ChatGPT may not replace my esthetician, but it gives me personalized skincare guidance

Skincare is ridiculously expensive. No one really tells you until you’re neck deep in products that don’t work for you. My biggest mistake was clueless experimentation.

I didn’t know my skin type or that it needed personalized attention. I learned many dos and don’ts the hard way and viewed the process as a grand pyramid scheme.

Each consultation with different estheticians dug into my pockets and produced no desirable results. Going down that rabbit hole forced me to re-evaluate my priorities. I do want glass skin, but not on a budget that will break my bank.

My unlikely companions on the journey have become ChatGPT and YouTube. I’ve since dumped bottles of incompatible products and created a regimen that actually works for me.

Now, I skip Snapchat filters and feel happier with my selfie camera results. Here’s how.

Ask ChatGPT to help you know your skin type

Is your face an oil barrel or a desert?

Skincare goes wrong the moment you don’t know your skin type. You’ll keep buying oil control creams when your problem is dehydration or applying excess acids on your face that cause irritation.

In my case, melanin suppressants in the creams I bought from Instagram vendors damaged my skin barrier. It contributed to sunburns.

I asked ChatGPT where to start, and it told me what I now consider the baseline of my routine. Do a controlled test.

First, I washed with a gentle cleanser and left it bare for an hour. Then I looked for shiny patches.

Those shiny patches can mean excess sebum (oily), tightness and dullness pointing to dehydration (dry), and mixed results that signal an equal combination. If it stings or itches, it’s an indicator of sensitivity.

I discovered that I have oily and sensitive skin. I did the AI’s recommended tissue test to be sure and got the same results.

I pressed blotting paper onto my face. Then I held it to the light and looked for greasy marks. It was everywhere. Overall, the test cut through years of confusion.

I’ve been using harsh mattifying products that strip my barrier, when I should be using more hydration-focused formulas.

My instinct was that if my face already looked greasy by midday, I should avoid layering anything wet. It felt counterintuitive to moisturize when the issue seemed like too much moisture.

Define your skincare goals for best results

You don’t want to be chasing every trend aimlessly

Before I knew my skin category, I followed social media influencer recommendations. Within one month, I had splurged about $150 on serums, toners, cleansers, and eye creams.

They didn’t work, and I blamed it on the products. ChatGPT interactions once again helped me to figure out why. It explained how I had skipped defining a goal and jumped straight into applications.

It explained my skin barrier like a wall. The bricks are my skin cells, and the mortar is a mix of lipids, including ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids that hold everything together.

Because the mortar is weak or missing, the wall has gaps. That’s why moisture keeps leaking out, and my skin gets more irritated. The whole structure was unstable.

My goal should’ve been to repair and reset my routine back to basics. I needed a gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and daily sunscreen.

That’s not what you want to hear after draining your wallet. I wasn’t about to throw the products away, so it was a relief when the AI told me I didn’t have to. I just couldn’t use them yet.

Although I wasn’t happy about returning to the drawing board, it was a relief to have direction. I started researching more products and understanding my body.

I discovered INCIDecoder, a free website that breaks down product ingredients. I usually copy and paste them into ChatGPT. Then I ask specific questions like “Would this moisturizer help barrier repair?” or “Can I use this serum if I already use hyaluronic acid?”

I’ll compare several products in the same category (say, three moisturizers) and let ChatGPT weigh them against my condition, budget, and goals. It narrows down options to a feasible shortlist.

I also use this technique when I’m at a store. I’ll take pictures of the ingredients section and send them to the chatbot for a quick yes-or-no verdict. No salesperson has the patience to answer my endless questions.

Get a regimen tailored for you

One person’s glow serum is another’s breakout trigger

Your beauty regimen is your framework for a healthy appearance. It’s a set of rules or the order of application you’ll follow daily until you reach your goals. Consistency makes it effective, not the volume of products you have on your nightstand.

It’s also important to set aside a rest day when you either do no skincare at all or stick to moisturizing. Having a good diet also helps to refresh your body from the inside.

After selecting my products with ChatGPT’s help, I pasted the list and a picture of the items I bought. Then I asked it to create my morning and night routine.

The temptation to add extra products comes occasionally. But before introducing anything new, I paste my old list into ChatGPT and prompt it to make adjustments.

Example #1: Here are the products I already own [insert a list or image]. Arrange them into a simple AM/PM routine for [insert your skin type]. Keep my main goal of [specify your goal] in mind. Please include the correct order of application and how often I should use each product.

Example #2: I’m considering adding a [new product]. Can you check if this will conflict with anything I already use and suggest whether I should rotate it or skip it altogether? If the product is okay, adjust my current regimen to fit it. Arrange it in a table and generate a downloadable PDF version.

Example #3: If I add this product to my regimen, how long should I wait before expecting to see results? Can you also tell me whether I should introduce it slowly? If yes, specify the frequency.

Hack your glow with a simple prompt

Healthy skincare takes time, and I’ve grabbed a few lessons from practicing it.

First of all, be patient. Also, ignore social media hacks that promise instant results. Most of them are gimmicks meant to fish for engagement, and they have harmful effects that don’t appear immediately.

Instead, stay consistent, and feel free to ask your chatbot companion your most pressing questions and concerns for quick answers.