How often should I replenish my skincare products?

Why the worst thing you could do while clearing Adult Acne is let yourself run out of product.

I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m repeating myself.  :)  This is really just a follow-up to a previous post where I talk about how much of each product you should use at a time.

I started it out with a conundrum I often experience when facial clients check in, where we don’t see as much progress in their acne clearing as I think we should.  I take a look at when they last purchased.  I know approximately how long each type of product should last when it's used properly (which I will go over a little later), so if it’s been a while, it's not always the case that they’ve stopped buying their products and let their skincare go; often the client has either stretched the products out for budget reasons, or stretched them out figuring they have an upcoming appointment so why not wait. 

The truth is, using too little of each product renders them pretty much useless.

Is Benzoyl Peroxide The Devil ?

In my 23 years of helping to clear Adult Acne, I’ve heard differing opinions about Benzoyl Peroxide, aka BPO. Some say it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread when used properly and under a very specific protocol.  Others believe it damages the skin leaving it thinned out and oxidized, contributing to pigmentation issues and aging.  Some don’t like it just because it’s a “drug”, preferring a more “natural” approach.

 

But learning exactly what BPO does, how it works, and how it can actually help rather than hurt, took more than just hearing an opinion or two.  I’d like to share what I’ve learned with you, and perhaps demystify, and even shed a positive light on Benzoyl Peroxide.

Adult Acne and Acne Medication: Why Meds?

As an Online Esthetician working exclusively with Adult Acne for people 30+ for the last decade or so, many clients come to me after being disappointed by doctors. From differing hormone levels to greater dead skin cell buildup as we get older to a plethora of anti-aging products, there are so many new issues that arise over the decades, it baffles me how often people seem to get treated medically the same, irrespective of age!  

In general, I feel that throughout much of the medical profession, adult acne is not really well understood for one very simple reason - pore clogging and irritating ingredients in most skincare are not paid much attention to, and there is very little recognition of the differences between adult acne and teen acne.  It's no accident that so much of the time a client will start out telling me that she had very little acne in high school, if any at all - a definite indication her acne problem is not genetic! What this means is that bacteria, genetic overproduction of oil, or abnormally fast cell turnover may not be the key problems in most cases of adult acne, as it is in every case of teen acne.

So why prescribe medications to an adult ?