Let's take a walk down memory lane... because I'm sure you've experienced this!

You use a new product with acids or retinol and your skin starts purging (I'm talking breakouts), so you stop. There must be something wrong with the product right? Wrong.

Don’t stress skin purging is a good sign.

Think of skin purging is the terrible two’s of the skincare world. It’s the troublesome phase we have to go through to reach the holy grail of skin glow – a healthy, fantastic feeling face.

Knowlege really is power, so I'm going to give you the full rundown of purging skin so you know what is actually happening behind the scenes of your face!

Firstly, why on earth does your skin purge?

• Ingredients that cause purging are retinoids, hydroxy acids, chemical peels, benzoyl peroxide, and other exfoliants.
• When you use these ingredients you get a rapid increase in cell turnover that pushes new cells to the surface.
• This happens at such a rapid pace and often presents as a mix of whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, cysts, dry skin, and even the tiny 'pre-pimples'.

PS. It feels like a betrayal, but it's just skin purging.

Purging is like the awkward dating stage...

It's irritating, anxiety-inducing, and you just want to fast-forward to the real deal. The key is to keep going. So, you can reach the holy grail of skin glow.

How long does skin purging last?

Skin purging usually lasts for a full skin cycle (28 days) or a couple of weeks beyond that. Patience is the mantra when it comes to skin purging, and your purging face will be through the worst of it at the end of the cycle.

If this sounds like too long to wait, remember that the product you're using is speeding up the natural pace of your skin and showcasing those healthy new skin cells on the surface.