Month: June 2022

These all-important facial cleansing tips will help you preserve your dewy complexion for many years to come.

Facial cleansers do a lot more than simply clean your skin. Which is why most dermatologists agree that facial cleanser ingredients should be chosen for each skin type. In addition, they say that the best ingredients in facial cleansers include glycerine, retinol, salicylic acid, vitamin C, ceramides, plus chemical and physical exfoliants.

If you have a dry or sensitive skin, choose a cleanser with glycerine or ceramides. However, those with acne-prone or oily skin, should look for a cleanser with retinol or salicylic acid.

Salicylic Acid

As a beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid is great for decreasing oil production and getting rid of dead skin cells. Its primary purpose is as a chemical exfoliant to remove bacteria and old skin debris. Therefore, it’s perfect for oily and acne-prone skin types. People with dry and/or sensitive skin should avoid salicylic acid because it may cause dryness and irritation.

Ceramides

As lipids that exist naturally in our skin, ceramides help serve as environmental barriers. Thus they hydrate the skin and lock in moisture. Better yet, they soothe sensitive skin. So this ingredient is perfect for dry or sensitive skin.

Retinol

A vitamin A derivative, retinol is used for anti-ageing and anti-acne purposes. And because it increases skin turnover, it can improve skin texture, unclog pores, increase collagen production and prevent acne breakouts. It may be suitable for all skin types, but is best suited for acne-prone or oily skin.

Vitamin C

As an antioxidant, vitamin C protects against the harmful effects of free radicals on the skin. That makes vitamin C a warrior in preventing premature ageing and brightening the complexion. And the good news is, it’s suitable for all skin types.

Glycerine

This humectant has the ability to attract water. Therefore, glycerine prevents dryness and keeps the skin moisturised and hydrated. Dry and sensitive skins would benefit from this ingredient.

Chemical exfoliants

Glycolic acid, Lactic acid, Azelaic acid, Salicylic acid and Trichloroacetic acid all remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells. So, it’s ideal for cell turnover, improving discolouration and helping with acne. Luckily, all skin types will benefit from chemical exfoliants, but those with dry skin should rather opt for alpha hydroxy acids such as lactic acid or glycolic acids.

Physical exfoliants

Importantly, these are scrubs containing particles such as granules, meaning that you manually exfoliate the skin. Their main purpose is to remove dead skin cells, thus softening the skin. But take note, this is definitely not an ingredient for sensitive skins.

The take-out

These all-important facial cleansing tips should help you on your way to good cleansing practices. However, it’s always a good idea to double-check with your dermatologist before spending a fortune on the wrong cleanser.

Yes, the word is out: many celebs swear by chemical peels. Some choose not to reveal their cosmetic treatments, but others are quite open about their love for this procedure to maintain a flawless skin. Gwyneth Paltrow, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Anniston are a few who have given the thumbs up to regular peels.

Lactic acid peels are nothing new. In fact, Cleopatra used sour milk and clay to exfoliate her skin. But these days we use infinitely more scientific chemical peels to either remove the outer layer of skin or inflame the deeper skin so that the healing process will lead to renewed, refreshed skin.

Which peel?

Chemical peels are the ultimate multitaskers: providing exfoliation, skin rejuvenation and general skin tone improvement. And do note that it’s never too early or too late to start your chemical peel journey.

In your 20s and 30s, light peels, alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) peels, glycolic acid and other AHAs are great for rejuvenating the skin, as well as treating mild to moderate acne.

From age 40 upwards you might want to consider deeper peels. Trichloracetic acid or TCA peels (which have greater depth than AHAs) reduce the onset of sun damage and stimulate collagen when applied at least once a year. On the other side of the spectrum, phenol peels are reserved for deeply-damaged skin.

A chemical peel won’t erase deep wrinkles or large areas of pigmentation. Rather, it can work wonders at minimising sunspots and other discolouration, reducing fine lines, boosting your skin’s collagen production and improving elasticity.

Frequency

Chemical peels can be administered as frequently as once a month to treat acne-prone skin, or at much longer intervals from a few months to six months for ageing skin. Phenol peels are often administered only once, or with many years in between.

When deciding on the frequency of your peels, take the condition of your skin into consideration. For instance, if your skin is acne-prone, a monthly treatment might be advisable.

So be assured that chemical peels can shave years off your face. After all, celebs swear by chemical peels.

But to look youthful, you must be diligent about stripping off that top dead-cell sludge. Another bonus is that topical products such as moisturisers and serums will penetrate the fresh new skin much better.