Over-exfoliated skin is the most self-inflicted of skin problems and one of the most common. Too many acids, scrubs or a strong retinoid, used too often, can leave skin tight, shiny, stingy and quick to redden. The instinct is to treat it with more products. The better move is to do almost nothing for a couple of weeks and let it settle.
Here is a simple routine that keeps things comfortable while it does.
Morning. A gentle, fragrance-free cleanser or just lukewarm water. A plain moisturiser — Bare Face Oil pressed into damp skin, or Bare Face Balm if your skin feels very dry. Then sunscreen, which matters more than usual when your skin is sensitised. That is the whole morning.
Night. The same gentle cleanse. Then your moisturiser again — many people prefer the balm at night, warmed between the fingers and pressed into damp skin so it helps hold moisture in. Nothing else.
What you leave out is the active part of the routine. Pause all exfoliating acids, scrubs, retinoids and strong vitamin C. Pause anything with fragrance or essential oils, which sting more when skin is sensitised. The aim is a short, boring list your skin has nothing to argue with. Bare Face Oil is three certified organic oils; Bare Face Balm is five ingredients. Both are fragrance-free and made without essential oils, which is the point during a reset.
Give it one to two weeks of comfort before you reintroduce anything. When you do, add one active back at a time, a few days apart, at a lower frequency than before as that is how you find the level your skin actually tolerates, rather than tipping it over again. Patch test as you go.
If your skin is broken, weeping, very painful or not settling after a couple of weeks of simple care, that is past the point of a skincare fix. See a GP or dermatologist.
FAQs
How long does over-exfoliated skin take to feel better?
Many people feel more comfortable within one to two weeks of a simple, fragrance-free routine, but it varies. Stinging that does not settle, or broken skin, is worth a professional opinion.
Can I keep using my retinoid through it?
Usually it is better to pause retinoids and acids while skin is sensitised, then reintroduce slowly at a lower frequency once it is comfortable.
Oil or balm for recovery?
Either. Lighter or shiny skin often prefers the oil; very dry, tight skin tends to prefer the balm, or the oil first with a little balm on top.
