A lot of us have a “no pain, no gain” approach to skincare, assuming that you need to feel your products on your skin for them to work. Think back to the peels and masks of 2020, the time we all scorched our faces off with an excess of acids. But the prickly feeling every time we slathered it on gave us the illusion that the product was doing its job: eradicating dark spots, texture, acne, and wrinkles. “It tingles” became a selling point for many beauty products for this reason. We like lip plumpers that sting a little and minty scalp scrubs that feel invigorating when you massage ‘em in. But is it actually okay for skincare products to burn when you apply them?
News flash: This is not the case, and actually, a face on fire is a surefire sign that your skin isn’t doing so well. “Burning, stinging, or pain is not normal,” says dermatologist Jenna Queller, MD. “That’s a sign your skin barrier is damaged and needs repairing.” Let us explain further.
Why does my skincare burn?
When you apply your skincare routine and feel a hot or burning sensation on your skin, this can occur for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, adding in a new active ingredient can cause a “brief, mild tingle—think 10 to 30 seconds,” says Dr. Queller. Retinoids, AHAs, BHAs, vitamin C, and azelaic acid all can potentially sting your skin a little at first. These are penetrating your skin and/or increasing cell turnover, which naturally can cause a teensy bit of immediate irritation and make your face sting. But “not all skincare should sting,” she clarifies. “Cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreen, and barrier creams should never burn or sting,” she says, as these are meant to gently soothe skin.
When these simple products (or heck, even water sometimes) start to cause irritation, that’s a tell-tale sign your skin barrier is compromised, says Dr. Queller. But how did you damage your skin barrier? Usually, it’s a result of over-exfoliating with too many actives at once, strong retinoids used too frequently, harsh cleansers, not enough moisturizer, procedures (like lasers, peels, and microneedling), and strong acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide. But sometimes your skin barrier’s issues are a result. of something you can’t even control, like cold weather and low humidity.
Is it bad if my skincare tingles or stings?
Sometimes, it’s okay for active ingredients to get a little hot against your skin, as mentioned above. But if it’s persistent, that’s not normal, says Dr. Queller. “If an active ingredient stings every single time, lasts more than a minute, or worsens over days, that’s an irritation, and not the serum ‘working,’” Dr. Queller says.
When to see a dermatologist?
“You should see a dermatologist if stinging lasts more than one to two minutes; your skin burns with water or moisturizer; you have redness, peeling, tightness, or itching; or if products you’ve tolerated before suddenly sting,” says Dr. Queller. All of the above usually indicate that you have a compromised skin barrier. Which speaking of…
How to stop burning with your skincare:
First of all, Dr. Queller advises her patients to stop using all actives and potential irritants: retinoids, exfoliating acids (like glycolic, lactic, and salicylic), scrubs and cleansing devices, fragrances, and alcohol-based toners. Instead, focus on repair. Simplify your routine to the basics: Cleanser, moisturizer, SPF. “The goal is to calm down inflammation, restore lipids, and reduce water loss,” says Dr. Queller.
What should you look for? Gentle, fragrance-free products are a good starting point. Queller suggests a barrier-repair moisturizer with ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, and soothing ingredients (like niacinamide, bisabolol, allantoin, etc.). She also recommends mineral sunscreen, not chemical, as it’s much less likely to irritate skin.
Final thoughts:
While a teensy tingle is okay, anything more than 10 seconds is a no-go. And if the gentle stuff also suddenly starts making your face hurt, you’ve likely overdone it on your actives. But with a little barrier help (like a barrier cream and cutting down on your products for a few days to a week), you’ll be back in no time. “Once your barrier is healed, you can slowly reintroduce active ingredients,” says Dr. Queller. But don’t do it all at once, or else you’ll be starting from scratch all over again.
Meet the expert:
- Jenna Queller, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at DermWorks in Boca Raton, FL.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with more than seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
