Is Your Skin Purging or Just Being Disrespectful? Let’s Talk Breakouts vs. Purging
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You started a new product and now your face looks like a teenage boy’s gym locker.
Whiteheads, bumps, and drama everywhere. And here comes the internet telling you, “It’s just purging, babe. Totally normal.”
Is it though? Or is your skin mad at you and plotting revenge?
Let’s break down what purging actually is, when it’s normal, and when you need to grab the skincare emergency kit and rethink your whole routine (preferably with some IxoraBB Barrier Repair magic).
🚨 First of All: What Is Skin Purging?
Purging is your skin’s version of spring cleaning.
It happens when you introduce ingredients that speed up cell turnover—like retinoids, exfoliating acids (AHA/BHA), or even enzymes. Basically, these ingredients tell your skin, “Hurry up and push all that gunk out!” and your skin is like, “Bet.”
You start breaking out in areas you normally break out—but quicker. It’s short-lived, and there’s a glow at the end of the tunnel.
🧼 Purging vs. Breakouts: How to Tell Who’s Who
Here’s how to tell if it’s a purge or your skin having a full-blown tantrum.
| Category | Purging | Breakout (a.k.a. Your Skin Screaming “Help”) |
|---|---|---|
| Timeline | 2–6 weeks max | Keeps going or starts weeks later |
| Location | Where you usually get acne | Random new spots or zones |
| Triggers | Active ingredients that increase cell turnover (retinol, AHAs, BHAs) | Comedogenic ingredients, irritation, allergies, wrong products |
| Type of Bumps | Small whiteheads, blackheads, maybe a few inflamed pimples | Angry cysts, itchy rashes, pustules, and chaos |
| Outcome | Gets better once purging stops | Gets worse if you don’t quit the culprit |
🧴 Wait—Can Moisturizers Make You Purge?
Nope. Moisturizers, cleansers, and basic hydrators (like the Donkey Milk & Argan Oil Moisturizer) are NOT supposed to make you purge. If your skin is losing its mind from a cleanser, your skin is probably sensitive, and that product might be stripping your barrier—not helping it.
Purging is tied to ingredients that push turnover, not basic hydration or barrier repair.
🧪 Ingredients That Can Cause Purging:
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Retinoids (even gentle ones like the encapsulated retinol in our Donkey Milk + Bakuchiol Treatment)
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AHAs (like glycolic and lactic acid)
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BHAs (like salicylic acid)
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Enzymes (think fruit enzymes)
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Vitamin C (sometimes)
😩 So What Do I Do If I'm Purging?
If it’s purging:
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Stay calm and give it 2–4 weeks.
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Moisturize like your life depends on it—because it kinda does. Use something calming like our Donkey Milk & Argan Oil Moisturizer.
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Avoid layering 20 new actives. This is skincare, not a science fair.
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Use gentle, barrier-repairing support, like our Sea Moss & Centella Gel Toner to calm redness and reduce inflammation.
🧠 But If It’s a Breakout… Hit Pause.
If the breakouts are:
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In new areas
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Painful, itchy, or cystic
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Not getting better or straight up worse
Then babe, stop what you're using. Patch test. Check for pore-clogging ingredients. Book a free consult with us if you need backup—we’re not letting you suffer in silence with your face falling apart.
✨ Pro Tip from the Skin Care Bully:
Sensitive skin folks: don’t jump into retinol like you’re diving in the deep end.
Start slow. Use barrier-repairing products alongside actives. That’s why IxoraBB’s formulas—like our retinol with mushroom peptides and fullerene—are made for sensitive, eczema-prone, and reactive skin. No drama, just results.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let “It’s Just Purging” Be Your Excuse
Not every breakout is a purge. Sometimes it’s your skin waving the white flag. Learn to listen to it—and if you’re confused, that’s what I’m here for.
Now go wash your face (gently), stop mixing random acids like a kitchen witch, and grab you some Ixora Botanical Beauty before your skin files a complaint.
Need Help?
Book your free skin consult and let us figure it out together—because your face deserves better than “trial and error skincare.”