The short answer

In the first week with a new skincare product, your job is to learn it: check the label, patch-test, use the amount in the directions, and change nothing else in your routine. Write a line each day about how it feels. You are not waiting for a result; you are finding out whether the product is comfortable for you.

Before you open the box

A first week is mindful skincare in practice: slow down and learn one product at a time. Decide a few things while the product is still sealed, because the return policy covers unused, unopened items within 30 days of delivery (we send a prepaid label for accepted returns), while opened or used skincare cannot be returned for hygiene reasons unless it arrived damaged, defective or incorrect.

  • Check what arrived. Does the product name and size match your order? Is the packaging intact? If something is wrong, email customer care with your order number before using it.
  • Read the product page directions. The How to use section lists when, how much and how often. It also lists patch-test notes for products with acids or active ingredients.
  • Look at the ingredient list. If you know of an ingredient your skin dislikes, check for it first.
  • Plan the storage. Keep the bottle in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
  • Choose a quiet week. A trip, a new medication or a change of season is a poor week to start something new, because you will not be able to tell what caused what.

The patch test, step by step

A patch test shows how a small area of skin responds before the product goes on your whole face. For our serums, the acid toner and the creams, the guidance on the product page is to patch-test on the jawline for two nights. Our order confirmation suggests the inner arm for two nights if your skin is sensitive. Either is reasonable; choose a spot where the skin is similar to your face.

  1. Cleanse and dry the area.
  2. Apply a thin layer of the product, about the size of a coin. For a serum, that is a drop or two from the dropper.
  3. Leave it on and go about your evening. Do not add other new products to the same spot.
  4. Check the area the next morning and again after the second night.
  5. If you see redness, swelling or itching, or the area feels sore, stop and rinse. Consult a clinician or skin specialist if it does not settle.
  6. If the area looks and feels normal, move on to face application.
A thin clear swatch of product on the back of a wrist, an example of a patch test
A thin swatch on the jawline or inner arm, left for two nights, is the usual first step.

A patch test lowers the odds of a surprise but does not guarantee your skin will like a product. Think of it as a first filter, not a clearance.

Using it for the first time

Use the amount in the directions; extra does not help. For the dropper serums that means 2–3 drops: squeeze the rubber bulb to draw the serum up, place one drop on the forehead and one on each cheek, then press gently over the whole face with your palms until it is absorbed. The Dark Spot Solution Vita C TRX Serum is applied this way, and so are the other two Solution serums. It is the REGLOW serum, made around tranexamic acid and niacinamide to help visibly brighten the look of dark spots and uneven tone. REWIND (Bakuchiol PDRN) is the firmness and elasticity serum, and REFINE (Succinic) is the balancing one, with soothing, skin-barrier and texture-care aims.

Hands holding a Dark Spot Solution Vita C TRX Serum bottle while a dropper is lifted from it
The dropper serums are used by drops, not pumps: 2–3 drops is the amount.

Start with the time of day that suits the product and your skin. The serums can be used morning and evening, but if your skin is sensitive, one application a day is a calmer start. If you use the product in the morning, finish with sunscreen.

Product type First-week approach
Dropper serum 2–3 drops once a day; add the second application when it feels comfortable
Exfoliating toner or pad Every other day, on a cotton pad, avoiding the eyes; sunscreen the next morning
Foam or bubble cleanser Same as the directions; if you also use a leave-on acid, the bubble cleanser can start every other evening
Moisturizer Pea-sized amount, more on dry areas; a thin layer first if your skin is sensitive

Keep everything else the same

For the first week, keep the rest of your routine exactly as it is. If you add a new serum and also swap your cleanser and start a mask, a problem has several suspects.

It also helps to know where the new product sits. VVBETTER sorts its range into three roles. The Blue Line is base skincare (foam, toner, serum and cream for hydration, soothing and the skin barrier, written for dry, sensitive or dehydrated skin). The Purple Line is extra skincare for firmness, elasticity and regeneration, such as the eye cream, oil cleanser and masks. The Green Line (Jeju Yuja) purifies and balances oily, combination or sensitive skin. Keep your base steady and introduce one extra or one Green Line step at a time, so you can tell what that single product does. A few combinations deserve extra care:

  • Vita C TRX and strong acids. The maker advises against using Vita C TRX together with strong acid products such as AHA or BHA toners.
  • More than one serum. The Solution serums can be layered in the order Succinic, Vita C TRX, then Bakuchiol PDRN, but very sensitive or thin skin is directed to use one serum per routine. In the first week, one is plenty.
  • Retinoids and other acids. If you use them, start any new acid or active product every other day and keep the rest of the routine quiet.

Notes on what to expect from the bottle

Some things look odd on day one and are not defects. They are listed on the product pages.

  • The Vita C TRX Serum and the Succinic Balancing Serum can leave a little white powder around the dropper opening. It comes from the ingredient (3% tranexamic acid in Vita C TRX, 2% succinic acid in Succinic Balancing Serum) meeting air, and the maker states it is harmless.
  • The Succinic Balancing Serum can form crystals in very cold conditions (below about -5 °C); leaving it at room temperature for a day returns it to normal.
  • The Bakuchiol PDRN Serum contains natural colorants, so the layers can separate and the colour can fade if left in strong light. Shake it before use.

What to watch for is different: stinging that continues, redness, swelling or itching. If these appear, stop using the product, keep your notes, and consult a clinician or skin specialist. Do not use products on broken or irritated skin.

Quick answers

How many days should I keep the patch test going?

Two nights is the instruction on the product pages. If your skin is very reactive, you can extend it, but if anything looks red or feels sore, stop rather than test again.

Can I use a new product morning and evening from day one?

The directions allow it for the serums, but your routine is yours. Starting with one application a day, or every other day for acids, is an easy way to learn how the product feels.

What if I opened it and the product does not suit me?

Email customer@vvbetter.com with your order number and what happened. Opened or used skincare cannot be returned for hygiene reasons unless it arrived damaged, defective or incorrect, but we would still like to know, and the FAQ has the details of the policy. A written note of what you used and how it felt helps; the routine diary guide shows a format.

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