Why Your Skincare Isn't Working - And How You Can Fix It

Skincare is arguably one of the most confusing aspects of personal well-being. With an oversaturated market and contradictory advice from a range of people claiming to be experts, it can be incredibly hard to navigate choosing the right skincare for you.
 
So here’s why your skincare may not be working correctly for you, coming from an average person who has gone through this struggle. Lets navigate this market together to get healthy skin and high confidence.

Skin Type

Companies enjoy telling customers that a product will work for everyone, but this simply isn’t true. Everyone has unique skin, which is a great thing, we’re all individuals in our own ways, but this means that we all need to take care of our skin differently. Personally, I find that overly drying products won’t work for my combination skin, and someone with oily skin may need less moisturising products. It’s often overlooked how important this aspect is, but when you’re searching for the perfect skincare routine, it could be the difference between healthy and blemished skin.
 
So how do you combat this? Well first you need to determine definitively what your skin type is. This is fairly easy, in fact, it’s as simple as using a piece of tissue or a blotting sheet to check how much oil comes off your skin.

Here is a guide to telling what your skin type is using this method, based off how much oil is present on the tissue or blotting paper:

Large amounts of oil=oily skin
None/very small amounts of oil=dry skin
Oil in specific zones only=combination skin
 
Once you’ve figured this out, hunting for skincare becomes a lot less daunting. Simply look at packaging to see if your skin type is written anywhere upon it.

Targeting specific issues

So you’ve figured out your skin type, but you still have blemishes, or overly red skin, or skin peeling. How do you fix this? Well first, study your skin, figure out exactly which issue is bothering you most. A lot of people will expect a singularly moisturiser or cleanser to solve all of their problems, but sometimes it’s more complex than that. Once you’ve realised the smaller issues you’re having, you can search specifically for products meant to fix it.
 
This is where it once again seems daunting. How do you know which products will actually solve your problems? Don’t worry, there’s many ways to tackle this. The first thing you can do is shop online using filters. Many websites have specific pages for specific problems, whilst others let you filter search results. If shopping in person is more your thing, find a shop assistant to help you. Many shops train employees specifically to recommend products that are right for you!
 
The next thing you can do is seek the advice of average people just like you. Talk to a friend with a similar skin type or problem, or seek out reviews on beauty websites. A fantastic new tool on websites allows customers to customise their profiles to show aspects of themselves when they leave reviews. This means that their weight, height, skin type, and average problems can all be seen on their reviews, making it so much easier to find someone with similar problems to you.

Blindly following the crowd

Social media is oversaturated with influencers sharing their opinions and recommendations. And whilst this can be helpful for you, it can also be a dangerous minefield, full of sponsorships and disingenuous opinions. This is why you should avoid social media hype when you’re looking for products. So many people give in to what’s popular and find that it’s not at all what they expected.
 
So, instead of following the crowds to buy what’s trendy, or what’s expensive, look into skincare from a personal point of view. Only you know your own skin, and what will work for you. An alternative to social media opinions, is talking to a dermatologist. If you find that you can’t figure out what will help your skin, a professional could definitely help a lot, and is always an option for you.
 
So that’s it, a basic outline of why your skincare may not be working for you. It can seem like an extremely confusing and daunting thing, but it simply comes down to research and a bit of trial and error. A year ago, I had no clue which skincare would be best for me, but now I have a set routine that makes me feel confident, and makes my skin feel healthier than ever. And it doesn’t need to break the bank either, the rise in skincare popularity means there are so many new and affordable products to choose from. Some personal favourites of mine come from The Ordinary and The Inkey List.
 
Good luck on your new skincare journey!