Resveratrol for skin – what it does

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links. What is it? Resveratrol is an antioxidant that you may have already been consuming without even knowing. This antioxidant is actually found in the skin of grapes – so if you’re used to kicking back with a glass of red then you’ve already been enjoying a healthy dose of resveratrol. Whilst resveratrol is known to have many benefits upon consumption such as antitumor and antioxidant activity as well as cardioprotective properties, this powerful compound has plenty of benefits for the skin when applied topically.[1,2] Resveratrol exists as two…

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Squalane vs squalene – what’s the difference?

Squalane vs squalene Both squalane and squalene serve a similar purpose – these fats help to keep the skin moisturised. So what’s the difference? Squalene is naturally produced by the body, however if we want to apply squalene topically for its skin benefits, then there is a small issue: it’s not the most stable compound in the world. This is where squalane comes in – this compound is a much more stable analogue of squalene and is thus more commonly found in skincare products. P.S. they’re both as equally as effective – it’s just that the skincare industry prefers to…

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Antioxidants in skincare – what do they do?

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links. What is an antioxidant? Free radicals are highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons that are known to damage various cellular structural membranes, lipids, proteins, and DNA. It is one of the widely accepted mechanisms that lead to skin ageing. The body can be exposed to free radicals from environmental exposures (as well as intrinsic exposures), such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Consequently, the body employs antioxidants which aim to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Of course the…

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Hydroquinone in skincare – is it safe?

What is hydroquinone? Hydroquinone is a very popular skin-lightening agent; it is extremely effective, yet extremely controversial. Hydroquinone 4% cream is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of hyperpigmentation such as melasma, chloasma, freckles and senile lentigines.[1] Hydroquinone for hyperpigmentation Hyperpigmentation – a darkening of the skin that occurs due to an excess of melanin, for example, in the case of age spots, freckles, melasma, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Cosmeceuticals are commonly used to target hyperpigmentation; hydroquinone being a common example in the treatment of hyperpigmented skin conditions. How does hydroquinone work To understand how hydroquinone helps…

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Azelaic acid benefits – what is it and how does it work?

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links. What is azelaic acid? Azelaic acid (AzA) is a dicarboxylic acid produced naturally by certain types of yeast on your skin. We are also exposed to AzA through dietary intake of grains and cereals. Data shows this compound is not acutely or chronically toxic and so the skin benefits of AzA are safely taken advantage of today in dermatology.[1] Azelaic acid benefits The use of AzA in skincare has several benefits: – Helps treat acne – Helps treat rosacea – Targets hyperpigmentation – It is a gentle…

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Benzoyl peroxide for acne – how it works

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links. Acne – a chronic inflammatory skin disorder – is known to be caused by a combination of factors, including abnormal desquamation of the follicular epithelium, excessive sebum production, inflammation and the presence of the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes. Benzoyl peroxide is commonly used to treat acne; it works as an antiseptic to reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin. It is most commonly used in the form of a gel or face wash at a concentration of around 5%. How benzoyl peroxide works Benzoyl peroxide works on several levels to treat…

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BHT in skincare – is it safe?

BHT aka butylated hydroxytoluene. BHT is an antioxidant often used to preserve skincare products, usually in a concentration ranging from 0.0002% to 0.5%. Why use BHT in skincare Free radicals are highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons that are known to damage various cellular structural membranes, lipids, proteins, and DNA. It is one of the widely accepted mechanisms that lead to skin ageing. The body can be exposed to free radicals from environmental exposures (as well as intrinsic exposures), such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In addition, free radicals can easily degrade skincare products,…

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Tea tree oil for the treatment of acne

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links. In your efforts to fight acne you’ve surely come across salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. But perhaps you just don’t get along with either of these, or they don’t work particularly well for you. Less commonly spoke about for the treatment of acne is tea tree oil. TEA TREE OIL?! Yes, tea tree oil. There are a plethora of reasons you might want to try tea tree oil to treat your acne! For one, it treats a wide range of blemishes: comedonal acne (blackheads, whiteheads, smaller blemishes) and inflammatory…

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Is niacinamide the best cosmeceutical for anti-ageing?

What is niacinamide? If you’ve heard of niacinamide, it is likely you’ve heard of vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 is often referred to as niacin, however vitamin B3 is actually a group of vitamins consisting of three forms. Those being, niacin (nicotinic acid),  niacinamide (nicotinamide), and nicotinamide riboside. Whilst nicotinamide riboside is out of scope for this article, niacinamide and niacin are very relevant to the topic of cosmeceuticals. There are two potential forms of vitamin B3 that can be found in cosmeceuticals, those being niacin and niacinamide. As seen below, the two differ in structure slightly (highlighted in red). Despite their different structure,…

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The best way to get rid of clogged pores

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links. So you’ve noticed your skin’s looking a little congested as of late! Clogged pores are caused by a buildup of dead skin cells, oil or dirt. You might have already come across several ways to get rid of them, but which should you go with? We believe there is really only one winner when it comes to unclogging! Common ways (not recommended by us) to deal with clogged pores involve squeezing, physical exfoliants and pore strips. Squeezing can damage skin tissue and cause permanent scarring and pigmentation issues.…

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