Too many products can stress your skin. Here’s how to scale back.

Laura Read, a former beauty influencer from London, couldn’t understand why her skin was breaking out. She regularly collaborated with cosmetic companies for her YouTube tutorials and could choose from lotions, potions and creams to address the issues. But none of them seemed to help. Ms Read said she struggled for years with “a bumpy forehead, milia around my eyes and eczema on my cheeks”.

Eventually, she turned her attention to “the amount of products I was testing and trying.” She limited herself to cleanser and moisturizer – “no serums, no toners, no face masks, nothing” – and her skin problems disappeared within weeks.

Mary Schook, a famous New York City esthetician, has seen the same thing. She said her clients often come to her inflamed and confused: They have access to the “best” products money can buy — but have the “worst” skin of their lives.

“Every appointment is a reconnaissance mission,” Ms. Schook said. “People burden their skin by overusing skin care products.”

Influencers and celebrities aren’t the only ones experiencing this, experts say. While complicated skin care regimens are a trend on social media and product sales keep climbingthe consumers who buy these routines are also breaking out.

How can products stress your skin?

Pimples and other skin problems can occur for a variety of reasons, from psychological stress to hormones, but overapplying products is also a common cause, says Dr. Sonia Khorana, a British-based doctor who specializes in dermatology.

The skin barrier is the outermost layer of the body and the immune system’s first line of defense, said Dr. Tamia Harris-Tryon, a professor of dermatology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. It consists mainly of proteins and fats and protects against environmental threats, also known as stressors. These include sunlight, pollutants, allergens, irritants and microbes, she said.

“The barrier is like armor in that it breaks down aggressors, rendering them harmless,” says Ron Robinson, a cosmetic chemist based in New York. But prolonged exposure to any of these stressors can result in overstressed skin.

Skin care ingredients can also be stressors. And every ingredient applied to your skin is a potential threat to the barrier rating, Mr Robinson said.

The more products you use, the harder it can be for your skin to do its job and the more problems can arise, added Dr. Harris-Tryon added.

Overuse of products can lead to dryness, redness, pimples, blemishes and dermatitis. And it can cause flare-ups of underlying skin conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis.

But it is “possible to de-stress your skin,” said Dr. Khorana. All you need is less.

What should you remove from your routine?

For starters, “Take a vacation from your active pursuits,” says Dr. Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist in New York. These ingredients ‘activate’ superficial changes in the skin and include things like retinoids, vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide and lactic acid.

They are often praised for “tackling wrinkles or evening out skin tone”, but impressive results can have unwanted consequences, Mr Robinson said.

You should also refrain from facial cleansers that leave your skin feeling tight or itchy, as both are signs of a disrupted skin barrier, said Dr. Bowe.

Dr. Khorana added that this is especially true for cleansers containing surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate, as this class of ingredients can cause “drying, irritation and eczema.”

Avoid products with alcohols, exfoliants, essential oils and fragrances, said Dr. Bowe, because these are probably annoying too. And consider giving up washcloths, because rubbing the skin can be harmful, she added.

The bottom line: “If a product causes your skin to become irritated or red, don’t use it,” said Dr. Harris Tyron. The same applies to a treatment that causes a tingling or stabbing sensation.

What should your routine look like instead?

While your skin heals, the experts all recommended sticking to the basics: cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.

“Use a gentle, non-foaming, pH-balanced cleanser,” said Dr. Khorana, and use lukewarm water to rinse.

You don’t even need to wash your face twice a day, said Dr. Bowe. “If you want to skip it in the morning and just splash water on your face, that’s completely acceptable.”

Look for a moisturizer with “calming, soothing, nourishing” properties and apply it to damp skin in the morning and evening, she said. She suggested formulas that contain ingredients known to support the skin barrier squalane, jojoba and sunflower oiland ceramides.

As for daytime sun protection, Dr. Bowe that mineral sunscreens made with zinc oxide can be gentler on sensitive skin than chemical formulas.

Dr. Khorana said it can take about four weeks for your skin to heal, so make sure you stick to the new routine. “It’s important to be patient as the skin repairs itself,” she said.

Once her clients heal, Ms. Schook says they rarely return to their previous multi-step routines. “If they see results with this really simplified approach, why should they?”

Jessica DeFino is a freelance beauty reporter. She writes Ask Ugly, an advice column for The Guardian, and The Unpublishable, a beauty newsletter.