So you’ve just arrived home with your newly bought beauty products and cant wait to try them out or you’ve finally went online and purchased those products that you keep seeing a hype about. It’s an exciting time, no doubt! Surely, whatever is inside this of beautifully crafted packaging is the answer to your skincare woes. The final nagging question: how long will this take for me to see results
November, 2019
Here’s the quick answer: Even though we tend to want instant gratification when we start a new skincare routine, 4-6 weeks is generally accepted as how long you should wait when trying a new skincare product.
This is because, in order to truly see results and improvements in your skin you will need to complete one full skin cell turnover cycle. And unfortunately, that process is going to be a little different for everyone, though it mostly has to do with age. This natural process of the skin creating new cells and shedding dead ones takes about two weeks for babies, about three weeks or so when you’re a teenager, and then spreads out to about every 30-40 days once past your teens. Post-50 skin cell turnover slows even further, and can take anywhere from 45 to 90 days for a full cycle.
Keep in mind that depending on what type of product you’re using, what active ingredients it contains and what skincare concern you’re trying to pinpoint will all have an effect on the time it takes for you to start seeing the benefits, and that time can vary widely.
Below are a few exceptions to the 4-6 week rule when the specific product can affect the timing of results, but first,
When Not to Wait 4-6 Weeks:
- The product is causing redness or irritation
- It is causing your skin to become excessively oily
- It is causing your skin to become excessively dry or chapped
- It is causing breakouts longer than 3 weeks
- It is stinging when it shouldn’t (anything more than a tingle!)
Exceptions to the 4-6 Week Rule
Ok, if that 4-6 week answer above really sucked the wind out of your sails, I apologize. But I come with good news, too! There are some skincare products where you will potentially see a difference in your skin almost immediately. Things like moisturizers, serums or creams should give you that hydration boost and change the look/feel of your skin more or less right away. They’ll all take longer to deliver lasting results as well, but at least you can know that they’ll do something right away. Another choice if you’re looking for an instant skin boost is a face mask. A little exfoliation and hydration delivered at once can reveal brighter, glowing skin as soon as you wash it away.
A General Rule of Thumb for How Long to Test a Skincare Product
Cleansers: At least 1 month.
Serums, Eye Creams, Retinols: 6-8 weeks
Acne Treatments: 1 week – 12 weeks. I know and I’m sorry, that’s a huge range. But there are many different kinds of acne out there and just as many different ways to treat it. A new acne treatment will be on the longer side of this, as you’ll need to give the pH of your skin a chance to catch up, whereas a concentrated spot-treatment could work in just a few days.
Dark Spot Treatments: 3-4 Weeks
A final note: When trying to add in a new product, remember to only try one item at a time. It will be easier to know which products are helping and which are irritating if you know exactly what is the new product and don’t have to guess.
The best advice? I know we all want that instant gratification, but don’t give up too quickly! At the end of the day, try to commit to your new skincare routine anywhere from 4-12 weeks, which, as luck would have it, is more or less the amount of time it will take you to use the bottle. So your skin and your wallet will thank you for your patience! And know that, when it comes down to it, an easy skincare routine that you can stick to regularly, plus a healthy diet and lots of water is really the winning combination for keeping your skin looking it’s best.
