products in the interim that you can use without
reaction, but you may not have to give up your old products altogether.
Once the stress in your life has subsided, you may want to dig up those
formerly OK products and give them another try. They may cause no
reaction, and then again, you may have to forgo using them if you do
indeed continue to react. In this case, as well as with new products that may have
caused reactions, take the following test to determine whether or not
you can use a particular product.
The 72-Hour Test.
In order to perform a controlled experiment and get some definite
answers for yourself, I recommend taking The 72-Hour Test. This trial is
meant to help
you figure out what product or products that you just began using (or
perhaps have used for a long time) might be causing any skin reaction
you are experiencing.
Let’s say you just purchased a whole line of skin care products (or
even just a single product), and after using them for a few days, you
notice redness or skin sensitivity you didn’t have before. First, stop
using all the new products and go back to what you had been using. You
want your skin back to normal before proceeding with the test.
Once
your skin has calmed down, take one product, let’s say the new
cleanser, and use it for three days (72 hours) along with your other old
products (toner, moisturizer, eye cream). If your skin is OK with the cleanser, use a
second new product for three days. If at any point you introduce a product and have a
reaction, at least you’ll know which product is the troublemaker.
Keep in mind, you may only have a reaction to one or two of the products—not the whole line. So by doing The 72-Hour Test, you can find out which products you can use and which ones you can’t. This process takes time, but if you want to find an answer to what is causing the reaction, it’s worth the time spent.
Keep in mind, you may only have a reaction to one or two of the products—not the whole line. So by doing The 72-Hour Test, you can find out which products you can use and which ones you can’t. This process takes time, but if you want to find an answer to what is causing the reaction, it’s worth the time spent.
If
you begin to react to a product three or more weeks after using it, I
doubt it is really the product breaking you out. Usually your body
(skin) will react within a short period of time after trying a new
product—instantly or within a few days. This is not an absolute, but
it’s doubtful it will take your skin three weeks to realize it is
intolerant to particular ingredients. The breakout could be due to
something new in your daily routine, severe weather changes, or
stress—something current in your life. Don’t automatically blame a
product for causing problems when it could be something unrelated. Take The 72-Hour Test and see what you come up with.
With
all that said, over time you can develop intolerances to certain
products or ingredients, just like with foods. You may have been able to
eat certain foods in the past that today you are intolerant to.
Sometimes this can happen with skin care products as well. It all boils
down to ingredients and your skin and how the two are suited to each
other. If you feel like you have become intolerant to a certain product
(or even the entire line of products) simply stop using them, go back to
products that in the past didn’t cause problems, and then take The
72-Hour Test. The test should help you find out if it is
indeed your products that are creating skin issues.
Regardless
of what is causing the problem, having a reaction is undesirable. If
you have just purchased new products you can’t use, try to return them.
Companies have varying return policies (something you might want to
consider before purchasing). Make sure you are aware of the likelihood
of getting your money back (or not).
For more information, see:
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