To our kids ‘now’ is just normal. Everything is at their fingertips, just a click away. They can’t fathom a world where you would have to nag your parents to hurry up and leave Grandma’s house RIGHT NOW because “Hey Hey It’s Saturday” was about to start and you hadn’t set the VCR to record it!
If you missed it, that was it. There was no app to watch it later. Cue the disappointment and sulking.
Even at the ‘Ultimate answer to life’ age I too get stuck in the instant gratification trap. Sometimes I just need to take a breath and let things happen.
A prime example is the common expectation that our skincare products will have instant results. Unfortunately quick fixes and overnight problem solvers are pretty rare in the skincare world. Better skin is usually a result of taking small steps consistently and allowing ingredients and products to do their thing over time.
Suitable vs Results
We should quickly mention that a product being suitable for your skin is different to a product providing results. A product may still provide great results but if you experience redness, tingling, burning or a rash then the product is not for you. You will generally find this out very early on.
When to expect results
There are many factors that come into play when it comes to the results you can expect from your skincare. But some factors include the type of product, the delivery system, how often you need to use it, and how much of the active ingredient was used.
Here are a couple of products from our plant-based cosmeceutical Woohoo Skincare range, along with some of their star ingredients and how long they take to show results. The times come from studies conducted by the ingredient manufacturer at their recommended usage levels (which we follow).
FG Serum 01 - Glow
- Vitamin C - Visible fading of pigmentation 42 days
- Vitamin C - Visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles - 12 weeks
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 - Visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles 7 days using twice a day
- Fermented Yeast Extract - visible increase in brightness 28 days
Sweet Dreams Ultra Rich Beauty Cream
- Hydroxystearic Acid - visible reduction in pore size 8 weeks
- Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract - visible reduction in wrinkles 56 days and stimulates cellular turnover comparable to Vitamin A
- Saccharide Isomerate - Hydrates the skin for up to 72 hours, visible reduction in dry skin - 4 weeks
This is only a small snapshot of ingredients we use to help your skin. But you can see it takes time for change to happen. That is why a regular routine is your skin's BFF. Small consistent steps lead to the best results.
Individual results may vary
All the time frames we’ve just mentioned did come from approved study methods. But cosmetic studies are not required to be conducted on large groups - generally the group is only 20 people! So it’s important to remember that any cosmetic study is a guide and not a guarantee. We all have our own variables which can alter the desired results.
Some science - In Vivo vs In Vitro
It’s also important that we highlight the results mentioned in this blog were all from studies using people which is regarded as “In Vivo” studies. Aaron remembers it by thinking ‘In Vivian’ as Vivian is a person.
On the other hand, “In Vitro” studies aren’t done on people but done on human skin cells in test tubes. Some amazing claims are made with In Vitro studies but we don’t use these as benchmarks for our ingredients. Skin cells in a tube are VERY different to living skin. We only ever consider ingredients with data from Vivian (I mean In Vivo!) studies ;)
So to wrap up, the most important thing to remember is that lasting results WON’T be overnight. Good things take time! It might take you a few tries to find the product that works for you, but when you find it generally the longer you use it, the better the results will be.
