Experiments

Change one thing. Remember what happened.

Deliberate, and written down. A way to try something new without losing the thread.

  1. 01

    Baseline

    Note where you are.

  2. 02

    Change

    Introduce one thing.

  3. 03

    Observe

    Give it time.

  4. 04

    Record

    Write down what you noticed.

  5. 05

    Review

    Read the sequence back.

The idea

A calm way to try something.

The word experiment sounds bigger than it is. It means changing one thing, on purpose, and keeping notes.

One variable.

New serum? Keep the rest of the routine the same for a while. The fewer things that move, the more readable the record.

Give it time.

Some changes show up slowly. Write down the day you started, and choose a date to check back. There is no correct number of days.

Record what you noticed, including nothing.

“No reaction” is a result worth keeping. So is “I forgot to check”.

Review the thirty days.

Open the reconstruction view for the date and read the sequence, in order, before you decide anything.

Start to finish

One experiment, in five lines.

Trying a new moisturiser, one change at a time.

  1. Sep
    01    Baseline.Cleanser, moisturiser, SPF. Skin feels ordinary. Nothing else planned.
  2. Sep
    02    Change: started a new moisturiser.The only thing that is different.
  3. Sep
    09    Checked in after a week.No reaction noted.
  4. Sep
    16    Checked in after two weeks.Slightly dry near the nose. Also a cold snap.
  5. Sep
    30    Checked in after four weeks.Settled. Still using it.
  6. Oct
    01    Review.Kept it. One mild, short-lived dry patch, alongside colder weather.
Sample entries
Before you start

Four questions worth a minute.

  • Is now a good time?

    A holiday, a new medication or a stressful month all add noise. Waiting a fortnight is a fine choice.

  • Have I written down where I am?

    Your baseline, in a few lines. It is the part everyone skips.

  • Is it really only one change?

    A new product plus a new frequency is already two.

  • When will I look back?

    Pick a date now, so the review does not depend on remembering.

A useful experiment

  • One change, with a start date
  • A short note at the start, so there is a baseline
  • Check-ins on dates you chose in advance
  • A review that describes, without concluding

A muddle

  • Three products swapped in one week
  • No note about where you began
  • Logging only when something goes wrong
  • A verdict decided before the review

You can always stop.

Skin Memory is for the ordinary, slow kind of trying. It is not a way to power through discomfort, and it will never tell you to.

If something feels wrong

Stop and talk to a doctor or pharmacist. An experiment is never a reason to put up with something that is severe, spreading or worrying you.

Your skin has a history. Start keeping it.

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