Why Your Skincare Stopped Working

It happens to the best of us. You've been using your favorite skin care products for years, but then suddenly, you start noticing that they're not working as well as they used to.

So, why does this happen? What's going on behind the scenes that makes some skincare products less effective over time? And what can you do about it?

Here are various common reasons why your skincare stopped working.

You're Not Applying It Properly

The first thing to do if your skincare isn't working is to check the instructions on the package. The best way to apply a product is often different than what you've been doing. For example, many moisturizers should be applied after cleansing and toning your face — but some brands recommend applying them before those steps. If you don't know what works best for you, ask your dermatologist or esthetician for advice on how to use your products properly.

Your Skin Isn't Properly Cleansed

You need to thoroughly cleanse your face before applying any other products because dirt, oil, and makeup can clog pores and cause breakouts or uneven skin tone. If this process is skipped, the rest of your routine will be ineffective because it won't get absorbed into the skin as easily if it's covered in impurities that block the absorption of ingredients like sunscreen or retinol (which help reduce wrinkles). And if you have oily or acne-prone skin, cleansing is even more important.

You're Using Too Many Products

If you're using more than one product in your regimen, this can cause issues. For example, if you apply eye cream, followed by an eye serum, and then another cream on top of that, your skin may never absorb the active ingredients. Instead, they will sit on top of each other and make your skin feel oily or greasy as they try to penetrate through all of these layers of product. The same thing can happen with toners and other liquids that have alcohol or other ingredients that can dry out your skin over time — especially if you're using them every day!

You've Changed Your Diet

Your diet affects your skin in more ways than one — but did you know that changing what you eat can actually improve how well your skincare works? Eating foods rich in antioxidants like berries and green tea helps boost collagen production in your body, which helps keep wrinkles at bay and makes your skin look younger and longer.

You Haven't Been Using Them Correctly

Some ingredients need to be applied on cleansed skin, or at least before any other skincare products. Other products should be left on for a certain length of time before being rinsed off or washed off with water. If you're not following these instructions closely enough, you could be leaving behind residue that isn't allowing the product to work properly — or even causing irritation.

Your Skin Has Changed Since You Started Using The Product

Your skin may have grown immune to an ingredient that once seemed effective, or perhaps even allergic to it. Maybe you have developed sensitivity to alcohol in formulas or had an allergic reaction to something else in the formula that was previously fine for your skin type. The same goes for ingredients that may have seemed fine when you first started using them but now cause irritation or other reactions over time (like fragrance).

The Quality Of Your Products Has Changed Over Time

As companies change their formulas over time, sometimes quality control goes out the window and the products aren't nearly as effective as they once were (which is why we recommend shopping from sites like Amazon that have better control over their suppliers).

Your Skin Isn't Getting Enough Water

Dehydrated skin doesn't absorb anything that isn't water — including any product you put on it. So if you're not drinking enough H2O (and we mean more than 8 cups of water per day), that could be why your products aren't doing their job.

You Have To Build Up Of Occlusive Ingredients

This is the most common reason why your skin care products stopped working. Occlusive ingredients such as petrolatum, mineral oil, and dimethicone are used in many moisturizers and body butters to lock in moisture and make skin feel soft. However, if you use too many of these ingredients, they can cause your skin to suffocate and prevent your skin from breathing. If this happens, the protective barrier that your skin creates will be compromised, leading to increased sensitivity and dryness.

Ingredients Of Your Products Have Degraded

If you’re using a product that contains an antioxidant like vitamin C or E, it may cause some irritation when it comes into contact with free radicals on the surface of your skin because these antioxidants are designed to neutralize free radicals inside cells rather than on the surface of the skin. Free radicals are produced by our environment (sunlight) as well as by our bodies. (exercise), so it’s important to wear sunscreen every day even if you don’t plan on being outside for very long!

Your Products Are Contaminated

It’s a common myth that your skin care products have to be 100% natural or they won’t work. The truth is that even the most natural products can be contaminated with bacteria and other microbes if they aren’t stored properly.

To keep your skin care products safe, store them in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat sources like fireplaces. If you’re traveling, keep them in airtight containers and in airplane mode while you travel so they don’t lose power during the flight. Also, never use expired or damaged products — they won’t work as well as fresh ones and could make your skin worse by irritating it.

Take Away

We hope we've shed some light on why your skin isn't responding to your anti-aging products as well as you'd like. You might have to go on a bit of a hunt to figure out which of these issues, if any, are causing your skin care products to stop working. But with the information you now have, you should be able to pinpoint the problem—and formulate a solution.