How to Know if Your Skincare Routine is Working

Whether you’re shopping online or strolling through the drugstore, you’ll see a plethora of products for each step in your skincare routine. From smoothing wrinkles to nixing breakouts to fading scars, plenty of remedies claim to work wonders – but will they make a true difference in your skin? Or could a more effective beauty regimen be waiting in the wings?

Purchasing skincare products and applying them daily are only the first steps in achieving swoon-worthy skin. Those products have to earn their spot in your medicine cabinet by actually working.

We’re here to demystify your skincare journey with telltale signs that your routine is working – and hints that a product may not be for you.

Signs Your Skincare Routine is Working

A successful skincare routine doesn’t just happen overnight; it’s the result of consistent effort and using the right products tailored to your skin’s needs. But how do you know if all that effort is paying off? Key indicators that your skincare products are working include:

No Burning, Itching, or Irritation

Burning, itching, irritation, and stinging when you apply skincare products are possible signs of problems in your routine, including:

Overexfoliation: Exfoliating too frequently or vigorously can disrupt the skin barrier, robbing your skin of the natural oils it needs to thrive. When you overexfoliate, you don’t give your skin a chance to repair and regenerate, leading to sensitivity.
Harsh ingredients or high dosages: Harsh, drying ingredients and high doses of active ingredients can lead to skin irritation. Always read the label before trying a new skincare product, looking out for harsh ingredients like alcohols, fragrances, and parabens.
Allergies or sensitivities: If you experience burning or itching where you apply skincare, you could be sensitive to the product’s ingredients. Try a patch test on the back of your hand before starting any new product to avoid this issue.

Less Redness and a Balanced Skin Tone

If you notice less visible redness and your skin appears more balanced overall, your skincare is doing its job. This shows that your routine is restoring and maintaining the skin barrier, preventing inflammation from exposure to irritants (like sun and pollution). Less redness also indicates that your skin is becoming more resilient and able to bounce back from daily stressors.

Balanced skin tone means your skin appears more uniform in color, with fewer dark spots, blotchiness, or areas of discoloration. This balance is often the result of using products that support your skin barrier and protect against environmental damage. Ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C, and antioxidants play a key role in achieving this effect, helping your skin fend off irritants and maintain a healthy glow.

Fewer Breakouts

Is curbing acne breakouts one of your major skincare goals? If so, clearer skin is a sign that your routine is delivering on its promises. Ideally, existing pimples will be healing well, without leaving major scars, and new breakouts will be on the decline.

If you continue to get new pimples after at least six to eight weeks of starting an acne treatment, it’s time to switch up an ingredient. For the best results, we suggest talking to a licensed dermatologist, who can help you make strategic adjustments with your skin type in mind.

Keep in mind that some initial purging is normal when introducing new active ingredients like retinoids or exfoliants. However, if your skin is consistently improving after the first few weeks, it’s a sign that your products are addressing the root causes of your breakouts. Consistency is key here; over time, you should see a clearer complexion with fewer blemishes making an appearance.

Smoother to the Touch

Pay attention to your skin’s texture during your daily cleanses. If your skincare products are working, you’ll gradually notice fewer bumps and less roughness. With the right moisturizer, serum, exfoliator, and acne remedy, you can achieve skin that’s silky-smooth to the touch.

The texture of your skin is another crucial indicator of your skincare routine’s success. If your skin feels smoother and softer to the touch, it’s a good sign that your products are working. This improvement in texture usually results from regular exfoliation, hydration, and targeted treatments that help slough off dead skin cells and promote cell turnover.

Smooth skin is not just about feeling good—it’s also a sign that your skin is healthy and well-nourished. Products like gentle exfoliators, hydrating serums, and moisturizers play a critical role in achieving this outcome. Over time, you’ll notice that rough patches, bumps, and uneven areas start to diminish, leaving your skin with a silky, refined texture.

Plumper, More Radiant Skin

When your skincare routine is properly hydrating, nourishing, and regenerating your skin, it will appear brighter and plumper than before. This occurs as your exfoliating routine sloughs away dead skin cells, preventing dullness, while your serums and creams lock in moisture.

It can be challenging to tell if your skin is truly plumper, brighter, and clearer over time. When we look in the mirror every day, we can’t always notice significant changes, as we see them develop gradually. So, snap a daily photo to record your skincare journey, comparing key differences over the days and weeks.

How Do I Know If My Skincare Routine Is Not Working?

While it’s important to recognize the signs of a successful skincare routine, it’s equally crucial to identify when things aren’t going as planned. Here are some red flags that may indicate your current routine needs a rethink:

Persistent Irritation: If you’re consistently experiencing redness, stinging, burning, or discomfort after applying your skincare products, it’s a clear sign something is amiss. Your skin should feel soothed and comfortable, not inflamed or irritated. Persistent irritation could mean you’re using products that are too harsh for your skin type or that contain ingredients to which you’re sensitive.
Increased Breakouts: An initial breakout, known as purging, can be normal when starting a new product with active ingredients. However, if your skin continues to break out more than usual after six to eight weeks, it may be a sign that the product isn’t right for you. This could indicate that your skincare routine is clogging your pores, disrupting your skin barrier, or simply not addressing the underlying causes of your acne.
Dryness and Flaking: If your skin feels overly dry, tight, or starts flaking, it could be a sign that your skincare routine is stripping away too much of your natural moisture. This often happens when using overly aggressive cleansers, exfoliants, or treatments that disrupt the skin’s moisture balance. Your routine should leave your skin feeling hydrated and supple, not parched and uncomfortable.
Lack of Improvement: If you’ve been diligently following your skincare routine for several weeks and haven’t seen any noticeable improvements in your skin’s texture, tone, or overall appearance, it might be time to reassess your products. Skincare should make a positive difference, and if it’s not, you may need to try different ingredients or formulations that better suit your skin’s needs.

How Long Should I Wait Before Switching Skincare Products?

You should wait at least six weeks before switching skincare products. This is approximately how long it takes for products to make a noticeable impact on your skin’s appearance. It may take even longer to see the full benefits of some ingredients, like retinol, which can take up to three months to completely work its magic. (Thankfully, acne patches are a speedier solution, taking just six hours to absorb excess oils and shrink pimples.)

Why so long, you might ask? The skin cell cycle takes about 28 to 40 days, depending on your age. This is the period your skin takes to produce new cells and carry them to the surface.

Without waiting the entire duration of the skin cycle, you won’t know the full extent of a product’s effect on your skin.

Finding Your Ideal Skincare Routine

Creating the perfect skincare routine is a journey that begins with understanding your unique skin type and identifying your specific concerns. Knowing whether your skin is oily, dry, combination, or sensitive is the first step in selecting products that complement your natural skin characteristics. With the sea of skincare products available today, it can take some trial and error to find a routine that ticks every box. But, with solutions like our Bloomies pimple patches, you can count on quality skincare to bring your beauty goals within reach.