With every New year, new trends come and old ones go. I have been reading and researching about skincare, because being in my 30s already, I really want to do my best so my skin would thrive years to come. Turns out the 2023 skincare trend is one I have been practicing for years, in fact. It’s called slow skincare.
From a psychological perspective, we as a society are suffering from the instant gratification phenomenon. Social media and Internet as a whole contribute a lot to it, but we want something and we want it now. We’ve become far more impatient than our parents and grandparents. And this is reflected in skincare expectations as well. We want results and we want them now.
That’s why the industry has been investing in products which are more powerful, formulated with higher percentages of active ingredients which will trick you into believing they are truly effective, while in reality they are designed to make you see the result after a single use, but won’t really give your skin the long-term benefits it needs.
What shall we do instead?
Take a progressive approach.
I was reading that in your twenties your skin renews itself in a matter of a couple of weeks, while in your fourties it may take a month. However, if you keep pushing your skin’s natural renewal processes with products containing high percentage of active ingredients, it may end up sensitised or even develop a skin allergy as you are destroying your skin barrier. That very skin barrier that shields you. So focus on progress instead. Don’t rush into getting quick results.
Slow & steady wins the race
The best way to win the race is by a consistent skincare regimen, suited to your own and specific needs. One that is focused on overall results instead of instant outcomes. One that is filled with good ingredients. Let’s not forget the skin is the biggest organ we have. We need to be very attentive to how we treat it.
Useful tips to follow:
Pay attention to your skin barrier. If your skin becomes red after using a toner, then maybe your skin barrier has been compromised. So, concentrate your efforts on rebuilding that skin barrier back.
Be gentle when it comes to exfoliation. Everyone has been crazy using retinols. Believe me or not, I have never hopped onto that trend. Instead I have been using the P50W lotion, which is mild and gentle. So, if you still want to use skin exfoliators , you can, but make sure they are low in concentration and not too harsh. Just a mild one to help boost your skin’s natural exfoliation powers.
Wash your face with gentle products. Many cleansers contain harsh ingredients that dry out the skin, disrupt its pH balance and compromise its moisture barrier. So choose gentle and PH balanced products. Switching to a gentle cleansing milk has been a game changer for me.
And best of all – do consult with a specialist. I myself have skin barrier issues. My hydro-lipid barrier is easily comprisable leading to dry skin, dehydration and more. I managed to restore it with the help of Biologique Recherche’s cosmetologists, and of course a suited-to-my-own-needs routine again with Biologique Recherche products, which for me are the epitome of slow skincare – driven by long-term outcomes instead of instant-gratification results.
