Be a Regimen Mixologist

From Mary Radford, DERM RF Nurse.

Wherever I go, one of the most frequently asked questions I get is about combining products from different Regimens. The answer is complex, but here is a Regimen-by-Regimen approach to trying something new.

First think about why you might want to add a product from another Regimen into your core Regimen. You can always gauge your skin’s needs by how it looks and feels. Maybe at the end of the summer you’re noticing a few dark marks on your skin that weren’t there in the winter. Maybe your breakouts are managed but you still see post-acne marks? Have your few annoying blemishes become more frequent? Or maybe you got too much sun and your skin is blotchy or dull? Or perhaps it’s feeling more sensitive than usual with redness occurring more often?

Then consider lifestyle reasons for adding in a new product. Are you changing climates drastically? Skiing in the winter or vacationing in the dry desert? Do you want to look fresh and young for a class reunion or wedding? 

Next, understand how your current Regimen works so that you can address what you want to do, but not undo your hard-earned results that come from consistency. Here’s how:

If you are a SOOTHE Regimen user with sensitive skin, use SOOTHE consistently for at least 30 days before introducing anything new, and always try a patch test before you use it on your full face. For example, if you have a few lines and wrinkles, you can try a baby step with the REDEFINE Triple Defense Treatment SPF 30 and/or REDEFINE Overnight Restorative Cream to visibly smooth lines and wrinkles. A slow transition to a new Regimen is best — start with just once every other day. If you switch to another Regimen and notice increased sensitivity or have any flare-ups from a single product, don’t worry. Return to SOOTHE for a week or two and try again. You can always go back to SOOTHE.

If you are using an anti-acne Regimen such as SPOTLESS (if you are under 25 years old) or UNBLEMISH (25+), wait till your skin is clear before trying something new. Once it is, you can add products for different skin concerns in the evening as directed, but make sure to use your acne Regimen at least once a day — because your acne is not cured and still needs to be managed. If your skin breaks out due to a hormonal cycle or stress, simply return to your acne Regimen twice a day for as long as needed.

REVERSE Brightening Regimen users will always see the fastest results in the shortest amount of time when using the Regimen twice a day. So, definitely wait until you reach brighter, more even-toned skin before introducing any other product. If you break out, try UNBLEMISH or SPOTLESS cleanser once a day. Or if you’re seeing fine lines and wrinkles, add in REDEFINE Overnight Restorative Cream over your REVERSE Regimen, but always continue with the REVERSE Regimen until you reach your goal. Use it once a day to keep discoloration at bay.

REDEFINE Regimen lovers (and there are lots of you out there!) can easily add in the REDEFINE AMP MD System for visible firmness and micro-exfoliation. For occasional breakouts, use the SPOTLESS or UNBLEMISH cleanser once a day. Use SOOTHE Sensitive Skin Treatment if you have occasional sensitivity. And if you’re seeing a few dark marks, try the REVERSE Brightening Regimen once every other morning, and increase as directed. You can continue to layer REDEFINE creams morning and evening over REVERSE.   Keep in mind that our most satisfied Customers with amazing results (and participants in clinical studies) use their full Regimen consistently and benefit from Multi-Med Therapy (the right ingredients in the right formulations applied in the right order for visible results). In my experience, cherry-picking the Rodan + Fields Regimens can deliver less than optimal results. It is like going to the gym and only doing bicep curls! Let your skin see all the benefits from a full Regimen. Adding something from another Regimen should do just that, add to it, not disrupt it.