Let's talk about purging
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What is skin purging?
A purge process usually occurs when the skin fights back against your new skincare ingredients.
Our skin can be stubborn and may sometimes seem like it doesn’t want to be cured when met with a new ingredient.
This means that it can often put up a good fight before backing down and letting new ingredients take over to treat skin issues.
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When you’re going through a skin purge, don’t panic!
It’s completely normal for your skin to have a small reaction when you start a new skincare routine or use new products and ingredients.
No matter how gentle the ingredient list, you’re usually bound to see a purge when trying something new - it’s like breaking in a new pair of shoes!
What Does A Purge Process Look Like?
A purge process can be anything from small breakouts, bumps, and excess dryness to things like peeling with stronger ingredients.
Here at Give Me, our skincare is gentle but effective and whilst most of our customers rarely see a purging period, it wouldn’t be uncommon for it to happen.
Here is a rundown of some of our key skincare ingredients and what a purge could look like for you.
Retinol
Retinol purging often shows up in the form of redness and a few blemishes. This usually clears up 2-4 weeks after the initial use, and you can then enjoy the skin-loving benefits of retinol.
Our Retinol Serum has a 0.3% formula, allowing users to gently introduce it into their skincare routine without it being too harsh on the skin.
When it comes to incorporating retinol into your skincare routine, we always advise doing a patch test beforehand.
To do this, add a small amount of retinol product to a patch of skin usually the inside of your wrist or the bend of your elbow.
If after a few days, this area is not red or itchy, you’re probably safe to use it.
If the percentage of the retinol product you’re using is higher than 1%, it’s advised to start with a slow introduction of 1-2 times a week and slowly build it up.
It is safe to use retinol all year round, but it does also make the skin more sensitive to the sun so always use it with SPF.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid can cause purging symptoms such as under-the-skin breakouts and occasionally a small amount of peeling. This can last anywhere from 2-4 weeks.
TOP TIP slowly introduce hyaluronic acid into your skincare routine to minimise purging symptoms. Start with every other day and increase as you go!
Witch Hazel
Witch Hazel is an incredible firming ingredient that can sometimes show signs of dryness whilst in its purging process.
Purging will last 2-3 weeks but stick with it and the results will be FIRMnominal (see what we did there?!)
Try using witch hazel every other day to begin with and see how it reacts with your skin.
Niacinamide
While it’s usually rare to experience purging from Niacinamide, it can sometimes have a small purging process.
If you do experience some patches of redness and small spots, this should only last around 1-3 weeks.
Our Niacinamide Serum contains 10% niacinamide and 1% zinc, making it gentle yet effective on the skin.
Start by using niacinamide products 2-3 times a week before increasing if it works well for your skin.
Azelaic Acid
An azelaic acid purge can include a temporary increase in blemishes but this should only last for around 4-6 weeks
Our Azelaic Acid Cream uses a unique blend of ingredients to be gentle on the skin while still giving it the incredible benefits of azelaic acid.
Start by using azelaic acid products a few times a week, gradually increasing the frequency as you go.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a skin superfood but it can cause some issues before solving all the problems in the world!
With Vitamin C, you may see some redness and skin may feel tighter and dryer. This can last anywhere between 2-6 weeks but trust the process and you’ll thank us later!
Start by applying vitamin C products once every 3 days or so, increasing with use.
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Salicylic Acid
Salicylic Acid is incredible for keeping the skin clear but has been known to make it worse before making it better.
Whilst purging is normal, there are some tips you can follow to try and minimise it:
Start by using salicylic acid once or twice a week, observing how your skin reacts and increasing if it works well for your skin.
Figure out your routine: This will take some trial and error, but having a go-to routine ensures consistency.
Mix up your routine: Once you’ve got your core routine, you have the flexibility to switch it up and try new ingredients here and there.
This will give you a break between certain products and ingredients and also allow you to figure out quicker which ingredients work best for your skin.
Track your progress: Progress photos are super helpful and will allow you to look back and figure out what works for you.#
Stick to a trusted brand: Try to stick with a brand that you trust and use their products that are formulated to integrate well together.
Plus, if they’ve got handy tips and videos on how to use each product, it's always a bonus!
Use products to support in the purge: Use products like our Colour Correcting Cream and Spot Stop Pimple Patches to eliminate redness and subtly cover blemishes whilst you go through a purge process.
Seek medical opinion: If you think a purge is lasting too long, get in touch with a healthcare professional for advice - it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to protecting your skin!
And Remember to trust the process!