What’s this we hear about skincare fasting, where you take a break from your skincare routine for a week to help it reset? Is there any truth in this new phenomenon or could it be doing your skin more harm than good? We investigate…
Don’t get us wrong, we're all for better and smarter ways to boost your skincare. But sometimes, trends fail to live up to the hype. Worse yet, some of them can cause major issues with your skin. And we’re not down with that.
Take the latest skin fasting trend, for example. The idea is that you take a break from your usual skincare routine to supposedly detoxify your skin and allow it to work more efficiently on its own, without relying on topical products like cleanser, toner, moisturiser and the like.
This theory can take on many guises, from giving up your cleanser for one day alone, to avoiding your entire routine for up to a week. Drastic? We think so. And here’s why…
The simple fact is there’s no scientific proof that taking a break from your skincare routine benefits your skin. None whatsoever. More importantly, if you’ve chosen a great routine that’s free of nasty chemicals, suits your skin and gives you visible results, why change it? As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Some Facts About Your Skin
Let’s get one thing straight: skin doesn’t ‘get used to’ products and forget how to function. Neither do products become null and void if you use them for too long. On the contrary, skincare’s entire existence is to treat and help your skin in areas in which it might be lacking in something.
You see, as skin ages it stops functioning as well as it did in your teens. The daily grind of pollution, UV radiation, your diet and lack of sleep also put extra stress on your skin, breaking down collagen and making it age up way earlier than you’d like. All this means your skin needs help. And that’s where smart skincare comes into play.
Facial serums like our Pre-Eminent Beauty Serum, for example, deliver potent ingredients deep into your skin to work on lines, wrinkles, hydration and firmness. Similarly, a treatment like Imperial Eye Gel targets the delicate area around your eyes which is prone to dryness and visible ageing. Your skin simply can’t fight all this single-handedly.
How Skin Fasting Affects Your Skin
So, what happens when you suddenly stop using some or all of your precious skincare products? Well, let’s take dry skin, for instance. Dry skin lacks natural oils, so you do your best to up its oil game by moisturising it with nourishing face creams and oils like our Organic Age-Defying Facial Oil. And it works.
However, if you suddenly stop moisturising for a day or so, your skin won’t miraculously start producing its own natural oils. Instead, it will simply become tight, flaky, itchy and uncomfortable because you’ve taken away something it needed. And why would you consciously do that to yourself?
This principle is the same, whatever your skin type. If you suffer with breakouts or have oily skin and skip cleansing or exfoliating, all that dirt, oil, makeup and pollution will build up on the surface and undoubtedly make your pores and spots worse. It’s really just common sense.
What You CAN Do If You Believe Your Skincare Routine Is Getting Out Of Hand
In some cases, streamlining your routine can, for sure, be beneficial to the health of your skin. If you’re experiencing sensitivities, redness or breakouts, you might be applying too many active ingredients which is causing irritation.
Take a look at the ingredient labels of all your products. If you find you’re doubling up with both physical and chemical exfoliation like glycolic and lactic acid, for example, take one away and see if this helps your skin. Remember, you should never apply anything that causes a negative reaction.
Granted, this isn’t really skincare fasting, more like skincare elimination. But still, it’s important to bear in mind.
So, what’s our final take on the subject? Simple: choose a great skincare routine in the first place and you should never need to take a break from your products.