BEAUTY & STYLE
Breaking Down the Myths: What Really Works in Skincare (and What Doesn’t)
Most of you know just how obsessed I am with skincare by now However what you might not know is how dedicated I am to also learn more about how our skin works You see I have a medical background I was never shy about sharing that But I also have a particular soft spot for all things dermatology related Therefore I truly believe that I can contribute a lot when it comes to breaking down the myths of what really works in skincare and what doesnt
And thats exactly what this article is supposed to be about But dont worry I wont bore you with unnecessary scientific information that will be difficult to understand Instead I want to keep things simple and lighthearted and talk mainly from my personal experience And trust me when I tell youthere has been plenty of it The way I will go about this is by sharing the most common skincare concerns and dividing into what can really help with them and what doesnt
Acne
Lets start with an absolute classicacne or just breakouts in general If youve never had acne in your life count yourself blessed I did have quite a bit of it during my teenage years however it reappeared during my mid twenties as well The issue isonce I was out of puberty my skin became a lot drier and more sensitive So I wasnt really able to use harsh active ingredients such as 10 benzoyl peroxide If you canknow that this was what saved my skin more than a decade ago now So I would definitely advise you to give it a try
What Helped
I think many of you are already tired of me spreading the word about vitamin A derivatives However theres simply nothing that has worked for my skin better than this On the other hand theres also nothing that has irritated my skin as much So thats why I always tell you to be very cautious when introducing any type of vitamin A derivative into your routine
Personally my skin isnt able to handle super potent stuff such as tretinoin However I also dont get good results from ordinary retinol So whats the solution In my caseretinal Retinal is one of the only vitamin A derivatives that also has antibacterial properties which makes it an amazing choice for anyone dealing with breakouts and acne However its also a lot gentler than other similar products which allows me to use it pretty much every night
I know that many of you will be asking so Ill answer right awayIm using the Geek Gorgeous A Game 10 retinal I have no affiliation with this brand whatsoever however I am really impressed by how effective and affordable their products are However keep in mind that this is a Hungarian brand which means that it could be a bit harder to get your hands on their products if youre living outside of Europe
Fine Lines Wrinkles
Another huge skincare concernfine lines and wrinkles I have to be honest here Im just 27 which means that my face still isnt showing any significant signs of aging Sure I have a few fine lines around my eyes but thats about it However another thing that I have to be honest about is that my skin is looking better and younger now at 27 than it did at 22 when I basically had no skincare routine at all So heres what has worked for me
What Helped
Once again vitamin A derivatives will be your best friend here They boost collagen production and cell turnover which makes them ideal for anti aging routines However because I dont want to repeat myself Ill mention other things that will also have a significant impact Of course sunscreen will be one of the most important factors If youre not already using sunscreen in your daily skincare routine then what are you even doing with your life Sun damage is the number one cause of premature aging so please take sun protection seriously
Another important thing that I would have to share with you is to always use an antioxidant serum While vitamin C serums are the most popular option Im aware of the fact that they wont work for everyone Especially not if you have super sensitive skin Im talking about serums with actual Ascorbic Acid However there are plenty of other options availableCopper peptides green tea or even Cica All of these are great options even for more sensitive skin types Antioxidant serums protect your skin against environmental damage while also boosting the efficacy of your sunscreen
Hyperpigmentation
Next on the list we have hyperpigmentation a skincare concern that many of us have had to deal with during our lifetime Melasma sun spots or post inflammatory marksthere are so many variations of hyperpigmentation And the truth istheres no easy fix for any of them In fact this can be one of the most difficult things to get rid of when it comes to your complexion So its important to approach this from different perspectives
What Helps
One of the best OTC products to fight hyperpigmentation is Azelaic Acid You can find a 10 suspension of this active ingredient sold by many different brands However the issue here is that sometimes this concentration simply wont be enough Especially if you have a more severe case of hyperpigmentation In that case visiting your dermatologist and asking for a prescription strength product might be the right move
If your only issue is post acne marks a Niacinamide serum might be whats best for you This is a great antioxidant that works great for fading out dark spots especially the ones caused by inflammation However I have to warn you that not every skin type can tolerate it
Finally and to be honest medical laser treatments might be your best option here Sure its not what most people want to hear However if you have very stubborn hyperpigmentation on your face and youre just feeling like nothing is working for you chances are that you need something stronger than a topical cream or treatment Even though lasers are a more invasive approach to skincare you can be certain that youll get noticeable results from them
Oily Clogged Skin
Oily skin and clogged pores can be so annoying however I also have some great news for you Oily skin types actually age more gracefully so if youre constantly annoyed by the amount of sebum that your face produces this is a good thing to keep in mind However lets go over what you can do to keep oil production under control at least to some degree
What Helps
Ill tell you what doesnt helptrying to strip your skin Thats absolutely never the answer In fact sometimes your face will just produce more oil as a response to that So what can you do here First of all I would encourage you to take a look at your existing routine Are you using heavy products that make your face feel greasy right after application
Oily skin is very specific when it comes to moisturizers serums and cleansers The goal here is to opt for lightweight products that hydrate your skin without adding any heaviness to it This is where K beauty products absolutely shine so if you havent tried them out yet I would definitely encourage you to do so
Next we have Salicylic acid Personally I am not a huge fan However a lot of people with oily skin absolutely love this ingredient You can try a cleanser serum or even moisturizer with 2 SA and see how it works for you This is a great ingredient that penetrates deeply into your skin exfoliating it while also helping control sebum production
Dry Flakey Skin
Last but certainly not least lets discuss dry and flaky skin This is something a lot of us have to deal with particularly during the colder seasons However no matter how dry your skin may be there are still ways to make it feel soft and bouncy again
What Helps
First and foremost hydration is key Look for moisturizers containing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin which help to attract and retain moisture in the skin Additionally incorporating a humidifier into your living space can help to add moisture to the air preventing further dehydration of your skin
Exfoliation is another important step in your skincare routine Regularly sloughing away dead skin cells helps to reveal fresh smooth skin underneath Opt for gentle exfoliants such as lactic acid or fruit enzymes to avoid irritating already sensitive skin
Incorporating a rich nourishing oil into your skincare routine can also work wonders for dry skin Look for oils like jojoba argan or rosehip which are known for their hydrating and soothing properties
