A quick google of ‘must have beauty products for 2022’ brings up huge lists of what we should all be buying next year, with promises of the difference that all these products will make for us. Mostly with a big price tag, the cheapest product that came up when I googled is £60, with a night cream suggested at £1068!! Who has the budget for that!?  It can take 4-6 weeks for products to show visible results.  So what are you doing during that time to ensure you’re getting value for money.

But no matter what your budget, it is important to ensure that the products that you choose are really working for you. The best way to do that is to photographically track any changes that happen. It’s very easy when looking in the mirror to convince yourself that you see a difference but it’s not always a true reflection of any changes. Tracking photographically with Myrror allows you to compare time stamped photos on a dynamic split screen, while storing all your other photos on a timeline. You can zoom in on individual pictures on your split screen so you can really pinpoint any changes, no matter how small. It also has different categories so if you’re trialling a few products, like a lash serum and a new moisturiser, these photos will be kept separately so you don’t have to search through loads of photos to find the one you want.

If any of you are starting 2022 with a new skincare routine then I found one of Susan Yara’s Mixed Makeup videos which has some tips for how long you need to use products to be able to tell if it’s right for you. Make sure you check out some more of her videos as well, there are so many useful ones.

Cleanser – you should be able to tell immediately if it’s doing its job, and if it feels nice on your skin. If it doesn’t feel good and isn’t doing its job then it’s probably not the one for you, so no need to persevere!

Treatments like a chemical exfoliator – these can take 4-6 weeks to see any results, sometimes you might see a difference in as little as 1 week but to see the full difference you should use it for at least 4-6 weeks. If you don’t see a difference in that time, then it’s not the right product for you.

Vitamin C – Susan says this can be a difficult one as it can be hard to find a product that stays stable and doesn’t oxidise. If it turns dark brown, then it has oxidised and shouldn’t be used. It then needs to be used for 6 months to a year to really see if it effective, over this period of time it can be difficult to keep track of any changes, but Myrror can really help with this, making sure you don’t lose sight of what your starting point was.

Retinoids – there are so many different grades from gentle to prescription grade. Gentle ones will take longer to see a difference, but you should be able to tell in about 4-6 weeks. Although if you are using them for acne then it can take 12 weeks. If there is no difference after this time then it may be that you need to increase the strength of the product, or how often you use it.

Moisturisers – you can tell fairly immediately if you like a product, your skin may feel more plump and less tight. But you should use it consistently for 1-2 weeks until you can tell if it is really right for you. Many moisturisers now promise other effects other than just moisturising, so if yours is promising some sort of change to your skin then again it is best to wait 4- 6 weeks before you make your mind up.

The general consensus seems to be that products need at least 4 – 6 weeks to see the full effect, this is true of all those listed above, but also of other products such as eyelash and brow serums and collagen supplements. It can be so easy to lose sight of your original starting point so photographically tracking your changes will help you decide whether a product is the best one for you, so you don’t need to keep spending money on products that aren’t delivering what they promise!