Come Clean

Ever wondered how bad your beauty habits really are? Here, experts share the truth behind some of the most common offenders so you can make a better decision… Or not, your secret is safe with WH

- Chelsea Traber Burns

“I switch up skincare products a ton.”

HOW BAD IS IT, REALLY?

This isn’t the worst thing you can do, but you might be shorting yourself some benefits. “Generally speaking, it takes weeks or even months of continuous use for a product to exert its full effect on the skin,” says dermatologist Dr Joshua Zeichner. “Constantly changing up your routine means you’re not giving the ingredients enough time to do their job.” Worse, you could develop an itchy, red rash from the irritation, adds Dr Shari Marchbein, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology. Ja, not ideal.

EASY CHANGE

Stick with new products for two months before you decide whether they’re worthy. “Your skin regenerates every four to six weeks, so you should start to see results around that time,” says Marchbein. When you do want to introduce products, she recommends doing so one at a time so you can keep tabs not only on what’s working but also on which things are causing problems. And don’t forget to snap a “before” picture. When you start feeling impatient, you can refer back to it to see how you’ve progressed – or haven’t.

“I ignore product expiration dates.”

HOW BAD IS IT, REALLY?