Remember the last time you read about a highly raved skincare product, the one that promised to make your skin glow and zap those blemishes overnight? So, you decided to jump on the bandwagon and give it a go but unfortunately you didn’t see any difference or worse you ended up getting bumps and redness. Yikes! Here are seven signs to help you decipher if your skincare products are working for you or not.

1. Dark spots

If you spent too much time under those sun rays you might start to notice brown spots on your skin. The overproduction of melanin in the skin from UV rays results in dark spots/patches. Commonly caused by long sun exposure and hormonal changes, these brown spots might be a sign that you need to think twice about your brightening and exfoliating solutions.

What to do: Use products with brightening ingredients such as our Vitamin C Collection and with exfoliating ingredients like our Glycolic Overnight Renewal Peel and Papaya Purifying Enzyme Masque which can be used twice a week.

2. Allergic rash

This is a sign of an allergy to one or some of the ingredients in the skincare.

What to do: Discontinue use of the product immediately and if the skin is very itchy, see a doctor for an antihistamines prescription.

3. White bumps

These white bumps develop when a plug of oil and dead skin cells filled with keratin (the protein that makes up your skin, hair, and nails) becomes trapped just beneath the skin's surface.

What to do: Give yourself an at-home facial that includes steaming your face for 5 to 8 minutes. Exfoliating can also help milia resolve. Try exfoliating once a week with a product that contains glycolic or mandelic acid.

4. Dryness and flaking

If you’re experiencing dry patches or flakiness, the product that you’re using could be made with drying agents such as alcohol or you could be allergic to a certain ingredient. Overly harsh or intensive products like retinoids can also result in dehydration, even cracking and flaking.

What to do: Drink more water and put moisture back into dry, dehydrated skin with our Hydrating Multi-Active Day Crème (morning and night), Hydrate and Nourish Luxury Face Oil or our Dilo Anti-aging booster (daily) and twice a week use our Dilo Coconut Hydrating Masque which can be left on overnight.

5. Oily skin

Strong oil-control products or washing with hot water typically dehydrate the skin’s superficial layers, stripping away the skin’s natural oils and stimulating it to produce even more oil.

What to do: Switch to a light hydrator with water-boosting ingredients like hyaluronic acid to increase water content in the epidermis. This will help to keep skin soft and supple while regulating oil production at the same time.

6. No improvements on the skin

We know that miracles don’t happen overnight but how much time does it take to see if something is right for us?

That depends on what type of product you are using and the area you want to fix. Spot treatments take about 10 days to start working while anti-aging, wrinkle and dark spot fighters might take up to a month to work their magic. With moisturizers and hydrating masks, you should see the effect almost immediately. If you are using an exfoliating product like a chemical exfoliator, give it around a week or two to take effect.

What to do: When trying any new product, use it for at least a month to give it time to show its benefits. Those with sensitive skin should test out products on skin areas such as the wrist for a day to see if they are sensitive to it before using it on their faces.

As a general rule, products that tackle gradual or longstanding problems like wrinkles, sagging and dark spots require more time to repair the damage. Whereas treatments for issues that come and go such as pimples or dullness should work fast, usually in a matter of days.

7. Acne breakouts

This is probably one of the most common problems that pop up when you switch products. The skin typically needs two to three weeks to adapt to the new product, and as a result, one may experience minor breakouts that clear up after the adjustment period.

What to do: If the breakouts are moderate to severe, meaning you get more than just one or two pimples at a time, then the product is probably not for you. Switch to a different product and look out for ingredients that are non-comedogenic or have lighter oil-in-water formulations.

Summary

Keep in mind that you should discontinue the use of any product if you experience redness, continued flaking, increased dryness, stinging, or discomfort. The adage "no pain, no gain" doesn't apply here!