Did I Overwork My Skin?

December 14, 2022

Does this sound familiar? You're excited about discovering high performance products and advanced technology you can use at home. You start the skincare journey only to look in the mirror two weeks later and your face looks worse instead of better.

Don't throw out your products and devices. Simply stop and consider you may have overworked your skin in the zeal to do a good job.

Here's a list of questions to determine if your skin is overworked.

1. Is it possible your skin is dehydrated? Excess water loss from the skin can result from: heat, exercise, burns, or skin diseases according to a report by the National Library of Medicine. Remember, when you are using high performance skincare and advanced technology on the skin, you are adding energy and exercise to the skin and underlying fascia and muscle. Dehydrated skin can look dull, feel tight, be overly sensitive, take on a shiny but flaky nature, have dark undereye circles or experience an increase in fine lines. To avoid dehydrating the skin, drink a glass of water prior to using devices, use plenty of conducting gel, and only use devices as directed.  
2. Are you overusing devices? It's not uncommon to get excited about the possibilities advanced technology can do for anti-aging. It might seem that if a little is helpful, a lot would work wonders. More is not always better in skincare. Consistency is the goal. New collagen growth can take anywhere from four to 12 weeks. It's important to create a consistent routine which balances the use of high performances products and advanced technology, without overdoing it. Here's an idea of what a skincare routine might look like for treating mature skin for anti-aging results. Skincare Routine Guide
3. Have you started too many new products at once? It's important to give skin a chance to adjust to new products and devices. A good rule of thumb is to add one new product or device at a time if skin feels overworked. Use it for a week to allow the skin to adjust. This will also help to tell if a product isn't right for your skin, or which combination of products do not work for you. Remember, there is no such thing as one size fits all skincare. Shocking your skin with too much at once can show up as white bumps, red bumps, pimples forming under the skin (cysts), blotchy, red patches, dry patches, and clogged pores to name a few. 
4. What lifestyle choices are impacting the health of your skin? We're investing in the care of our skin but if we don't also make supportive lifestyle choices, we can sabotage our results. Is your diet deficient in nutrition? Do you consume excess caffeine or alcohol? What is your stress level? Are you using low quality makeup? And, is your routine consistent? Our bodies will tells us when something is out of balance. We just have to pay attention and make some necessary adjustments.  

How to Reverse Overworked Skin

The biggest thing to do is, don't panic. After making a few adjustments right for you, your skin will begin to make progress and you'll get results from your investment in self-care with quality skincare products and devices.

Stay on this modified routine for at least one week, longer if needed. You're looking for signs your skin is recovering by seeing less of the overworked symptoms.

1. Increase your water intake and reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption. Eat a diet high in nutrition with less processed food or fad diets which leave the body lacking in nutrition.
2. Simplify your routine by starting over with the basics. Choose your gentlest pH balanced cleanser, one serum (NeoGenesis Recovery 2 x's daily), and one moisturizer. Sunscreen if you're going to be outdoors.
3. Use LED only 3 times a week with a day of rest in between. 
4. When your skin starts to recover, add only one new product or device at a time.
5. Incorporate stress reduction of some kind. I.E. Breathwork, meditation, prayer, EFT Tapping, bubble bath by candlelight with soft music, get more sleep (go to bed earlier), listening to your favorite music instead of watching TV, etc.

Want to get more support with your skincare journey? Join me in the Christine Byer Beauty Club. I offer a 14-Day FREE preview with full access to everything in the Club. Get personalized support for your questions and have access to savings and the opportunity to win a FREE consultation. If you don’t find value in your membership, cancel within the 14 days at no charge.

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