Trying new skincare products can be incredibly enticing, especially with the skincare industry constantly promoting the idea of routinely changing your regimen. The idea is that product hopping prevents your skin from “getting used to” products which causes them to stop working. But our skin loves consistency, and product hopping directly opposes what your skin needs.
As I explain in this video, the best skincare routine is the one you’ll stick with. Here’s why product hopping is dangerous for your skin and what you should do instead.
Why is product hopping so bad for your skin?
Long story short, product hopping serves no purpose other than being a marketing ploy; the goal is to get you to buy as many products as possible, as often as possible. Hopping from product to product can even negatively impact your skin’s health and cancel out any benefits.
Being inconsistent compromises your skin’s barrier function and causes reactivity by giving a more significant dose of active ingredients that our skin can handle. This overwhelms our skin’s tolerance and damages the skin’s delicate acid mantle, allowing irritants into the deeper layers. When the skin gets dry or irritated, the outer protective layer of the skin cracks, causing redness, flakiness, and increased sensitivity. And once the damage is done, it can be complicated to repair. Preventing skin problems is more accessible and less costly than trying to fix them with cosmetic procedures in the future.
A consistent skincare regimen keeps your skin healthy
You can have all the best ingredients in the world, but if you don’t put them on your skin daily with a consistent skincare routine, you won’t get the desired results. After twenty years of helping people maintain their skin with cosmetic anti-aging science, my biggest observation is that it pays to stick to a skincare regime when you find what works for you. When people with fresh, gorgeous, supple skin in their 60s and beyond share their secrets, they all say they’ve been following a good skincare routine for decades.
Avoiding product hopping helps you prevent flare-ups and allows you to see what suits you and what's working. Because of the skin cycle, it takes four to six weeks for our skin to renew and show results, so consistency is vital. Here are my professional tips for sticking with a successful skincare routine:
- Make your regimen a part of your daily practice
- Keep all your products in one place, as having everything out, and accessible reminds you to do your routine
- Turn skincare into a spa experience to give you a daily moment to look forward to
- Set a daily reminder to care for your skin
- Keep your routine minimal and focused on avoiding being overwhelmed
The KaramMD Skin Trifecta
For years, I worked with patients who struggled to be consistent with multi-step skincare routines. It’s almost impossible to be consistent when your skincare routine is incredibly complex, so I created the TRIFECTA, a three-step skincare line.
The TRIFECTA is a simple skincare program you can realistically follow every morning and evening. Each product is packed with the vital ingredients your skin needs to reverse and prevent aging and is clinically proven to achieve youthful, supple, beautiful skin.
RINSE
This gentle, hydrating cleanser refreshes the skin by removing makeup residue, toxins, and buildup. RINSE also:
- Boosts cell regeneration
- It helps prevent damage from UVA rays
- Prepares your skin for deep absorption of the potent active ingredients of the other TRIFECTA products
QUENCH
QUENCH is a brightening vitamin C serum that:
- Renews the skin
- It helps prevent the breakdown of collagen
- Smooths fine lines
- Reduces hyperpigmentation
- Combats other signs of age
ILLUMINATE
This anti-aging cream reverses and prevents the signs of age by boosting collagen production and triggering cell turnover. ILLUMINATE is also effective as an all-in-one to improve skin elasticity, provide supple hydration, and produce more radiant skin.
POLISH
POLISH is a powerful but gentle exfoliator that supplements the TRIFECTA. In addition to buffing away buildup, dead skin, and other pollutants on the skin’s surface, POLISH also:
- Regulates oil production
- It helps improve skin hydration
- Leaves the skin texture smooth, balanced, and fresh
Dr. Amir Karam
Dr. Amir Karam is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon and skincare specialist known as an authority in his field. He has decades of experience helping his patients achieve youthful, sculpted facial contours. His personable, down-to-Earth patient care and outstanding results keep him in high demand. However, his clients needed to use the proper ingredients on their skin daily to achieve radiant, fresh skin. Dr. Karam wanted to help them meet their goals with a simple routine they could follow at home.
In his search for the right skincare products to recommend to his patients, Dr. Karam found that the usual skincare routines people were to follow were far too detailed to follow consistently, twice daily. He also found that many products didn’t include the necessary ingredients to revitalize the skin.
Dr. Karam spent years creating and testing the TRIFECTA, his skincare line with truly superlative formulae, clinically proven to achieve the glowing, fresh, beautiful results they desired. The easy-to-use skincare products are packed with all the necessary ingredients for healthy, balanced, and youthful-looking skin.
Hi Dawn,
To get rid of milia you can try using a gentle cleanser daily (like our Rinse). Use your fingertips, wash with lukewarm water, avoiding scrubbing and rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel. You will also want to make sure you’re using a product that contains Retinol (like Illuminate). Retinols are among the best ingredients to help turn over skin cells, and remove/ prevent milia. Make sure you are also using an SPF every day as sun damage can contribute to the formation of milia.
Hi Kim,
The polish should be used 2-3 times per week!
Hi Gina,
Trifecta is all you need and is perfect as a stand alone trio.. There won’t be any need for another product but you can continue to use a retinol if you’d like. The Trifecta contains Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid so there will be no need to supplement with those products.
I’m curious as to how often you should use the polish. I haven’t found any information about this on the bottle or website.
I’m 62. Could greatly use a few procedures but can’t afford it. I’ve been using Retin A on and off since my late 20’s but have now been using it every night for a year along with vitamin C Niacin amide and hyaluronic acid. Will I be able to continue these in addition to Trifecta?
Leave a comment