Skincare

[lynnzz7]

Hi! I’m pretty much a rookie in skincare and I’d like to start caring more about my skin. The only product I use is The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum  . Is there any tricks or products to get rid of acne scars and other imperfections? Here’s picture of my skin right now. Thank you in advance 🙂

 

[productsucks]

Hey Beautiful, What’s Good?

Niacinamide is a great start!!

Have you ever considered trying chemical exfoliation, retinol training your skin, and/or Vitamin C? 

There are two types of chemical exfoliation:

1) AHA

2) BHA

AHA exfoliation works by loosening the epidermis’ top most layer of dead skin cells. By loosening these dead cells it allows for them to be more easily washed away when you cleanse your skin (a form of physical exfoliation). Examples of AHAs include Glycolic and Lactic Acid. BHA exfoliation works by penetrating the epidermis and disrupting dirt and excess sebum in your pores. This allows these substances to work their way out of your pores. An example of a BHA is Salicylic Acid. When used in tandem these two methods will allow for a brighter complexion by removing dead skin cells, treating hyperpigmentation, clearing blackheads, and helping with breakouts. However, these forms of exfoliation can cause purging. In the skincare world “purging” is when a product brings underlying issues to the surface i.e. pimples. 

Retinols and Retinoids are also a great tool for achieving a more radiant complexion. Retinols/retinoids work by accelerating the turn over of your skin cells. Meaning your skin cells would be regenerating more quickly helping to reveal brighter skin. They are good for treating acne, preventing signs of aging, and getting rid of hyperpigmentation. The act of retinol “training” is slowly introducing a retinol/retinoid, building up to using the product several times per week. However, again this process can cause purging.

Now onto Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an an antioxidant and aids in reducing hyperpigmentation, promoting collagen production, and giving an overall more radiant complexion.

When using chemical exfoliation retinol/retinoids, and Vitamin C together there are incredible benefits that would most definitely help you to have a glowing complexion. To incorporate chemical exfoliating and retinols/retinoids into your skincare routine I would say introduce the products slow and build up to using them three nights a week. It is best to use these products at night due to the fact that they will make your skin more sensitive to sunlight so be sure to put sunscreen on every day... even if it’s cloudy.... or rainy... and don’t forget to get behind your ears it’s one of the most common places to develop skin cancer. Also NEVER use a retinol/retinoid and a chemical exfoliant on the same night!! There are some products that are designed to be used together (the Dr Dennis Gross Pads for example, but these are pricey so get a sample before you invest and some contain Alcohol Denat which I’ll get to), but that is extremely rare and something to look into if you see a product does it. As for Vitamin C use this item in the morning, before sunscreen and do so every day. Vitamin E is great to use with it because Vitamin C is a very unstable molecule and Vitamin E helps with this. Again you don’t want to use Vitamin C with chemical exfoliants and retinols/retinoids (there’s exceptions like YTTP Super Berry Night Mask, but again super rare). If these products are irritating try sandwiching then between moisturizers.

For chemical exfoliants I would recommend The Incky List or The Ordinary (both are carried at Sephora). They are both affordable options that will allow you to try out chemical exfoliation without investing serious cash. If you like it I’d recommend going to Sephora and looking for products that strike your fancy and getting samples (you can get three free samples at Sephora). 

For a retinol just go over to your local pharmacy and get Adaplene .1%. You can find retinoids/retinols at Sephora, but Adaplene is where it’s at and what would be prescribed to you, .1% otc and .3% prescribed. The brand name is differin but the store name is the same exact thing for a couple bucks less.

When it comes to Vitamin C I haven’t found a good affordable option. So go on to Sephora grab some samples and see what works for you.

Now, Alcohol Denat is used in many products because of its great disinfectant properties and due to the fact that it allows product to dry up faster. Unfortunately, it is incredibly bad for your skin, and is deceptive because it will initially provide great results, but in the long run can cause premature aging and blackheads. For these reason avoid products containing this ingredient.

I would also recommend a carrier oil be used with moisturizers. So there are two types of oils, fat soluble and water soluble. Water soluble oils only sink into the top layer of skin cells of the epidermis. Although, fat soluble oils can penetrate the fatty tissue holding these skin cells together allowing for the product to be absorbed more deeply. Fat soluble oils are also referred to as carrier oils because they can carry products deeper into the skin. Examples of carrier oils are Vitamin E Oil, Merula Oil, and Sweet Almond Oil. Again just head over to your local pharmacy to get a carrier oil. 

Hope this helps, good luck on your skincare journey!!

[LilaMJ]

@lynnzz7 Make sure you wear sunscreen every day! 😊

[MyVanity]

Try adding a vitamin c powder to the serum you are currently using.

[quspork]

@lynnzz7 I'd recommend starting out with a good gentle cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen. Once you have those in place, along with the niacinamide, you can look at adding things like vitamin C or a chemical exfoliator that may help with scarring and blemishes.