Porcelain, A Skincare Blog

Jun 18 / Tina Han

Aloe Vera – The Very Last Present from God

Cleopatra once said that aloe is ‘the very last present from God’, and Queen Nerfertiti, the most beautiful women in Ancient Egypt, was a huge fan of aloe vera gel. Today, we’ll tell you why, and you could look just as amazing as them!

Given that aloe is a desert plant. It absorbs and stores water extremely effectively, and can survive for 7 years with minimal water intake from its own leaves, making it an extremely effective hydrator. Besides its strong hydrating ability, it contains an extensive list of nutrients like Vitamin A, B, B1, B2, C, E, niacinamide, choline, 18 amino acid, copper, iron and etc. Now, if this is still not able to ‘wow’ you, we’d share with you the wondrous benefits that aloe brings to your skin.

Benefits of Aloe

1. Aloe Fights our Common Enemy –Acne

The culprit of acne is likely to be Androgen hormones. Androgens increase the rate of cell turnover, thickening the skin around the opening of the follicle. This increases blockages in this area. Androgens also increase the flow of sebum. When your skin’s pores are clogged and the sebum is not cleared properly, acne is formed.

This is when aloe comes in to ease our skin situation with two hormones called, Auxin and Gibberellin. These hormones heal wounds and reduce redness and inflammation. Gibberellin also stimulates cell growth. This is how aloe fights our common enemy, acne, by introducing Auxin and Gibberlin hormones, and deterring the secretion of Androgens.

2. Aloe Helps us Turn Back the Clock

Aloe has a lot of anti-aging ingredients. It contains Vitamin C, E and beta-carotene which improve skin firmness and keep our skin hydrated. Vitamin C is essential for synthesis of collagen and is an antioxidant that helps to deal with skin damages caused by free radicals. Vitamin E and beta carotene are also packed with antioxidants slowing down the aging process. With these anti-aging properties, aloe helps you turn back the clock and look youthful and rejuvenated once again!

3. Aloe Quenches our Skin

Aloe is a perfect hydrator for our skin because it is able to penetrate into deepest layer of our skin, quenching it from deep within. It does not give a greasy feeling, making it suitable even for oily complexions.

4. Aloe Heals our Skin with its Amazing Healing Powers

Aloe’s healing properties, together with the ability to penetrate deep into our skin, helps to speed up the healing process. It forms a protective layer on top of epidermis and replenishes our skin’s moisture level, enhancing the healing system. Its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal functions also stimulate our skin’s immune system, relieving tightness, redness and peeling.

Now, the amazing benefits of this Miracle plant can be optimized with the following tips.

Useful Aloe Tips

1. Add oil

Aloe is mostly comprised of water. Thus, adding facial oil to aloe vera gel before application will balance water and oil better. Oil makes aloe vera gel a more effective moisturizer for dry skin.

2. Face Mask

Put refrigerated aloe vera gel on dry mask sheet and apply the mask on your skin. Gently remove aloe facial mask after 15 minutes. It will hydrate and soothe your skin immediately and create a protective layer of moisture preventing fine wrinkles from appearing. It also whitens overall skin and reduces dark spots. Owing it to anti-bacterial effect, this mask also helps to treat pimples.

If you like, you can add other ingredients such as honey, sugar, egg etc. to make a facemask suited to your skincare needs.

3. Eye Mask

The eye area is the most sensitive area on our face and gets dry and irritated easily. Aloe, being a mild and natural ingredient, is capable of hydrating and treating even the most vulnerable areas and most sensitive skins. Put aloe vera gel on a cotton pad and place it on your eyelids. Remove the pad after 10 minutes. It will reduce dark circles and the appearance of fine lines.

4. Hair Essence

Enzymes and nutrients in aloe vera promote hair growth and destroy excessive dead skin cells. Its moisturizing properties also help condition your scalp and hair, reducing the appearance of dandruff. Simply apply aloe vera gel to your hair and scalp, and feel the difference!

5. Aloe Vera & Oatmeal Exfoliation

Exfoliation is an important step in your skincare regime. It removes dead skin cells, which will lead to better absorption of your toner and moisturizer.

Ingredients: Aloe vera gel 2 tsps, Oatmeal 2 tsps, Brown sugar 2 tsps, Lemon juice 1 tsp

Steps:

Grind oatmeal and mix all ingredients together.
Wet your skin with warm water and put on the mixture.
Massage your face for a while and wash it off.
Oatmeal is a natural exfoliator that does not dry your skin, while aloe will soothe and hydrate your skin.

Stabilization Process

In order for aloe to be utilized as an ingredient for cosmetic product, it must undergo stabilization process. Like all other vegetables and fruits, oxidation process occurs from 30 minutes after aloe harvest. Therefore, stabilization process ensures the quality and preservation of aloe gel.

Porcelain’s Soothe, Aloe Recovery Gel, A Summer Must – Have

Made up of 99% stabilized Aloe Vera, Porcelain Aloe Recovery gel is a feathery light, ultra soothing gel that heals and hydrates the skin. Perfect for skin suffering from sensitivity due to acne and dermatological procedures, it eases skin irritation, reduces inflammation and works quickly to repair delicate skin.

During summer climate, after staying under the scorching heat for a few hours, it is common to suffer from a sunburn or skin irritation. Aloe Recovery Gel calms stressed skin and shields it from environmental aggressors, making it a summer must-have!

Jun 10 / Tina Han

Mist Toner – Immediate Moisturizer For Sun-Damaged Skin

Time passes fast and summer is here. The weather is getting hotter and we are more inclined to stay indoors with air-conditioner on. Our skin, being the outermost layer, is the first to be affected by our external environment and temperature changes. In fact, high temperatures have a huge adverse effect on our skin. Collagen and elastin, in charge of maintaining elastic and resilient skin, are destroyed due to high temperatures, resulting in a skin appearance that is dry and lusterless. The damaged collagen can no longer support our skin, causing us to wrinkle like scraped paper! To make matters worse, the use of air-conditioner also dries our skin, causing it to age.

This is why a facial mist will come in handy during summer. It is an effective skincare product that gives an instant cooling effect for skin that is affected by intense heat. It also moisturizes our skin immediately.

Benefits of Facial Mist

A facial mist provides hydration needed for exhausted skin. When sprayed onto our skin, tiny particles of water penetrate into our inner skin, supplementing the moist required. It also forms a thin layer of protective moisture, giving us fresh and moist-full skin.

Apart from that, a facial mist helps to calm sun-damages skin. It lowers the skin surface temperature, soothing delicate skin. By maintaining this moderate temperature for a while, it delays the skin premature aging process.

A facial mist also freshens us up and lightens our mood. We will be refreshed and revitalized by the pleasant and calming fragrance. An instant glow will be created by the little water particles, making us look more youthful.

Proper use of Facial Mist

Many people complain that use of facial mist actually steals the moisture from our skin, resulting in even drier skin than before application. In actual fact, this problem stems from the incorrect usage of a facial mist. Today, we will teach you the correct usage of a facial mist so you can reap the amazing benefits and achieve youthful looking skin.

How to use Facial Mist Properly?

Before applying, be sure to use a tissue to clean off a film of dirt, oil and other pollutants so that the mist can be better absorbed.

When applying, place the facial mist 20cm away from your face and spray. If you spray it too close to your face, the mist forms dewy drops, which are too large for your skin to absorb entirely. Spraying it further away keeps the air around you moist, creating a better environment for your skin.

After applying, it is important to protect the moisture. It is a common mistake to skip this step, causing your skin to feel dry after a while. We recommend that you apply some moisturizer to lock in the moisture and keep your skin hydrated for longer periods.

Other Useful Tips

1. Moisture saver
Spray the mist right after cleansing your face. Your skin usually feels dry after cleansing. This is because the cleanser removes the protective oil on your skin. By using a facial mist, you can preserve the moisture in your skin effectively. At the same time, the mist acts as a booster, allowing skincare products to penetrate into your skin easily.

2. Reduce water retention
If you often worry about water retention, worry no more, because your facial mist can also be used for reducing water retention. Soak a cotton pad with mist and place it on your eyelids. We promise you will look and feel fresher after just 5 minutes.

3. Water mask pack
Wet a sheet of dry mask with your facial mist and place it on your face for 10-15minutes. This is an inexpensive homemade mask pack that gives your skin instant hydration and revitalization.

Porcelain’s Soothe, Mist Toner

Porcelain’s Soothe, Mist Toner is perfect for summer weather. It is a lightweight moisture mist that tones, hydrates, whitens and revitalizes dull skin.

It is made from all natural ingredients such Vitamins C and E, which fights against free radicals and prevents cellular damage, Rose Water, which is anti-inflammatory and suitable for soothing irritated skin, and Witch Hazel, which is recognized for this anti-inflammatory properties and helps eliminate water loss.

With an infusion of botanicals and vitamins, it is gentle and calming with a fresh floral scent. It works against free radicals and prevents environmental damage. It also hydrates the skin without over moisturizing it, keeping your skin hydrated and refreshed, even during summer climate.

Jun 10 / Tina Han

Porcelain’s Summer Challenge!

How it works:

We will be posting daily challenges on our Facebook Page over a span of 3 weeks.
You need to complete daily challenges, which will earn you entry points.
There will be two winners each week – the participant with the highest total entry points and a ‘wild card’ winner!
Participant which accumulates the highest total entry points by the end of the week will win a Summer Staycation @ Wanderlust Hotel

Prizes:

Grand Prize
- Summer Staycation @ Wanderlust Hotel worth SGD400
Weekly Prizes
- Week 1: Soothe, Mist Toner 100ml worth SGD 118
- Week 2: Soothe, Aloe Recovery Gel 40ml worth SGD 108
- Week 3: Flawless, Skin Perfecting Moisturizer with SPF 20 150ml worth SGD 165

Timeline:

11th -16th June: Week 1 Challenge
17th June: Week 1 Winners will be notified
18th – 23rd June: Week 2 Challenge
24th June: Week 2 Winners will be notified
25th – 30th June: Week 3 Challenge
1st July: Week 3 Winners will be notified
2nd July: Winner of Summer Staycation @ Wanderlust will be notified

Judging Criteria:

Participant with the highest total entries’ score at the end of the week will win the week’s challenge.
A ‘wild card’ winner will also be randomly selected amongst the participants.
In case of tie, winner will be selected based on the quality of answers or via lucky draw. This will be based on the discretion of Porcelain’s Management.
For the weekly challenge, entry points cannot be brought over to the following week. (For instance, if your entry points for week 1 = 30 and your entry points for week 2 = 35, the entry points considered for week 2’s challenge is 35 instead of 30+35= 65)
However, for the grand prize, entry points will be accumulated, starting from week 1. (For instance, if your entry points for week 1 = 30, entry points for week 2 = 35 and entry points for week 3 = 40, then your total accumulated points = 105)
Invalid entries will not be counted towards the total entry points.

Terms & Conditions:

Porcelain Management reserves the right to remove any irrelevant/destructive content and disqualify a participant based on undesirable behaviour.
Selected dates for one night stay at Wanderlust Hotel is subject to availability.
Winner for weekly winner is not available to win another weekly prize. However, weekly prize winners can win grand prize.

Do check out this space and our Facebook Page for more information and daily updates!

May 17 / Tina Han

How Skin Pores Work

For every hair on your body, there is a corresponding skin pore. Although we can’t see all of these pores, we can see some of them. The same holds true with hair; while we share the same number of hairs with apes, human hairs are much less coarse, and most are so wispy they can’t easily be seen.

The average adult has around 5 million hairs on his or her body, so if you think you have large pores and feel low about it, take heart in the fact that 4.9 million or so of your pores are nice and tiny and that only a proportionately small number of them are causing you grief.

Maintaining clean, healthy skin pores is important for maintaining healthy (and healthy looking) skin. Dirt and oil on your face collect around your pores like leaves and debris collect around a storm drain. When those pores get clogged, it creates a pile-up of oil and dead skin cells in the follicle. Soon, bacteria make their way to the blockage, and the growth in bacteria causes inflammation.

Now, someone on the other side of the blockage is ham-fistedly squeezing, poking and rubbing the blocked pore, which doesn’t help matters one bit. It only adds more hand oils, dirt and unwelcome physical pressure — all the things a zit needs to make it in this world. Worse, you may just make those pores stretch out more.

The bad news is that you can’t do anything to permanently shrink large skin pores. The good news is that there are ways you can make them look smaller.

To learn everything you need to know about skin pores, quit touching your face and keep reading.

Function of Skin Pores

Although we’re not covered head to toe in a suit of fur, our skin is abundant with hair follicles, tiny shafts through which hair can grow and reach the skin.

“Follicles” and “pores” are sometimes used interchangeably, and other times referred to as two different things. In truth, the pore is simply the opening upon the skin of the hair follicle, which extends downward through several layers of skin.

If a hair follicle were a tall chimney, the pore would be the opening at the top of the chimney. Instead of emitting smoke, the follicle emits a shaft of hair. Skin cells are constantly dying inside the follicle. Additionally, small sebaceous glands located inside the follicle (picture a cul-de-sac located off to the side of an otherwise straight road) produce oil called sebum. Sebum is a mixture of fats, proteins, cholesterol and inorganic salts. It travels up the follicle and (in a perfect world) exits through the pore. It also carries those dead skin cells found within the follicle up to the skin’s surface.

What about sweat — doesn’t that come out of the same pores? No. Sweat is produced by separate sweat glands that also heavily populate your skin. While sweat emerges from the skin from a different source, it does affect your skin’s appearance. Once that sweat reaches the surface, it dries but leaves salts behind that can block your pores.

This mix of oil and dead skin cells helps coat your skin to protect it from bacteria, viruses, wind and rain (we sort of take our skin’s protective qualities for granted). Sometimes, though, the pore is occluded (blocked) and the materials trying to get out can’t, resulting in acne.

If you have large pores, there’s some good news — but you may have to wait a few years to receive its benefits. As we age, our skin produces less oil, leading to dryness. This dryness, coupled with environmental damage to the skin, causes skin to age and wrinkle. Large pores produce more oil, and this comes in handy later in life when your skin needs it most. So while you may be bugged by the appearance and size of your skin pores today, you’re just getting an early start — and their existence will please you down the road.

Maintenance of Skin Pore

Many people don’t like having large, noticeable pores, but there are steps you can take to minimize their appearance:

If you use makeup, remember to wash it off each night with a gentle cleanser to prevent pore blockage.

Protect yourself from the sun. Sun and aging thicken the outer layer of skin, and as the tide of skin cells rises, they form a tiny volcano rim around pores. This makes pores seem bigger than they really are.

Oily-looking skin tends to make pores look larger. Washing your face regularly to cut down on oiliness will improve their appearance. Solutions or medications containing salicylic acid can dry out the skin and help you maintain clear pores.

Debris, such as dead skin cells, collects around the edges of pores, making them look bigger. Topical vitamin A treatments can prevent skin cells in the pore from sticking together and clogging it up, and help reduce the ridges or rims that develop around pores.

Exfoliating processes such as microdermabrasion (in which tiny particles are blasted against your face and immediately vacuumed back up) remove dead skin layers with the goal of making your skin look more attractive. Some people opt for chemical peels or laser resurfacing, but these are more intensive procedures and carry the possibility of unwanted side effects.

As frustrating as it can be to have large pores, you can minimize their appearance — and your frustration — through regular care and maintenance.

May 6 / Tina Han

Tips for Skin care –DIY series

For this week, Porcelain will introduce you into the easy but effective home skin care world. Make your own DIY pack easily and conveniently at home.

Honey Banana Pack – Give hydration to your dry skin!

Did you know that a banana not only tastes excellent but also good for your skin? It soothes the skin and helps circulation while nourishing skin with antioxidants and other minerals. Banana has no known side effects to skin thus it is effective sensitive, acne-prone skin. Potassium in a banana can help heal blemishes faster. And also banana will make your skin softer and hydrated. Perfect for dry skin! Don’t forget that a banana is good for your anti-aging. If you are worried about getting fat, give bananas to your skin!

- Ingredients : banana 1, honey 1 tsp, yogurt 2 tsp, flour 1 tsp

Mash the banana and mix all the ingredients together! Then apply it to your face with brush. After 10-15 minutes, gently wash off your face with warm water. Banana and honey will give you moisture to your skin! Feel moist-full skin. Did you find it effective? Also you can make a use of banana peels. Grab banana peels and rub inside of banana peels onto your skin. Banana skins have a lot of nutrients working same as bananas!

Lemon juice Facial Wash – Perfect way to brighten and make your skin elastic!

One of the cheapest and most easily accessible things for healthier skin is definitely lemon! It is good for acne, brown spots, skin whitening, and pigmentation. It works well on oily skin and lightens the skin too. Acid in lemon acts as an antiseptic and kills the bacteria. Also, if you are worried about blackheads, lemon is also a good choice!

- Ingredients : only lemon

Cut lemon in half and squeeze the lemon. With the juice of lemon, massage your face for 2-3 minutes avoiding your delicate eyes. Carefully wash your face to remove lemon! Don’t forget to give enough moisture. Acid in lemon can steal your moisture. Lemon wash twice a week and you will get white spotless skin.

Aloe Pack – Let’s give our exhausted skin a rest.

Let our skin rest from the intensive Sun! Aloe is the best thing to enhance moisture and soothe skin. Do you know that Aloe was called ‘plant of immortality’ in ancient Egypt? Since then Aloe has been used as remedy for sun burn and inflammation. However if you think that this is all for Aloe, you misunderstood Aloe! Aloe is also good for acne and cell rejuvenation.

- Ingredients : Raw aloe

Peel off raw aloe and cut the inner part into thin slices. Put it on your face and leave it for 10-15 minutes. After moist from aloe penetrate into your skin, remove it! Or if you are a skin-conscious person, scrape the aloe and mix it with 1tsp honey and 1tsp adlay powder and put it on your clean face. Rinse off your face 10-15 minutes later and your skin is ready to go out for lovely dinner date!

Egg white and honey pack – Exfoliate, balance, tighten pore and make your skin glow!

Egg white is not only used in making meringues but also used as a base for a lot of skin masks. Egg white is known as an instant face lifter and pore tightner. You have to be aware that these effects are only temporary and smell can be quite nasty before the whites of eggs dries up.

- Ingredients : white of an egg, milk 1tsp, honey 1tsp

Put all the things in blender and blend it until the foam forms. What a rhyme! Do not try to mix it on your own, you will go muscular L After that you put the mixture on your skin after cleansing your face. When the mixture dries up after 5-7 minutes, ready to feel the difference? Wash it off! You will be surprised to have glowing skin. Don’t forget to do this pack regularly about 3 times a week! Besides mixing egg whites with honey, you can add avocados, milk, oatmeal and other natural pleasures according to your skin conditions.

Almond Oil Therapy – Effective cleanser for your delicate skin!

Did you know that almond oil was used for skin care since Roman Empire? Let’s make porcelain skin with almond! We can take advantage of almonds better in liquid form than in solid form. Almond oil is rich in vitamin A, D, E and has magnesium and calcium. In addition it is famous for its emollient effect. It helps reduce skin irritation, delays aging process, smoothes the skin and improves the skin tone! Let’s try.

- Ingredients : piece of cotton, almond oil

Just dip a piece of cotton in almond oil and wipe off your face with it! How easy it is! All the nutrients will go into your skin smoothly and give your dry skin nutrients.

Apr 27 / Anna Teng

Extraction – The Key To Porcelain Skin

Deep Pore Cleansing

Extraction is a traditional procedure that is performed using a metal loop extractor and a medical syringe needle. The process can be slightly uncomfortable, but it helps removing comedones, milia seeds, acne, pimple, black/whitehead and other impurities that clog up the surface of your skin.

This process must be performed by highly skilled aestheticians, as improper techniques may cause scarring or undesirable outcomes.

Cleansing Is Never Enough

The first step in our daily skin care regimen is cleansing. No doubt, it is very important! Cleansing away the dirt, oil, make that lead to clogged pores and surface impurities is pivotal part of clean pores and a clear complexion. When your pores become clogged with excess sebum, dead skin cells, swear and other environmental dirt, your face start developing blackheads, whiteheads and other forms of acne.

There are several benefits to pore extraction, most notably unclogging your pores which can lead to healthier looking skin. Keeping your pores clean and clear can also help to prevent future acne breakouts as well as to keep your pores from looking larger than they are.

Extractions Vs Technology

Despite current advancement in cosmetic equipment and product technology, Porcelain has no intentions to do away with the traditional extraction method. According to our experience, it is proven that extraction is by far the most effective, albeit, tedious way of deep cleansing.

Without thorough extraction, the impurities in the pores will prevent any precious nutrients from serums/ampoules to be effectively penetrated into the skin. With clogged pores, the skin will look and feel rough, uneven and dull.

Extraction, The Key To Porcelain Skin

Director Therapist, Jenny Teng, who has had more than 17 years of experience under her belt as an aesthetician, explains, “Throughout my career, there is one core finding in my approach to effective skincare treatment, and that will be thorough deep cleansing of the skin using specific extraction techniques for different skin problems. It has been my mantra, and Porcelain’s mantra. With proper deep cleansing, nutrients from the products we use can penetrate much easily into the dermis and that is what makes Porcelain facials different.”

At Porcelain, nobody wears foundation; clients and staffs. No one has to cover up any flaws or imperfections. They advocate beauty from within and help clients achieve that with their solutions.

“We are a premium skin care solution provider with an unpretentious and intimate touch one finds in a traditional facial salon. Porcelain is designed such that clients feel at home on our premise; they know they can trust our professionalism and our sincerity”, Pauline Ng (Managing Director) added.

Try out our Award-Winning Quintessential Facial today. Click here to find out more.

Apr 10 / Anna Teng

Understanding Acne – Some People Get It And Others Don’t

Acne is a skin problem that affects almost all teenagers. The condition results from the action of hormones on the skin’s oil glands (sebaceous glands). The sebaceous glands make an oily substance called sebum that empties onto the skin surface through the hair follicle opening (pore). The mixture of oil and cells allows bacteria that normally live on the skin to grow in the follicle openings. When this happens, pores become clogged and pimples develop.

Pimples can be one of the following kinds:

Comedones: Non-inflammatory papules that can be open (blackheads) or closed (whiteheads).
Papules: Lesions that are inflamed and can be tender to the touch. These usually appear as small, pink bumps on the skin.
Pustules: Lesions that are inflamed and filled with pus. They may be red at the base.
Nodules: Solid lesions that are large, painful, and lodged deep within the skin.
Cysts: Pus-filled lesions deep under the skin. These may cause scarring and pain.

In most cases, pimples occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Acne does not present a serious health risk, but severe acne can result in permanent scarring. In addition, acne can have significant physical and psychological consequences, such as causing a poor self-image, social inhibition, and anxiety.

Why Do Some People Get Acne and Others Don’t?

It is not clear why some people are more prone to acne than others. The exact cause of acne is not known, but one important factor is an increase in male sex hormones called androgens. Androgens increase in both boys and girls during puberty. Androgens cause the sebaceous glands (oil glands) to get larger and produce more sebum. Androgens also can increase because of hormonal changes related to pregnancy or starting or stopping birth control pills.

Another factor in the cause of acne is genetics. Researchers believe that the tendency to develop acne can be inherited from parents. In addition, some drugs (for example, anti-epilepsy medication, prednisone, androgens, and lithium) are known to cause acne. Cosmetics that have a greasy consistency may change the cells of the follicles, causing them to stick together and resulting in a plugged pore. Water-based products are less likely to cause acne.

Things that can make acne worse include:

Friction caused by leaning on or rubbing the skin; harsh scrubbing
Picking or squeezing blemishes
Pressure from bike helmets, backpacks, or tight collars
Changing hormone levels in adolescent girls and adult women two to seven days before the start of the menstrual period
Stress

Other factors that were previously thought to make acne worse do not seem to have an effect on the development of acne. These factors include chocolate, greasy foods, and dirty skin.

What Does Acne Look Like?

Acne can appear as one of the following:

Whiteheads: White dots that are pores impacted with oil and skin covered by skin layers.
Blackheads: Black bumps that are impacted pores in which material pushes out through the follicles. The black color is not from dirt. It may be from bacteria and matter that react with oxygen.
Papules, pustules or nodules: More serious lesions appearing red and swollen due to inflammation or infection of the tissue around the clogged follicles, which are often painful and feel hard.
Cysts: Deep, painful, pus-filled lesions that can cause scarring.

Acne Prevention Tips

Here are tips that may help control acne.

Don’t over wash or use harsh scrubs. Remember, acne is not caused by dirt. Two gentle washings a day is sufficient. Too much cleaning can leave skin irritated and dry, triggering glands to produce more oil, increasing the likelihood of pimples.
Use oil-free or non-comedogenic products (those that won’t clog pores) on your face.
Don’t squeeze or pick blemishes. Popping pimples can drive acne bacteria deeper into the skin. Picking can lead to more inflammation and permanent scarring.

Don’t let acne define who you are. Do the things you can to improve your skin, and then get back to doing the things you enjoy.

Apr 3 / Anna Teng

Summer Skincare Tips

Hot weather, salt water, humidity, and chlorine taking their toll on our skin during the summer months. Here are some helpful skin care tips for keeping your skin safe and beautiful all summer!

Don’t Neglect Your Skin

Did you know that most skin aging occurs during the summer? So consistent application of sun protection, regular professional facials, and a good home skin care routine are your best defenses against fun in the sun…and heat.

Wearing Sunscreen

Putting on sunscreen daily will significantly cut back on accumulative sun damage. Recent research indicates that 78% of all the sun damage incurred in a lifetime is from incidental exposure! You may say “I’m not out at all during the day” but just walking to your car, and even driving in your car will expose you to unnecessary sun damage. Windshields do nothing to protect you from UV rays! Wear a moisturizer that contains a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15. Apply it in the morning so you’ll be covered all day!

People are always asking me which SPF number should they use. The truth is, an SPF 30 only offers 4% more protection than an SPF 15. You would have thought it was double the protection, right? As you get up in the higher numbers (SPF 45, 50, 70 +) that percentage comes down, but you’re also exposing your skin to more chemicals which might result in a negative reaction on the skin. The key to protecting your skin in the sun is to re-apply your sunscreen generously at least every two hours. A little dab won’t do ya…you need to slather it on.

Do Not Use Soap

One of the biggest complaints we hear during the summer is, “My skin gets so oily!“

The binders that hold a bar of soap together are in an alkaline base (high pH balance), which will strip all the water and natural oils out of the skin, causing the surface of the skin to dehydrate. Your skin cells need to stay moist in order to be healthy, and without water, your skin will be producing more oil to compensate for the lack of water which is that last thing you want your skin to do in the heat of the summer!

Using soap can also cause more break outs as the dehydrated cells being caused from the drying soap can cause a layer of dry skin cell buildup which can trap oil and keep them clogged in the pores.

Avoid Dairy Products If Your Skin Are Prone To Break Outs

With the heat and humidity in the summer, break outs are a real concern for a lot of people. And we’ve all heard that greasy foods and chocolate cause breakouts. In our experience, when breakouts are cyst-like in the chin and jawline area, most often this is related to excessive dairy products in your diet.

Try cutting out cheese, milk, ice cream, and frozen yogurt, and watch your skin clear up! There are many other ways to get calcium in your diet; broccoli, asparagus and orange juice.

Get Your ZZZ

According to recent research, the vast majority of Americans – particularly women – are sleep-deprived. Lack of sleep not only makes you grouchy, forgetful, and drowsy, it also wreaks havoc on your skin. Even an extra 30-60 minutes every night will make a difference.

Apr 1 / Anna Teng

5 Tips For Men – Rough Skin (Part 3)

5 Skincare Tips For Men With Rough Skin

Sandpaper may be great for refinishing a piece of furniture or smoothing out a patch job on a wall, but it’s not something you’d want to be compared to your skin. Rough, dry skin is in no way a handy thing to keep around. It can be more than just frustrating with its redness, flaking, tightness, pain or itchiness. It can also be embarrassing, something that makes you tuck your hands in your pockets or hide those body parts more prone to roughness — say, the front of your legs, arms and even your midsection.

That said, dryness is not the only cause of rough skin. Several other medical challenges also comprise the rough skin category, such as:

Psoriasis: Known for causing irritated and red skin, this condition is caused by an overactive immune system. Manifestations commonly appear on the feet, palms, back, face, scalp, knees and elbows.
Keratosis pilaris: This skin condition causes small bumps and rough spots on thighs, arms and buttocks. Although not a serious condition or harmful, it does affect the skin’s appearance.
Eczema: Eczema is an umbrella term for skin conditions that cause rashes. Atopic dermatitis, which is a rash caused by an allergen, is a common form of eczema. Symptoms include inflammation, redness and itchiness.

Regardless of the cause, there are self-care measures you can take to manage your rough skin — or get rid of it completely. Read on to learn five skin care tips for men with rough skin.

#1 Make The Most Of Your Moisture

man washing face

Just as you can’t count on your pull-up bar or running shoes to make you physically fit without putting in the work on your own, you can’t rely on your natural oils to keep roughness at bay. You have to put in the work — moisturizing. And your skin’s natural oils and your moisturizer have to work together.

Your skin has a nice coating of lipids — basically fatty, oily substances — that help keep it moist. When something strips that layer of lipids away, dry skin is the result. However, you can keep your skin’s moisture intact by basically gluing it to yourself with the help of a moisturizer.

Your first step is getting your hands on a moisturizer that works for you. Head to your local drugstore, where you’ll find plenty of economical options. You need a moisturizer that will help your rough skin, so go with a nice thick option without added alcohol or perfumes. Check for rough-skin-friendly ingredients, such as petroleum, glycerin and lanolin.

Your second step is actually using the moisturizer. Don’t be bashful! Slather it on three to four times each day, including right after you shower and when you wash your hands.

#2 Wash Wisely

Do childhood nightmares of being known as the “stinky kid” have you scrubbing your skin off every day? If so, you need to wash more wisely to help your rough skin. Watch your method and your frequency.

As enticing as a steaming hot shower might be, stick with a milder water temperature. And keep your time under the water’s spray at less than 15 minutes.

Also rethink how many times you put soap to skin. Sensitive facial skin needs to be washed just once a day [source: American Academy of Dermatology]. Underarms and genital areas need soaping every day, but most folks can clean the other areas of their body just two to three times each week.

When it comes to your hands, though, the best way to stop the spread of infections, such as influenza, is to wash your hands after you use the restroom — every time. So wash away, but be sure to moisturize your hands

#3 Practice Product Prudence

When it comes to your products, what works for your sweetheart might not work for you. Although you don’t have to go fancy, if you have different skin types, skin care options may be something you can’t share.

Earlier, you learned what to look for in your moisturizers, but what about cleansers for rough skin? First, when it comes to facial and body cleansers, go with a liquid option over a bar, which can be tough on your skin. Second, shy away from added ingredients not well-suited to rough skin, such as alcohols, antibacterial detergents and deodorants. Instead, look for added fats and oils.

If your face and body are similar in skin type, try going double-duty and use the same product for both. And just as you can go with less-expensive options for your moisturizer, seek an affordable selection.

If you find that your skin care regimen just isn’t taking care of your skin issues, you may want to consider some over-the-counter helpers. For example, creams with urea or cortisone cream for itchiness control can help sooth rough skin

#4 Keep Irritants At Bay

All the moisturizer in the world may not be enough to protect your skin from the products and chemicals you can encounter on a daily basis — either from your own home or on the job. In fact, exposure to household chemicals, especially exposure involving sensitive skin, can lead to a rash, swelling or redness.

Therefore, proceed with caution. Follow these steps to protect your skin when working with different chemical products:

Keep your eyes open! Watch for warning labels, such as “danger” or “use in a well-ventilated area.” Always read the labels on products and follow directions.
Do not mix products together.
Cover up with gloves or a long-sleeve shirt.
Wash your skin after using a chemical product.
Avoid hazardous chemicals completely, if you can. Why not give good old-fashioned baking soda a try instead?

#5 Stress Less

The skin care regimen you follow and products you use can get you only so far. You also need to consider a holistic approach to keeping your skin smooth. In fact, did you know that when it comes to skin challenges, such as eczema, stress can bring on flare-ups?

So to make sure that you don’t sabotage your other skin care efforts, put stress management at the top of your list. This may seem daunting considering just how many stressors we have coming our way daily, but it’s certainly possible.

To curb the stress in your life, the first thing you need to do is put a name to it! Do you feel pressure from family issues, health concerns or your job? By identifying your stress, you can then determine if there are authentic steps you can take to mitigate it.

That said, some things may not be able to be changed. In those instances, add some healthy coping techniques to your life. For example, try meditating, getting physically active, playing or listening to music, practicing yoga and connecting with friends and family in social settings. Practicing these coping mechanisms will help your inner peace visibly shine through in the form of healthier skin.

Mar 27 / Anna Teng

5 Tips For Men – Oily Skin (Part 2)

5 Skincare Tips For Men With Oily Skin

Some people seem to have it all. When the powers that be doled out gifts, they were the clear favorites. They got the smarts, the humor, the looks, the money, the taste. And they’re never, ever seen mopping at their faces with a tissue, trying to wipe off the oil that just … won’t … stop … coming.

It’s enough to make you hate those people, isn’t it? And their perfect, perfect skin.

Because, for most of us, skin problems are a fact of life. By mid-day, your reflection in the mirror has enough shine to blind an onlooker, and you stand there saying, “Why? WHY?” as your confidence deflates a tiny bit.

There’s hope, friend. We have five tips for those of you whose oil glands are out of control.

#1 Don’t Be Afraid of Products

Yes, your papa used plain old soap to wash his face every day. But he also gave you french fries before you had teeth. The man’s wisdom was not infallible.

There are warehouses full of products out there that companies spent multiple years and millions of dollars formulating so that you would buy them to make yourself look great. (Makes you feel kinda special, doesn’t it?) Men whose medicine cabinets are startlingly bare often just don’t k

now what to buy. And we don’t blame you — half the stuff written on the hundreds of bottles in the drugstore is gobbledygook, anyway. But be brave. A teenage boy can get away with just a tube of zit cream and a stick of deodorant in the bathroom drawer, but a grown man cannot.

You really only need a few things, like a gentle cleanser and moisturizer (we’ll get into that in a minute), and if you can’t choose on your own, there’s probably a sister or female friend around who can help. If you’re too embarrassed to do that, take a look around the bathroom of your most GQ friend the next time you’re over. It’s not creepy if it’s research.

Maybe the best thing you can pick up: a mattifier. Better than rabbit-out-of-a-hat sleight of hand, this is make-your-face-matte-instead-of-shiny magic in a bottle.

#2 Be Gentle

mens-skin-care-routine

Of course you want to wash your face when it looks like you’ve smeared olive oil all over it. But doing it 20 times a day in scalding water with a chemical-smelling, harsh cleanser isn’t going to work — it actually makes it worse.

You can certainly get your skin nice and dry that way. Too dry. And then your usually well-oiled skin will start freaking out because you’ve quite literally irritated it. As a result, your body ratchets up oil production to try to protect itself from whatever is attacking it: i.e., you.

Oily skin and acne are all too often BFFs, as well. If you have acne, it’s even more important not to scrub away at your face with gritty exfoliants and zillion-percent benzoyl peroxide washes. You have to be nice to it, instead. Use warm water and a gentle cleanser, and then schedule a trip to the dermatologist. Some cases of acne simply can’t be treated effectively with over-the-counter products, and the answer to your skin problem may be as easy as picking up a prescription for an oral antibiotic or topical cream.

#3 Yes, Moisturize

It sounds nuts: Slap some moisturizer on oily skin? Uh, sure, I’ll get right on that. But oil and moisture are two different things.

Everybody’s skin needs extra moisture. There are too many things out there — from cold winds to hot furnaces — that are busy stealing it from you. The best moisturizer for oily skin will be light and oil-free (bonus points if you find one with sunscreen). If the packaging says “rich and creamy,” move past it — it’s not for you, and it may actually be salad dressing.

After that, all you have to do is put it on right, which is where most people screw up. The second you get out of the shower or finish washing your face, pat (don’t rub — pat) your skin dry and then smooth on the moisturizer while your skin’s a bit damp so the moisturizer can soak in.

#4 Stay Away From Steriods

When you look in the mirror, you want to like what you see. We all have different tastes, but if your heart’s desire is to look like you’ve been working out with Ryan Reynolds for “The Green Lantern,” don’t think steroids are going to do it. Steroid use can help you develop some awe-inspiring musculature, sure, but not without side effects. Acne is the most common, followed by oily skin.

You know how steroids make your muscles bigger? They do the exact same thing to the sebaceous glands. And — surprise — bigger oil glands equal more oil. So if you want to look totally ripped, you’re going to have to do it the old-fashioned way. Unless you were really hoping for disfiguring scars, in which case, go for it.

#5 Make It A Routine

Discipline: It’s not just for the military. Good skin takes hard work. Drink lots of water and wear lots of sunscreen. Put in the time and effort to find products that work for you and use them like you’re supposed to. Wash your face, gently, every morning and every evening (even if your less-oily friends can get by with once-a-day washing). It doesn’t matter if you’re too tired or you’ve had one too many — you do it.

The good news is that this is the kind of hard work that gets you somewhere — well-tended skin looks nice. And if it’s still a little slick some days, comfort yourself that when you get older, you’re going to have a much easier time with aging than your drier counterparts. While they’re slathering their newly thinner, less elastic, more fragile hide with Crisco, you’ll be sitting pretty. But in the meantime, you’re not helpless.

For all you know, James Bond endured the same oily problem. He just had a really good mattifier.

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