How you can achieve maximum results with minimal irritation from your skincare (without buying more products)

Navigating skincare can be tricky, especially if you have sensitive or reactive skin. The conventional AM/PM skincare routines with popular products and ingredients may be too harsh, leaving you with the option of a basic routine that your skin tolerates but doesn’t deliver the results you would like to see. 

Fortunately, there’s an alternative—microdosing, a personalized and minimalistic approach to skincare. This skincare delivery method allows you to enjoy the benefits of potent ingredients without irritating and damaging your skin’s natural moisture barrier. 

What is Skincare Microdosing?

The beauty of microdosing your skincare is that it’s all about YOU. It revolves around understanding your skin’s needs and tolerance, ensuring you use the minimum amount of product necessary to achieve the results you want. 

Consistency and patience are key in this process of finding your skin’s rhythm, but the payoff is well worth it—finally using the products your skin needs without risking irritation.

Microdosing VS Traditional Skincare

We’re used to traditional skincare routines where we apply the same products daily with slight variants in the morning and night. But those routines may lead to congestion, irritation, and sensitization. 

Through microdosing, you introduce new and/or highly active products into your routine at a slower rate than normal to prevent potential issues. While the traditional skincare routine is constant, the microdosing routine varies according to your skin’s needs. 

Why Does Microdosing Work?

To understand why microdosing your skincare works, we first need to understand how your skin works. The stratum corneum, the outermost layer of your epidermis, acts as a protective layer and first line of defense for your skin. When that layer is compromised, it can result in irritation, flakiness, redness, dryness, and even overproduction of oil.

Harsh skincare products not suitable for your skin type and overloading your skin with active ingredients can affect the stratum corneum, leaving your skin vulnerable to irritation. Microdosing respects this protective layer, allowing for better results as your skin functions as it’s meant to. 

Microdosing breaks away from the norm and prioritizes balance and customization. It challenges the idea that piling on products always yields better results. 

Getting Started With Microdosing

Assess your skin’s needs and choose suitable products

Take a close look at your skin. What does it need? Is it dehydrated? Do you see redness? Is it dull? Are you breaking out? Based on your skin’s needs you’ll want to select the right products. When you select products, start with those that match your skin concerns. 

Pro tip: Look for non-toxic skincare that doesn’t contain sensitizing ingredients. 

Patch test and introduce products gradually

Before you use ANY product, make sure you do a patch test. We recommend applying some product on your forearm to check for an adverse reaction. 

If everything goes well after the patch test, introduce the product to your routine. Start slowly, with only one new product at a time. Use it once a day, every other day for the first week

Remember, don’t add too many products to the mix at the same time! This will confuse your skin (and yourself). 

Increase frequency as you see your skin’s tolerance build up

You may be tempted to use your new product twice a day every day. Resist the urge! After you use your product once a day every other day for a full week (make it two weeks if you’re very sensitive), notice how your skin looks and feels. 

  • Do you notice redness and irritation? Reduce frequency to 3 times a week. 
  • Did your skin tolerate it? Increase frequency to once a day for a full week.
  • No sensitivities after a full week of daily use? Increase to twice a day and enjoy the results to come. 

Find your sweet spot

The goal is to find the balance where you get the best results with minimal product use. So, slowly increase the frequency until you see your skin respond to the product without irritation. This will vary from product to product and person to person. 

Sample Microdosing Routine

Samantha

Dry, Dehydrated, and Sensitive

Samantha uses Quench every day twice a day because it is deeply nourishing, exactly what her dry dehydrated skin needs. However, she only uses Regenerate, our retinol alternative, three times a week to support skin renewal and signs of aging. If she were to use Regenerate daily, her sensitive skin would get irritated. 

Kelly

Oily, Acne-Prone, and Dehydrated

Kelly uses Regenerate twice a day to help balance oil production, increase cellular turnover, and for lightweight hydration underneath her SPF. She only uses Quench at night (on top of Regenerate) for an extra dose of nourishment and double hydration. 

Even though they use the same products, they microdose differently to support their skin type and needs. 

Consider This When Microdosing

Seasonal Changes. Your skin and its needs will change throughout the seasons of the year (like needing more moisture during the cold months) and life (during pregnancy, menopause, and our menstrual cycles). You should adapt your skincare accordingly.

Embrace the Process. More than amazing sustainable results, the process of microdosing invites you to deeply know yourself. You will become in tune with your skin, thoroughly understanding its triggers and how to best nourish it. 

Skin’s Cellular Turnover Cycles. When introducing a new product, or skincare practice to your routine, it can take between 28 to 60 days to see the first results. This is due to your skin’s natural turnover cycle (the older you are the slower the process). So, be patient and consistent. 

In the realm of skincare, microdosing is a beacon for those seeking harmony between effective results and skin sensitivity. Remember, it’s not about changing your skin to fit your skincare; it’s about changing your skincare to suit your skin. So, embark on this journey with patience, observe the subtle transformations, and embrace the minimalist yet highly effective routine tailored uniquely to your skin’s needs.

If you’re ready to start your skin-balancing journey, start with Results by Nature. Our multi-benefit treatment oils, restore your skin’s balance for sustainable results. These oils are meant to be used according to your skin’s needs, so start today and create your own skin ritual.Â