Change is good. In fact, it's great, especially when it comes to changing your skincare routine for the better. While it doesn't happen often, some people find that their skin goes through a detox period when they leave behind commercial products and switch to clean skincare. 

Here’s some good news: it’s perfectly normal. Transitioning from one skincare product to another requires a little bit of patience and a realistic perception of how your skin will react if you’ve been using chemical-laden products. When you switch to clean products, you’ll notice your skin working to find its natural equilibrium again.

Here’s what you can expect and how to make the change a little gentler:

Phase One 

The week you begin to use natural products, you might notice that your skin does one of two things: creates more oil or feels drier than usual. Depending on skin type, previous products, location, or season, it may decide that it needs extra moisture, so it will create excess oil or dry out your skin for a day or two, leaving you with little spots of texture, small bumps or blemishes.

Remember, this is normal. The worst thing that you can do at this point is panic and resume use of your old products. Your skin is just doing what it's supposed to do. For now, just add an Acne Serum or another natural product with calming anti-inflammatory ingredients—matcha tea is a great one. If you find that your skin is uncomfortably dry, use a Nourishing Serum, or another product that will deliver deeply-infused hydration. 

Phase Two

If you’ve kept up with your new natural skincare routine, you’ll start to see your skin even out during the first week or so of the transition period. For some, there may still be a few more blemishes than usual, but they’ll notice that these breakouts are milder than what they’ve experienced in the past (see our note on acne below). By the end of this phase, you’ll start to see your face clear to reveal smoother, softer and more even-toned skin. This is where we start to get emails from customers saying that their cheeks feel like velvet—we love that!

It’s important that during this time you keep your face thoroughly moisturized. A lack of moisture during the transition period will cause your skin to beg for something more in order to normalize itself, and may resort to creating excess sebum. Hydration is a great option if your skin is normal or oily. If you're typically dry, Deep Hydration is best. Use Skin Butter for any rough patches. 

Phase Three

For most people, phase three is when their skin really starts to glow as it's gotten used to being cleansed with pure, pH-balanced soap. Your skin will have regained its natural balance with the help of daily Rosewater Toner. It’ll be smooth and calm from the oils in your natural moisturizer. The cleanser will have removed all impurities from your pores and left you with absolutely clarified, comfortable, healthy skin. If you’re ready to add in a few more products, this is a great time to do so. Use a mask to exfoliate dead skin cells to reveal brighter skin beneath. Try a deep oil cleanse to get an even more thorough, hydrated clean. If you’re looking to make your cheeks petal-soft, a hydrating Rosewater Mask is perfect for you. 

Things to Remember

• If you’ve been using chemical skincare for years and years on end, your transition period is likely to last a little longer. Kim says to expect one month per year that you’ve been using commercial products. Fight the urge to resume using your old products, as this will only set you back to square one. Trust your skin and give it a chance to normalize, it knows what it's doing. 
• If you’ve had acne in the past, know that natural products may not eliminate breakouts permanently. Acne comes from both internal and external factors and isn't even necessarily a sign that your skin is off balance. While changing your skincare to a natural routine is a wonderful way to treat external factors, you might consider making a few personal changes (environmental, dietary, hormonal). Talk to your trusted medical professional or alternative practitioners for a more holistic approach about what changes you might be able to make internally to help clear up your acne.

After you've gotten rid of the last of the chemical products in your lineup, take some time to really feel your skin and examine it up close. Does it feel more comfortable, softer, smoother? Do you find that redness has faded and oil production is controlled? Let us know, we love hearing about how your transition went!