November 02, 2020

Skin Fasting — Why Your Skin Needs A Break

Skincare should be more than routine; it should be ritualistic. At Avari, we believe in a mindful and self-care inspired approach to beauty. Mindful beauty practices have been celebrated for thousands of years. Ancient traditions, such as Ayurveda, utilize techniques such as self-massage to honor the self and connect with the body. Even the few minutes a day we spend cleansing our skin can be centered in self-love and transform our whole day. But did you know what we don’t do, can be just as important for our skin as what we do?

When Avari’s founder Kari met Bella Aura Skincare’s creator Yasmine, she was introduced to a method of skincare that changed her routine forever. “Your skin is too lazy!” Yasmine explained as she performed a facial on me with Bella Aura’s gorgeous antioxidant products. I was surprised and intrigued. I’d never heard this term before.” Yasmine went on to explain to Kari that it's vital to fast your skin from products at least one day a week. This is because it begins to get lazy if we rely too heavily on the skincare products we use. “It’s important not to put anything on your face for a day or two a week; this helps to wake our skin up and remind it how to produce its own oils and processes.” This made perfect sense to Kari, and she immediately adjusted her skincare routine to incorporate a couple of skincare product free days a week — and the results were amazing. “I forgo all products once or twice a week now, and I can always tell the difference when I do it. I simply cleanse my skin, pat dry, and in the morning, I rinse my face with water and leave it be. It takes a little time to get used to, but your skin starts to regulate itself and gains a beautiful glow.”

After Kari experienced the benefits of skin fasting, she began to recommend it to all of her clients as part of their skincare routine. As one of the best-kept secrets in the skincare industry, skin fasting is a simple and easy way to help your skin recalibrate.

What Is Skin Fasting?

Skin fasting is a concept that embraces taking a break from your typical skincare routine to help your skin improve the way it functions. Skin fasting helps the skin to detoxify skin and motivates it’s natural maintenance system to kick in. By fasting from skincare products one day a week, your skin relearns how to work more effectively, without relying on “skin aides.”

Oftentimes, skincare products suppress our skin’s natural ability to support itself — which can lead to many issues, including dehydration and damage to the skin barrier. This, of course, can cause us to reach for even more skincare products — which is the opposite of what our skin wants.

How Do You Let Your Skin Fast?

There are no hard and fast rules to skin fasting, as it is an entirely personal choice. You could opt for a change as simple as giving up a few of your usual products like moisturizer or serum for a day, or abstaining from skincare products entirely for a couple of days each week. Taking a break allows your skin to reset and remember how to take care of itself naturally.

Should I Try a Skin Fast?

There are many reasons why it’s a good idea to try skin fast. Not only does it help your skin rebalance itself and give it a break, but it can also be helpful if you use a lot of active ingredients in your skincare routine, such as retinol and exfoliants like AHAs and BHAs. Using these types of products too much can cause irritation to the skin and disturb its barrier.

Taking a break from products once a week can help you avoid over-treating your skin. Plus, if you’re experiencing irritation, through a process of elimination, it’s possible to determine which product could be causing the problem, and you can then adjust your routine accordingly. Kari recommends dialing down your skincare routine once or twice a week to get the full benefit of fasting your skin.

Can Skin Fasting Help Dry Skin?

Skin fasting can be particularly beneficial for dry skin because it can encourage the skin to continue producing natural oils. If we constantly bombard our skin with moisturizing products, it can lose its ability to maintain itself naturally.

In addition, skin fasting is a great way to reevaluate your skincare routine and determine which products are working for you. If you find that your skin is still dry despite using high-quality moisturizers and serums, skin fasting is a great way to reassess your product needs.

Can Skin Fasting Help Acne-Prone Skin?

As we’ve mentioned, skin fasting is a highly personal decision and should be followed under your aestheticians or dermatologist’s advice. If your skin is particularly acne-prone, it’s essential to continue to cleanse it daily and ensure it’s free from the dirt and grime it accumulates throughout the day. Even during fasting days, Kari recommends lightly cleansing your skin daily.

The Bottom Line

If you haven’t tried skin fasting yet, it’s time to give your skincare routine a little break. Not only will taking a day off give your skin a chance to breathe, but it will also allow it to resume its natural, built-in mechanisms of self-moisturization and self-healing.

It’s important to note that everyone’s skin is different, and your response to skin fasting will be as individual as you are. When you start to incorporate skin fasting into your routine, there may be an adjustment period in which your skin needs time to remember how to function effectively. Remember, the skin naturally has a 28-day turnover cycle, so it’s crucial to introduce skin fasting gradually and allow it time to adjust and reset. But don’t worry, once you get into the swing of things, you can look forward to a hydrated and nourished complexion. Happy glowing!