How to Hit Reset on Your Skin
Turns out that too much of a good thing may also apply to our favourite products
Keeping skin under control is a delicate balance between maintaining it when it’s on its best behaviour and treating it when it starts to act up. But in the pursuit of the perfect routine (one that tackles every concern before it even surfaces), it’s easy to go overboard. A gentle exfoliant, a splash of vitamin C, a swipe of retinol and, hey, why not toss in a hydrating essence for good measure? Before long, a nighttime ritual can start to resemble that of a full-blown influencer.
And while a maximalist approach might feel productive at first, it can quickly lead to acne, stinging, dry patches and flare-ups that feel less like coincidence and more like the consequences of doing too much.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 40 percent of people use social media for information on dermatologic conditions. “People are using 15 different products because they saw it on social media, but most of the time, these routines don’t make sense for their skin,” says Dr. Muneeb Shah, a Miami-based dermatologist better known as @Doctorly (who has an impressive 20 million followers across platforms). “When irritation hits, I tell them to stop everything and reset.”
Taking your skin from meltdown back to peaceful existence takes patience, a little know-how and a willingness to go back to basics.
Red Flags
Whether you have sensitive skin or not, your complexion will let you know when you’ve crossed the line. “I’ll look for redness or any sort of irritation, dryness, inflammation or acne, and sometimes there’s even visible puffiness,” says Dr. David Orentreich, Clinique’s guiding dermatologist and the son of Dr. Norman Orentreich, the OG skin expert who helped develop Clinique’s iconic 3-Step system back in 1967. Just as crucial as how your skin looks is how it feels. “If they tell me their skin feels tight or it feels sensitive when they put things on that normally wouldn’t have caused discomfort, those are usually good indicators that things aren’t right.”
Blame It On...
You hit the bottles too hard, and it’s showing on your skin. Where did you go wrong? It could be mixing too many actives (such as vitamin C, retinoids and glycolic acid), layering ingredients with clashing pH levels or diving headfirst into a haul of trending serums with no clear plan. According to Shah, who’s a global innovation partner for Neutrogena, the rise of single-ingredient brands (like The Ordinary and The Inkey List) has only amplified the confusion. “It’s very common to see people using way too many actives—most of them not even relevant to their actual skin concerns,” he says. Whether you’re tackling acne or dullness or just chasing glass skin, the fix isn’t more; it’s being strategic. “It might be a good product, but it might not be a good product for you. And that’s a hard thing to explain to people,” he adds.
Damage Control
The pros agree: When skin acts up, give it a rest. “Stop using your current products and switch to a basic program,” says Orentreich. What exactly does that mean? Clinique’s take on a skin reset is refreshingly simple: cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize. “It’s not basic; it’s simple,” says Janet Pardo, senior VP of product development at Clinique. Its tried-and-true 3-Step system is customized by skin type and designed to calm, rebalance and strengthen your skin barrier—without the guesswork. This season, the iconic Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (one sold every six seconds) is available in an SPF 50 version, offering even more protection as part of your daily reset.
Shah goes one step further and recommends paring back to just cleanser and sunscreen (during the day) for a few weeks, especially when skin is red, stinging or inflamed. “You can’t start repairing your skin if you’re still exposing it to more damage,” he says.
Clinique's Three Step System
With several formulations available, there's a version of this simple cleanser, exfoliator and moisturizer routine that works for every skin type.
Let The Right Ones In
A proper skin reset doesn’t take forever—but it does require patience. According to Orentreich, most signs of irritation begin to subside within two weeks. From there, it’s about resisting the urge to pile everything back on at once. “I always recommend trying one new product at a time and giving it time to see results,” says Shah, who suggests waiting at least a month between reintroducing new actives. This not only helps identify potential irritants but also makes it easier to figure out what’s working for you.
This article first appeared in FASHION’s October 2025 issue. Find out more here.
Julia is a Toronto-based, award-winning writer and stylist with a sharp eye for celebrity, pop culture and all things fashion and beauty. With over 15 years of experience covering the style scene, she’s currently the Fashion and Beauty Editor at Hello! Canada. Her work has also appeared in ELLE Canada, FASHION, The Kit, Canadian Living, CBC, Chatelaine and The Globe and Mail, among others. When she’s not chasing the next big trend, she’s running, traveling and keeping up with her endlessly curious toddler, Tilda.
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