Of course, there's nothing wrong trying what you want and even using multiple products at one time, but have you ever questioned the number of products you're using? Likewise, have you ever considered if there were such a thing as using too many products on your skin? According to dermatologist and skin careexpert Dr. Jeanette Graf , there absolutely is.
For one, Graf said that if your skin is irritated, that is a good sign you're using too many products
"It's not unusual for a patient to come in with a large bag of skin-care products that they've purchased hoping to treat a skin issue," she said. "But you can absolutely overdo it. Too much of a good thing like over-exfoliating your skin with multiple acids and/or mechanical beads can result in redness, irritation, dryness, and worsened breakouts. With so many skin-care choices available, patients often overuse or combine products which can worsen their skin."
Take note of the combination of products youre using
Another thing that you want to keep in mind when it comes to applying products on your skin is the combination of products you're using. Although you think any and all products work well together, there are some that just simply don't mesh well. Board-certified dermatologist and president of Amarte Skin Care Dr. Craig Kraffert revealed toINSIDER that the consequences of combining products that aren't meant to go together can be somewhat serious to the health, look, and feel of your skin.
"Certain key ingredients don't play well together. For example, retinol loses all functional efficacy in the presence of vitamin C and AHAs," he said. "In addition, when multiple products are mingled together, it is the full formulation that is mingling. Certain emollient bases do not mesh well and can create environments with comedogenicity and non-absorptive sticky cloud cream' environments. These multi-product issues are often detectable by touch. Greasy, sticky and tacky skin surfaces all suggest that too many (and/or the wrong type) of products have been applied. A regimen with fewer products of greater quality may be better for both the skin and the pocketbook."
In addition to the greasy and sticky feeling that your skin may host due to slapping on too many products, Dr. Kraffert said that if there is no clear reason to apply a product as a part of your regimen, but you do it anyway perhaps out of habit this is an excess product. Lastly, if your skin just doesn't feel or look it's best after you've applied all of your products, you may have mixed together the wrong ones or even put too many on.
So how do you get the most out of your skin-care products?
According to board-certified dermatologist and beauty expert Dr. Anna Guanche , it's really easier than you think. And it won't require you to go out and spend more money on additional products unless you really want to.
"If you want to get the most out of multiple skin products, then alternating them is a great solution," she told INSIDER. "Maybe one night use Retin A and the next night use glycolic acid. This approach will give you the benefits without jeopardizing your beauty and your budget since you could be wasting your valuable products and literally see them go down the drain. Also, if you are layering products for hydration purposes, then try a hydrating mask on the weekends."
You should also be considering what order youre applying your products
Though it may not seem as if that really matters, since you apply your products two (and sometimes three) times a day , ensuring that they're done in the correct manner can save you a lot of time, money, and frustration. Dr. Purvisha Patel board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare said that the correct order to apply your product on your skin should be from thinnest to thickest consistency going from serums, to oils and moisturizers and finishing off with an SPF > 30 during the daytime.
