Dear Jeannine: How Should I Test My New Skincare?

So many people ask me this!  It's a great question.  How often do you eagerly purchase the latest skincare product that promises to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, rid discoloration and dare I say... make you look younger?  Or maybe you heard about an acne product that even takes care of the scarring.  When it comes to our skin, we jump at technology.  And often times, I find, our eager minds are often disappointed with the results.  What if I told you that most of the time, it's your fault.  Not the products.

How many products you’ve sent to your own skincare graveyard?  You know, the ones you bought, tried and put aside or tossed this year?  Ask yourself – did you really give them a chance?  When brands make claims such as "reduces crow’s feet" or "fades acne scars," those claims are able to be made after a series of clinical trials.  Trials are typically held for a minimum of eight weeks.  Some are even longer.

Truth is, in order to ensure that your skin is actually using ingredients properly, which is why you’re not seeing the results you’re looking for fast enough, it needs to be energized and you need to use the product for a minimum of eight weeks before you can expect to see real results.   As you may remember, I’ve been testing the newly reformulated Regenerist line, (see post here), which has been upgraded with technology that boosts my skins responsiveness to anti-aging ingredients.  So yes, I did notice results a bit sooner.

When I test new skincare products to review on BeautySweetSpot, I tend to test throughout the length of a clinical trial.  Sometimes I cheat and will post a review a week or two earlier, but results do show earlier, just not to their maximum potential.  For example, I've been talking about the Olay Regenerist Multi-Sculpting Cream for some time now, proving its benefits of energizing the skin, while hydrating it and decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Personally, my skin is more hydrated overall making it look much healthier and the fine lines around my eyes are less noticeable. I'll always tell you what's out there, but it’s impossible for me to test every new skincare launch.

Next time you find a product that you believe is good for your skin.  Be patient!  Give it a shot for about two months and believe me, you'll start noticing some differences in your skin.  If by then you don't, it's time to toss it into your skincare graveyard!

*This post is sponsored by Olay Regenerist, but all of my thoughts and actions are true.