BEAUTY TIPS

Skin lighteners have been around for decades, but these days more and more people are finding uses for these products to help with common skin conditions like age spots, acne scars and melasma. In the past, it was difficult to find high quality products and most manufacturers were using low-grade hydroquinone in their formulas. Hydroquinone is known to reduce hyperpigmentation, but there are also many concerns regarding its safety. Fortunately, in the past few years, more natural alternatives have started to come up and it’s now very easy to find high quality products from reputable brands. While we appreciate the industry’s push towards natural ingredients, it’s becoming more and more difficult to deceiver which ingredients actually work and which products live up to their claims. Some of the skin lightening ingredients we preferred were natural extracts such as arbutin, kojic acid, niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and bearberry. Most of these ingredients are tolerable by majority of skin types and don’t have the same side effects of hydroquinone.

Cleanse gently. Use a gentle cleanser and do not over wash the skin. Harsh cleansers and washing more than twice a day can actually cause the skin to overcompensate and produce excess oil to try and replace the moisture in the skin.

Toners. Use a toner on your skin after cleansing. Try toners that contain witch hazel, which will gently soak up excess oil and may reduce inflammation of any blemishes.

Moisturize. Even oily skin needs a good moisturizer to keep it healthy. Use a moisturizer that is oil free and won’t clog your pores.

Makeup. Choose makeup that is oil free and non-comedogenic. If you need to touch up excess oil throughout the day, we recommend using oil-absorbing sheets.

If you color your hair look for sulphate free shampoos and conditioners, which don’t contain harsh detergents.

Exfoliation is an important and easy way to buff away the dead skin cells that cover up your skin’s natural glow. Use a light exfoliator, like the Daily Microfoliant from Dermalogica, to freshen your face daily.

Whether you use a razor, a Q-tip or a powder brush, make sure to clean your beauty tools. After even a couple uses, they become breeding grounds for bacteria, which can cause breakouts, eczema and many other skin conditions.

Apply a product containing azulene or witch hazel to help reduce the swelling and redness that’s associated with ingrown hairs. From there, coax the ingrown hair from its location with a pair of tweezers (don’t pull it out, though — this will only make the ingrown hair regrow in in the same way later).