You've heard of the elimination diet for gut sensitives, right? Cut out high-inflammatory foods like dairy and gluten, then slowly reintroduce them into your diet to see which one causes you the most discomfort. But, have you heard of the product elimination diet for your skin health?
Whether you have an all-inclusive skincare regimen or still wash your face with a bar of soap, there will be seasons in our lives when our skin misbehaves - it's inevitable. Unfortunately for us, when that happens, our skin may choose to act out for myriad reasons with some easier to pinpoint than others. Maybe it's a new product causing a reaction. Perhaps, a damaged skin barrier. Or it's brought on by many independent factors like our environment, hormones, diet, stress levels... you get the idea.
Uncovering the underlying reason behind a change in our skin health may be one of the most frustrating beauty-related experiences (IYKYK!). Depending on the severity of symptoms, finding resolution may require medical help via a dermatologist or medical aesthetician. If a concern doesn't seem to go away after simplifying your routines, we would highly recommend seeking professional help. That being said, a product elimination diet may be a good place to start when experiencing an unexpected change in your skin.
This isn't a new concept. Product elimination, in one form or another, has been floating in the beauty and skincare space for quite some time. The general gist of, "stop what your doing and let your skin heal itself," is an understood philosophy for most in this industry. Taking it one step further, if we want to be able to pinpoint exactly what's causing possible skin issues, we need to begin by rounding up everything that comes into contact with our skin. That includes skincare products (face, body, shower etc.), makeup and beauty tools, perfume, detergents and soaps - even hair care products. Eliminate use for a week or two and then slowly introduce a product week by week. If whatever you're using seems to work as intended without any side effects (such as rashes, redness, itchiness etc.), then you've got the green light to continue using it. Congrats! Repeat until you've uncovered the culprit. Remember, this is a slow process so be patient with yourself.
The idea of simplifying our skincare routine leads us to another topic very prevalent in modern-day society: mass consumerism. Doesn't it feel like every week there's a new skincare or beauty product on the market that you just have to have? If there's one takeaway from this entire blog, we want you to know that you don't need an extensive, 10-step skincare routine to have healthy, beautiful skin. A well-formulated cleanser, moisturizer, SPF and treatment product will lead you on track to better skin health than someone who slaps on far too many serums and exfoliants every night. The fact of the matter is that everyone is different. Tolerance levels vary, sensitivities exist and there just isn't a one-size-fits-all routine. So when in doubt, aim to secure yourself a high-quality skincare routine for your basic, everyday steps.
Our go-to Miracle 10 routine is:
Our go-to Miracle 10 routine is:
Should you be satisfied with your basic routine and ready to add a few boosters to the mix, we'd highly recommend Eye Treatment, Mask and AHA Cream, just to name a few. What do you think? Is skincare minimalism here to stay? Do you think more is better when it comes to your routine? Let us know in the comments below!