How Long Should We Give Skin Care to Work?

Building a skin-care routine isn’t easy, especially when you’re not sure how long to try a product before you know if it works for you.

Cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos explains that finding the right skin care is all about goal setting. “Start with thinking about the benefits you want to achieve and then look for ingredients with known efficacy that deliver on those benefits,” Dobos says. “Do a little research with trusted sources like the American Academy of Dermatology—they have some fantastic consumer resources online.”

“Initiate a new product one at a time on clean skin,” Dr. Alster says. “And use them regularly (usually once daily) for a week before introducing another new product to ensure that there is no irritation or allergic reaction.” This will help you easily identify what product is behind a potential reaction.

Typically, You’ll Want to Give it a Month

While you’re building your routine, you should know that to properly evaluate most skin care you’ll usually need around a month of consistent use. “Skin turnover occurs every 30 days, so any new product should be used for one month before assessing early clinical response,” Dr. Alster explains.