Affordable Anti-Ageing Skincare Routine For Your Twenties and Beyond

Skin requires a number of efficacious active ingredients to maintain its lustre and health. Is it possible to meet all your skin care needs and not splash out hundreds of pounds? Can you really create an effective skincare routine on a budget? Of course! While marketing and luxury brands may tell you otherwise, there is absolutely no reason you cannot achieve great skin using affordable products – sans the fancy packaging, convoluted verbiage and hefty price tag. If you are in your twenties, on a budget and are considering taking your skincare game to the next level, today’s post is for you. I am going to give you my tried and tested, proven effective, affordable anti-ageing skincare routine – using only products under £20.

After an extended break from blogging, I am so incredibly happy to be back! Because I have not had the opportunity to do so yet, I would like to wish you a very (belated) happy new year. I have missed posting so unbelievably much and I look forward to creating a lot of content this year. Although I will not bore you with the details and particulars of my absence, I hope to soon share with you some very exciting things. I will do my utmost to remain consistent with my future blog posts from here onwards. If you are not already subscribed to the blog, make sure you do so for exciting updates.

Now, let’s get back to the topic of today’s blog post. 

Beauty on a Budget

Skincare is an investment. You take good care of your skin now, in order to reap the benefits for years to come. However, an investment does not mean that your products have to break the bank. Products do not need a huge price tag in order for them to be effective, or to show results. If you are a student, or young person on a budget, there are still plenty of affordable, highly efficacious products that will bring real, noticeable results. 

As a girl on a budget, I am aware that skincare products can get pricey. Perhaps you are in your twenties like me and would like to start taking proper care of your skin. I know what it’s like. There are late nights at the club surrounded by cigarette smoke, a little too much to drink, lights you collapse in bed before ever removing your makeup. In our twenties we are all guilty of being a little naughty to one degree or another. 

As a teen you may have been able to get away with a lack of sleep without much negative effect. However, now the first signs of undereye bags are rearing their ugly little head; you want to nip it in the bud before it proliferates. I am only 22 but recently I really feel the effects of nights out on my skin. As a 17-year-old I could get by on four hours of sleep and do night after night out. It would not phase me the way it does now. Perhaps that sounds precocious at only 22. But after a lot of sleep deprived nights, makeup use and acne in my teens, I appreciate my pillowcase and skin care more and more.

Skincare Must Haves for Your Twenties

I have compiled this affordable anti-ageing skincare routine full of products I use and trust. Every product is highly effective, under £20 each, and has been tested by me for 6+ months. I have done this to demonstrate that beauty can be effective on a budget; you have no excuse not to implement a skincare routine. This routine has yielded great results for my skin, exemplifying that good skincare is not synonymous with expensive skincare. It is all about ingredients and results – not packaging and marketing. 

My skin type is acne-prone and sensitive. I do not have overly oily or overly dry skin. Here are the products I recommend for women in their twenties and an overview of what I will be discussing in this post: 

Cleanser 

Makeup remover

Targeted spot treatment for those pesky unexpected or hormonal breakouts

Chemical exfoliant

Serums and Antioxidant products – niacinamide, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and other antioxidants to shield and protect from environmental stressors

Facial oil – multipurpose, for days your skin is particularly parched and for makeup application

Daily facial moisturiser 

SPF (I will cover SPF products in a separate blog post). Make sure you check out this blog post about what SPF does for skin.

The above are my core, essential products I recommend integrating into your skincare stash. If this seems a little overwhelming at first glance, I will also be explaining how you can easily condense the number of products you use and whittle down your skincare routine if you choose. In addition, depending on your skin type, you may not need every product.

Cleanser

The first step of your affordable anti-ageing skincare routine is cleansing. If you have read my post on how to layer skincare products,you would be aware of the emphasis I put on proper cleansing of the skin. I have gone through countless cleansers and face washes in the past and found that nothing quite eliminates my rosacea and redness like a gentle cleanser. Many cleansers I have tried will cause my skin to flush red and irritated upon washing. If this is something you struggle with and cannot find the culprit, I would suggest switching out your face cleanser and seeing if that solves the issue.

Essential oils, sulphates and fragrances are ingredients I used in the past, in many of my cleansers. I mistakenly was of the view that, because a face wash is on your skin for such a brief time, the variety of cleanser you used was not important. I would purchase the generic face wash at the supermarket and thought that would do the trick. However, I always struggled with redness. As I became more educated on skin care and ingredients, and after experimenting on myself, I realised that switching my cleanser to a gentle, fragrance free non-foaming cleanser made the greatest impact on my skin. 

Cleanser Favourite

At the moment I am using the La Roche Posay Dermocleanser. It is a cream cleanser, it does not foam and has no fragrance. If you are accustomed to foaming cleansers and the squeaky-clean-feel you get from them, this product might take a while to get used to. Do not be fooled though, it does a fantastic job of removing makeup and dirt from the day. It is available here on Amazon for only £9, which is the cheapest price I have found it at.

Other cleansers, even the foaming variety, would leave behind some traces of makeup. I would follow up with a toner and still be able to pick up a lot of excess oil and makeup from my face after cleansing. This cleanser does not give me that issue; it is non-irritating and is safe for use around the eyes. Let’s be honest: no one wants their eyes to sting and burn.

Makeup Removal

I regularly use micellar water to remove my everyday makeup. I do not wear much makeup on a daily basis so it can easily be removed with a swipe of micellar water. If I am wearing eye makeup or waterproof mascara, I will turn to this Simple Dual Effect eye makeup remover. It is among the best eye makeup removers I have tried and will remove any waterproof eye makeup you may have on. I do not spend a great deal of my skincare budget on makeup removers because even simple coconut oil can do the trick. It only has one function; to remove makeup, so I do not resort to anything fancy.

My favourite micellar cleansing water is this one from Bioderma. It is gentle and does a great job. I regularly purchase this variety of Bioderma because it comes in a big bottle with a pump. It is available on Amazon for the best price. Other favourites Simple Micellar Cleansing Water and Garnier Micellar Water.

Exfoliation

A chemical exfoliant will work wonders on your skin. Particularly if you struggle with congested pores and blackheads. If you struggle with acne and blackheads, I would recommend using a salicylic acid product. If you are concerned about dark spots and signs of ageing, you can also opt for glycolic acid. I have written in depth articles about both salicylic acid and glycolic acid, which you can refer back to. Finding a good chemical exfoliant is challenging, because many contain ingredients that irritate my skin. I have narrowed down my search to several key products.

Under £20

Glossier’s daily face exfoliator is a triple threat containing chemical exfoliants BHA, AHA and PHA. It can be used daily for a fresh glowing skin effect. At £19, it is slightly higher in price, but you can get 10% off through this link. This exfoliant will keep your pores clear of blackheads and smooth skin texture. PHAs are a newer exfoliant on the scene. They are beginning to be used in more products and are gentler relative to other exfoliants, as well as moisturising. It also contains soothing ingredients such as aloe vera and niacinamide.

Pixi Glow Tonic is a cult favourite glycolic acid toner. It buffs away dead skin cells, refine pores, and stimulates skin cell regeneration. It is not overly drying and contains aloe vera for additional soothing benefit. If you are new to chemical exfoliants, I would suggest trying them a couple of days per week and gradually increasing your use, to avoid irritation.

The COSRX AHA/BHA toner is a little-known gem. It contains both AHAs and BHAs for thorough skin resurfacing, and at only £15 it is a no brainer. If fragrance tends to irritate your skin, I would highly suggest this product. It is non irritating and contains soothing allantoin. If your main concern is blackheads and breakouts, the COSRX Blackhead Power Liquid is another great option. The brand is available on SokoGlam, iHerb, and Lookfantastic. Check out my Korean Skincare post for more on this brand and the top Korean skincare products you need.

Under £10

At only £9.99, the Inkey List Beta Hydroxy Acid is a new no-nonsense, fragrance free exfoliant. You only need a drop to benefit from its pore clearing, breakout preventing properties. The Inkey List also has an inexpensive Glycolic Acid exfoliating toner for only £6.99, giving Pixi Glow Tonic a run for its money. If you have less of an issue with breakouts but struggle with skin dullness and dryness, this product will improve skin radiance. Make sure you have read my complete guide to Glycolic Acid for more information on what the ingredient does for your skin.

Targeted Spot Treatment

Whether or not your skin is immaculate for most of the month, or you are a Vogue cover model, you will experience a spot at some point in your journey. If you are a woman, you will likely experience a breakout or two around that wonderful time of the month. And when you do, you will want to be armed with some sort of spot treatment, in case a zit appears at a most inopportune time. If you do struggle with acne, I would suggest taking a look at the following posts: The Best Ingredients to Eliminate Acne and How to Get Rid Of Blackheads for Good.

Your best, quickest resolution is a tube of benzoyl peroxide that you can get over the counter from your local drugstore/pharmacy. If you are not a fan of BPO, there are a number of other inexpensive, effective spot treatments. La Roche Posay Breakout Corrector and Alpha H Blemish Control Gel contain salicylic acid and antimicrobial ingredients to clear your blemishes. Sulphur containing treatments such as Bye Bye Blemish will draw out bacteria from the spot. I would also recommend trying out these hydrocolloid acne patches to get rid of that pesky blemish overnight.

Serums and Antioxidants

Your twenties is the time where you want to start stepping up your skincare game a fraction from the basic moisturiser you always used. Now is the time to begin incorporating certain serums, antioxidants and other active ingredients that will help preserve and maintain healthy collagen production in skin.

Hyaluronic Acid

If you do not already incorporate hyaluronic acid into your routine, read this complete guide to hyaluronic acid. Regardless of your skin type, a hyaluronic acid based product is sure to benefit your skin. It is a humectant and will help provide much needed skin hydration. Some simple, very affordable hyaluronic acid serums include the Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum for £4.99 and the Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid at £6. Meanwhile, Makeup Revolution has recently launched their take on brands such as the Ordinary. Thus we have Revolution Skincare Hyaluronic Acid as another inexpensive alternative option.

Hyaluronic acid is available in many skincare products. However, you should choose your products wisely. If a pricey product contains hyaluronic acid as its only selling point, I would suggest looking for one that incorporates a larger mix of skin-loving ingredients. Although HA is important, it is not the only ingredient your skin needs. If your standard moisturiser already contains a good dose of hyaluronic acid, you may not necessarily need a dedicated serum with HA.

Peptides

Once the first signs of fine lines begin to show up, you may wish to consider incorporating a peptide serum into your routine. Peptides are the building blocks of protein and specifically collagen, crucial for youthful skin. One of my favourite affordable peptide serums is the Ordinary Buffet. It contains an array of powerful peptides and hyaluronic acid to encourage skin plumpness and elasticity. In addition, it has a nice light texture and absorbs quickly. I love using it around any smile lines or forehead lines in particular. In the same vein, Revolution Skincare has launched their own peptide serum for only £10 and I was pleasantly surprised by their largely irritant free ingredient list.

Antioxidants

I have spoken at length about the importance of antioxidants in your routine. Oftentimes, the all-encompassing, antioxidant rich skincare products lean on the pricier side due to the nature of the ingredients. Brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List make it easy to choose individual antioxidants. However, you can see how purchasing a number of antioxidants can add up to give the same effect as a single product that includes multiple antioxidants.

If I were to choose only one budget serum, it would hands down be a niacinamide-based product. Niacinamide is my skincare star ingredient and has truly altered my skin. It has a myriad of benefits; from diminishing the appearance of large pores, uneven skin tone, skin discolouration and even blemishes. Moreover, it strengthens an impaired skin barrier, which is critical for maintaining healthy skin throughout life. My holy grail is this niacinamide product and, at only £5, it is well worth the spend.

While vitamin C is an extremely beneficial skincare ingredient, it is not particularly easy to find a cheap vitamin C product. If you would like to learn its benefits, read this post about vitamin C skincare. Vitamin C is very difficult to formulate due to the speed at which is oxidises and degrades in air. Many cheaper versions of ascorbic acid are a little gritty and not very elegant in texture. I discovered Elf Antioxidant Booster Drops recently, which contains vitamins C, E and niacinamide and can be used alone or added to other products for an extra boost. The Inkey List and The Ordinary have very affordable options, however due to the texture they are not my absolute favourites.

Further antioxidant products I would thoroughly recommend are Resveratrol + Ferulic Acid, and CoQ10, which will protect against environmental stressors that lead to early signs of ageing. Both products have pleasant textures that can easily be integrated into your routine.

Facial Oils

If you do not have an oily skin type, you may overlook or even cringe away from the possibility of using face oils. Face oils are arguably one of the most versatile treasures in your skincare wardrobe. They are kind of like that little black dress you can dress up or down and will match with most anything.

When your skin is feeling particularly parched or dehydrated, applying a little facial oil over the rest of your skincare acts as a barrier for the rest of your products. It helps to trap in moisture and prevent water loss from the skin. To double up your skincare, consider mixing it in to your standard moisturiser during the drier months. Face oils are also great to use under your makeup base. Furthermore, you can use oil to alter the consistency of formulas. Adding a drop to foundations and cream products will enhance the slip and emollience of these products. Be aware of the silicone content of your products, however, because mixing too many oils and other skincare products with silicones may cause pilling.

An oil for every occasion

My favourite facial oils of the moment include rosehip oil, which you can read all about in this blog post, squalane oil and marula oil. Each of these oils have their own individual benefits and best uses. I recommend rosehip oil if you have any concerns with dark spots or general signs of ageing and all round anti-ageing benefits. It absorbs quickly into skin so even oily skin types will benefit from its use.

Squalane is amazing for use as a standalone face oil or simply as a pre-makeup step. I tend to use it to mix in with base products that are more matte in texture in order to enhance the slip. It is also great for adding a couple of drops to your hair to enhance shine. Marula oil is best for drier skin types and has an excellent fatty acid profile for deep skin moisture and suppleness. BYBI Buriti Oil is another great cold pressed, all natural choice for only £12.

Moisturiser

Lastly, there is an abundance of affordable moisturisers to choose from. Both the drugstore and online beauty retailers provide an array of great moisturisers. I do not typically splurge on moisturisers for the simple fact that it is merely designed to moisturise skin. While the top tier, higher ticket moisturisers will have a myriad of skin-replenishing ingredients, antioxidants and other goodies, so do serums. If you use a separate serum, the function of a moisturiser can simply be providing moisture and reinforcing the skin barrier. Look out for moisturisers with skin-boosting ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and various non fragrant plant oils.

Cerave moisturising lotion is a good option containing hyaluronic acid and ceramides that strengthen skin barrier and prevent premature signs of ageing. For a natural option, I like the Burts Bees Sensitive Moisturising Cream as it is soothing, fragrance free and non greasy. Another favourite of mine is the Simple Hydrating Gel. It is lightweight in consistency but still hydrating and perfect under makeup.

Eye Cream

Typically, I will not use a separate eye cream. All the moisturisers I mentioned work perfectly fine around the eye area. Eye creams often seemed to me another excuse to release a product that is half the size, at double the price. As long as you bring all other products around your eye area, it should suffice. If you suffer with puffy eyes, perhaps a separate eye cream may be desirable for you, but it is not necessary.

With that in mind, recently I decided to try out this affordable eye cream and I must say I really enjoy using it. It feels refreshing and replenishing around the eye area and the addition of ceramides adds an extra anti-ageing boost. If you struggle with particularly dry under eyes, I would highly recommend this product. Burts Bees also has a sensitive eye cream that I have repurchased a number of times through the years.

Condensing Your Routine

Phew! That was a lot to get through.

For the girl who does not want to spend a tonne of time on her skincare routine, you can simplify it and still get good results. If you asked me what my must-haves are for travel, or if I wanted to just take it easy on the products for a night, I would opt for:

Cleanser, Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic Acid serum (oily skin) or moisturiser (dry) or face oil.

Yes, it really is that simple.

Those are the essential products I need for everyday to maintain my skin. The rest of the products reinforce and are great additions to my routine to keep my skin in top shape. Your individual skin needs may be different to mine. Therefore, it is important to experiment and test various products to see which best suit your needs.

I hope that this post was helpful and you have a better idea of how to put together your own affordable anti-ageing skincare routine. If you need some direction as to how to layer all these products, read this article about skincare layering.

I know that today’s post was a long one (who am I kidding, most of my posts are!). But, I like to be thorough and really explain my choices and recommendations so that you can make an educated decision. Besides, I have missed blogging so please excuse me for spewing all this information at once.

Subscribe to the Blog for more Beauty and Wellness content. Plus, keep an eye out for some exciting announcements to come. 😉

Wishing you boundless love, endless light, and life without limit,

Shannon xo

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• Affordable Anti-Ageing Skincare Routine for Your 20’s

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

The post Affordable Anti-Ageing Skincare Routine for Your 20’s appeared first on Shannon Feetham.

Kiehl’s SPF Review

On a recent trip to Spain the other week, I found that I had run out of sunscreen. Let me tell you, the Sun was intense and merciless. On my quest to find a new sunscreen, I stumbled upon a Kiehl’s counter at a local department store. Kiehl’s is a brand I have frequently seen but have not tried an extensive number of products from. As I was browsing, it came to my attention that the brand carries a number of sunscreens in their range. And they all seemed rather promising. I am constantly on the hunt for the best facial sunscreens. This post is a Kiehl’s SPF Review for their Ultra Light Daily UV Defense sunscreen.

As context for this Kiehl’s SPF review and other upcoming skincare posts, I would recommend you check out these articles:

All about UV radiation, sun damage and SPF

Should you be using a Vitamin C serum?

All About Antioxidants

Notice:

It has been brought to my attention that the comment section of my blog has not been working over the past few weeks. I have been receiving messages from readers who have been unable to leave their comments. Many were getting popups saying that they were being mistaken for ‘bots’ by the system or simply unable to write a comment altogether. Looking into this issue, I checked my software and it was the case that over the past couple of weeks, over 40 of your lovely comments were mistaken for spam and discarded without my knowledge. 

I want to apologise to those of you who have so kindly taken the time to comment. I love hearing from my readers. The thought that you take the time out of your day to leave me a message means the world. I create this content to bring as much value as I can to you. So, to think I was not able to respond to your questions devastates me. I created this site entirely on my own and am not a professional web developer, so I am still in the learning process. 

If you have a query please do not hesitate to leave a comment and I will get back to you. I believe the issue is now resolved as of 6th September. So, if there is anything you would like to say, I would love to hear from you.

I hope you are enjoying the blog and getting value out of the content I am publishing. Your support is more appreciated than you know. 

Face vs Body Sunscreen

Kiehl’s has a pretty good selection of SPF products to choose from. All of them have nice textures and blend into skin without a white cast. I had been using a body sunscreen on my face since I had run out of my favourite facial sunscreen. While it did the job, it would give me a white pallour and cause makeup to cake throughout the day. I was resolved to finish the entire tube though, as I was determined not to shell out the pennies to purchase a new SPF until I had finished the one I was using.

Now that I have switched back, the marked differences between a designated facial sunscreen and a body sunscreen are worlds apart. When applied to the face, a body sunscreen tends to feel heavy, greasy and occlusive. Makeup does not seem to adhere and instead slips off the face. It almost gives a slightly ‘sweaty’ feeling to skin. A well formulated facial sunscreen on the other hand, is a different story. They tend to be formulated to play well with makeup and have elegant textures that lay on the skin beautifully.

On to the review of the day.

Keihl’s SPF 50+ Ingredients

Sunscreen Actives

Kiehl’s Super Fluid (or Ultra Light) UV Mineral Defense SPF 50+ is a mineral based sunscreen. The sunscreen active used in the formula is titanium dioxide. This is an ingredient commonly used in skincare and cosmetic products as a sunscreen active, pigment and thickener. For maximum protection from all spectrums of UV light, many sunscreens will incorporate several sunscreen actives. Other Kiehl’s sunscreens do contain both chemical and physical blockers.

This formula contains only titanium dioxide. This is great if you find that like me, you have an allergy to a particular other type of sunscreen active, as titanium dioxide is a very gentle active ingredient. Titanium dioxide provides broad spectrum UV protection, although some may say it is somewhat inferior to its mineral counterpart zinc oxide. This is up for debate as the difference is relatively miniscule and titanium dioxide is still a perfectly adept source of SPF.

Typically, I have mainly used SPF 30 on my face. This is mainly due to the fact that this SPF parameter seems to give the best result under makeup. There is also not an incredibly significant difference in protection between SPF 30 and SPF 50 as there is between SPF 15 and SPF 30 for instance. I cover all the details in a previous post so you can read that SPF post to understand what I mean. In that article about UV radiation sun damage, I explain what SPF is, what is does, and I also go in depth about the difference between UVA and UVB, and what broad spectrum actually means.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is the chosen antioxidant in this sunscreen. I appreciate the inclusion of an antioxidant in such products because I do not tend to use a separate antioxidant skincare product most mornings. I am just being honest. Sometimes you value a few extra minutes of sleep and just want to slap on your SPF and get going for the day. For this reason, including antioxidants into one product can be valuable. If you read my article all about antioxidants, you know why adding antioxidants into an SPF can be so useful.

The vitamin E in this formula helps to neutralise free radicals. Because UV radiation causes free radicals, as you would know from my Sun Damage article, the inclusion of vitamin E in this formula is important. The soothing and healing properties of vitamin E, which I praise in this avocado oil blog post, are another plus of the ingredient. Ideally, I would have liked to see the incorporation of a few more antioxidants such as vitamin C and resveratrol in the formulation, especially given the high price point. For more on why vitamin C is great with SPF, read this vitamin C article.

Fragrance free

This product is free of synthetic fragrance, so it will not irritate skin that is particularly sensitive to fragrance. I found it interesting to note that the bottle specifically says that the sunscreen should not be used around the eye area. Typically, I apply all my sunscreens around the eye area because I would not want a darker eye region in comparison to the rest of my body. The eye area is also a region susceptible to sun damage, so it is curious that Kiehl’s would say this. That being said, it is not the most moisturising formula so could be a little drying around the eyes. If you wear eye makeup, there is titanium dioxide in that so I suppose it would give some amount of protection, and wearing sunglasses always helps.

Other ingredients

It does contain silicones and talc in order to achieve a silky, mattifying finish. This may be something you wish to keep in mind if you are opposed to such ingredients. I have no issue using these ingredients in my products. They are inert ingredients and enhance the finish of the products. There are individuals that may feel otherwise but this is just my two cents. In cosmetic chemistry, it would be incredibly difficult to formulate a pleasant-feeling, effective SPF for the face that also works nicely under makeup, without the presence of certain non “clean” ingredients.

The titanium dioxide in this sunscreen is nanosized, which I know may be of concern to certain individuals. Again, I do not find an issue with the inclusion of nano particles in products. Oftentimes these nano particles are coated which improves any safety concerns. They also make the product much more aesthetically pleasing. No one wants to be working in a thick gloop of zinc oxide to their skin; it is uncomfortable, and you would probably never wear sunscreen. If you are using a physical sunscreen and it has a pleasant texture, it is likely that they have used nano sized sunscreen actives.

Texture

As the name would suggest, this sunscreen is “super fluid”. It is a liquid formula that you must shake before application in order to emulsify the contents. The bottle has a needle-nose type spout to discharge the liquid. I am not the biggest fan of liquid SPF formulas, but I do find it works nicely under makeup. You will see that the product has a slight beige tint. I was drawn to the tint of the product as it offsets the potential white cast of a sunscreen, and I was done with looking pale as a result of the body sunscreens I had been applying to my face. 

The tint leans a little grey and somewhat reminds me of many grey-leaning BB creams from Asian brands. On my skin tone, the tint is not enough to make a noticeable colour difference on the face. It is extremely sheer and provides no coverage. However, I could see how people with much darker skin tones or who are particularly fair, would struggle with this. For reference, I am around a MAC NC30 in foundation shade and am pretty medium to light in skin tone. If you are much fairer or darker than me, I would suggest trying the other variety of Kiehl’s sunscreen that is completely colourless with no tint.

Matte Finish

I love that the product has a silky feel on the skin and has a mattifying effect. This makes it a great choice for people with oily or acne-prone skin. If you are particularly dry I would not recommend a formula like this. Mineral sunscreen actives are relatively drying too. This means that it might be better for your skin type to opt for a chemical blocker-based sunscreen. Or, at least, a more emollient SPF formula. For my skin type, however, this sunscreen works great as a makeup primer and leaves the skin pretty mattified all day. It should be noted that while I do not have dry skin, I am not overly oily either so very oily skin types may not find they are kept as matte.

Final verdict

I enjoy this sunscreen. It works well under makeup, has a matte finish, and is gentle on my skin. It has a high SPF 50+ that provides broad spectrum protection. I do wish that, for the price, they had done a little more to spruce up the formula. In this day and age, we are seeing emerging formulas protecting from blue light, pollution, and all sorts of environmental aggressors. So, this formula misses the mark a little in terms of what it could include.

However, I do think that it was one of the better choices I could have found at a pinch. It is not the best facial sunscreen I have tried but it does wear well. Overall, it has a nice finish, wears comfortably throughout the day and does not cause irritation. I would give it the thumbs up. 

Where to Find Kiehl’s SPF 50+

Below are links to the exact product I am talking about and where you can find them in your country. Kiehl’s has a few SPF products so the links will direct you to the exact one I am talking about. Find Kiehl’s Super Fluid SPF50+ here:

Sephora US

Selfridges

Amazon

Kiehl’s Website UK

Kiehl’s Website US

Still on the hunt for the Ultimate Facial SPF

I hope that this Kiehl’s SPF Review was helpful and that you had a little insight into the way I judge products. I am constantly on the look for new and innovative formulas and have a number of incredibly interesting products coming your way. This product missed the mark a little in terms of the exciting SPF products being released but is still a solid choice. There is a lot of new and innovative skincare technology I will be reviewing soon, so stay tuned. 

This is the first dedicated review to one product I have done so far. These single review posts go far more in depth than usual. However I want you to feel like you are making the most informed choice when I recommend a product. In posts reviewing multiple I am not able to go as in depth about the formula, what certain ingredients mean, and so on. Going forward, I’d like to reserve these dedicated, one product only reviews to products that truly blow me away and warrant their own review. 

I do think that it is important for skincare reviews to be a little more comprehensive. This is not the case with other products such as makeup as you are judging the product based mainly on its colour and texture. Skincare is significantly more intricate than that. 

The active ingredients of a formula carry a lot more weight in skincare than in makeup. So, I just wanted to make sure with this Kiehl’s SPF Review – or any other skincare review I do for that matter – that I am as thorough as possible. If you don’t like reading long reviews, no worries, I have a series of short, to-the-point reviews coming your way too. 😉

Subscribe to the blog for more upcoming skin care and beauty posts. I also send out a weekly newsletter to check up on all my subscribers and let you know more about the latest and greatest!

Wishing you boundless love, endless light, and life without limit,

Shannon xo

Disclaimer

This post is not sponsored. I purchased this product with my own money. Kiehl’s do not know I am creating this blog post nor do I have any affiliation with the Kiehl’s brand. I have never been compensated to create a review and only give my authentic opinions based on my own views and experiences. 

I take a considerable amount of time and care to link each exact product, so that my reader can conveniently locate each recommendation with ease. Some links may be referral links. This means I can potentially earn a very small commission for referral should you choose to make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Keeping me in mind and using my links next time you shop at beauty retailers like Sephora really helps to support this blog, so that I can continue to deliver free, quality information to you. I strive to create valuable content and put a great deal of effort in to every post. Any show of support is greatly appreciated and will enable me to continue putting out consistent, informative articles that are continuously being improved and updated.

The post Kiehl’s SPF Review: Best Facial Sunscreen? appeared first on Shannon Feetham.

Sephora VIB Sale Skincare Recommendations

It is the time of year where Sephora is having their Beauty Insider Appreciation event. I like to take advantage of sales like this to stock up on some of my favourite skincare items. I also like to take the opportunity to possibly try out higher priced products that I would not necessarily feel so comfortable purchasing at full price. In this post I will be giving some of my Sephora VIB Sale Skincare Recommendations. Beauty Insiders will be able to get 10% off their purchase as of August 30^th. As of a few days ago, Rouge members have been able to get 20% off. While this post may be a little late for VIB Rouge members, there is still time for everyone to make a few more purchases before the sale ends on the 4^thSeptember. 

I have decided to do a rundown of just a few of the best skincare products to check out at Sephora. Come next sale, I promise I will publish this post well in advance of the sale date so you can be fully prepared. But for now, here is a list of some of my favourite Sephora VIB Sale Skincare products at the moment. If you do not have access to Sephora, I have included links to where you can get these products internationally. These recommendations are not solely exclusive to those who have access to Sephora. This post is applicable to anyone in search of some great skincare product recommendations.

Indie Lee CoQ10 Toner

I have previously mentioned this toner in my How to Layer Skincare Products post. Toners can be incredibly tricky. If you are not careful with your selection of toner, you may end up with something alcohol-laden, drying, astringent, and overly fragranced. This toner contains no alcohol and is not excessively fragranced. So it does not incite a tight, dry feeling in skin.

It incorporates several soothing ingredients such as aloe vera, chamomile and cucumber which is perfect for skin like mine that can be easily sensitised. If you read my post about hyaluronic acid, you would be aware of its benefits and why its inclusion in this toner is beneficial for skin. Not to mention, the inclusion of antioxidant Coenzyme Q10 provides protection against environmental aggressors. For all the details about antioxidant skincare, make sure to read this article about antioxidants and what they do for skin.

You can find the toner available internationally here.

Drunk Elephant Glycolic Night Serum

I purchased this serum during a trip to New York, only a couple of months after Drunk Elephant first hit the market. At the time, the packaging was entirely different, and the nozzle did not twist up as it does now. There was little buzz around the product yet, but sure enough word about this highly effective serum spread like wildfire. Just a few years on, Drunk Elephant now has somewhat of a cult following, and for good reason.

This serum makes use of chemical both AHA and BHA exfoliants. As you would know from my previous post about BHA exfoliants, the inclusion of such exfoliants allows dead skin cells to slough off skin’s surface to reveal a radiant, fresh complexion. Glycolic acid, tartaric acid and other AHA’s will help to target visible signs of ageing. All the while, salicylic acid helps clear and refine pores. If you are struggling with acne and skin discolourations, a product like this will be invaluable in your routine.

Blithe Vital Treatment Essence for Hydrating

This essence was included in my rundown of the Top Korean Skincare Products. As aforementioned in that post, this line is a great choice if you are on the search for great essences. It will help to balance skin, lessen uneven skin tone and diminish dark spots. If your skin is feeling a little tired and lacklustre, reaching for a product like this will help skin feel uplifted and rejuvenated again.

This particular product contains a number of root extracts – ginseng, burdock root, Indian lotus root – to help combat signs of dullness and dehydration. I did remark in my Korean Skincare post that I even consume burdock and ginseng internally as they are a key part of Chinese medicine. If you would like to start using more K-beauty skincare products, this is a great essence to begin with.

Get this essence sold internationally here.

Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate

I have mentioned this product in a number of previous posts, including my post about the best hyaluronic acid products. I picked this up in a pinch last year, when I found myself forced to fly to the other side of the world for three weeks with nothing but a small backpack – no clothes, no makeup and no skincare. Ever since, this product has been a staple in my routine.

It is extremely lightweight, absorbs quickly and is my perfect summer skin hydrator. It leaves skin feeling hydrated and refreshed without an occlusive or greasy film. Your skin will feel airy, breathable and nourished. A perfect product for ance-prone or oily skin types. If this product it too light for the upcoming colder months, or you have a drier skin type but would still like to try it out, wear a thicker moisturiser or oil over the top of this product. I do this at times when I feel as though my skin needs some extra moisture.

You can also find Clinique Moisture Surge here. 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

We all know the feeling of dry, parched lips in the morning when we have forgotten to slather our lips in lip balm the night before. During the summer, air conditioning will leach the moisture from our lips while the cold winter air also does not allow for smooth supple lips. Another product mentioned in my Korean Skincare post, this lip sleeping mask is an overnight mask for lips.

Because our lips are most susceptible to drying out at night, it is important to make sure they are protected. This mask protects lips, nourishes and prevents the uncomfortable, dry feeling come morning. You will never need to reach for a lip scrub again and it makes your morning lipstick application so much easier. It keeps your lips supple so that lip products will apply smoothly and evenly.

Laneige Sleeping Mask also sold here

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel

This two-step peel has been revolutionary in the skincare space. Dr Dennis Gross made it very easy for anyone to achieve chemical peel-like results without a dermatologist office visit. Unlike high strength in-office peels, this peel is far gentler and can be used on a daily basis. It can really help to improve skin texture, eliminate blackheads and reveal radiant glowing skin.

Step 1 contains chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid, to reduce signs of ageing and keep pores clear. In my post about salicylic acid, I went into detail about all the benefits of salicylic acid. So, if you would like to learn more about what this peel does, make sure to read that salicylic acid post. Step 2 contains vitamin C and retinol which will greatly help with reducing discolourations, anti-ageing and diminishing fine lines. I wrote an entire post dedicated to vitamin C skincare benefits so make sure you have taken a look at that too.

Find the peel available on this international site.

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Supplement

This water-based serum is definitely an underrated skincare item. It contains multiple antioxidants, skin repairing, and skin hydrating ingredients packed into one bottle. The texture is lightweight and will not disagree with oily or acne-prone skin. If you have read my post about antioxidants, you will know why it is great that this serum contains several. Vitamin E, grapefruit extract, and vitamin C in the form of Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, are a few such antioxidants. To get an idea of what this amazing ingredient does for skin, read my vitamin C article.

The serum also contains ingredients that will soothe skin such as green tea extract, an antioxidant too. Its hydrating properties and skin replenishing properties are due to the inclusion of ingredients like acetyl glucosamine and sodium hyaluronate. Make sure to read my complete guide to hyaluronic acid for more about sodium hyaluronate. It does also contain ceramides and cholesterol to restore skin. If you are in search of a well-rounded anti-ageing serum, you will not be disappointed.

This serum is available internationally here.

Youth To The People Antioxidant Cleanser

If you have been in search of a “clean beauty” cleanser, look no further. This gel cleanser is a powerhouse of antioxidant ingredients while being gentle and non-stripping. Do not allow the word “gentle” to fool you though. This cleanser is still an extremely competent makeup remover. Your skin will not feel tight or dry after cleansing and you do not have to worry about going in with several different products just to remove your makeup.

Often with “natural” or “non-toxic” products, the inclusion of essential oils will induce redness and dermatitis on my face. However, that is not the case with this cleanser. For those with easily irritated skin that usually gets red easily after cleansing, this product is great. It contains green tea and aloe vera to soothe redness and I do not find it irritates my skin. If non-toxic, cruelty free, vegan products are important to you, you can’t go wrong with this cleanser.

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Want More Recommendations?

I hope you found my Sephora VIB Sale Skincare Recommendations helpful. These are just a few of the very best skincare products I am loving and using at the moment. Obviously, my love of skincare means that there an incredibly long list of products I have tried and loved from Sephora. However, I did not want this post to be overly extensive and wanted to include a few products that you may have never considered before. There are certainly a number of skincare products I have tried and loved that no one else ever mentions. 

If you would like more skincare recommendations, I regularly suggest several tried and true products throughout all my skincare posts. In previous posts I have listed the best hyaluronic acid products, great vitamin C products, Korean skincare, the best skincare for travel, and so much more. So, if you would like some additional product recommendations, consider taking a look at those posts. And remember to Subscribe to the Blog for more upcoming skin care posts like this.

What are you most excited about purchasing from the Sephora VIB Sale? Do you have any Sephora skincare product suggestions? Happy Shopping!

Wishing you boundless love, endless light and life without limit,

Shannon xo

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

The post Sephora VIB Sale Skincare Recommendations appeared first on Shannon Feetham.

9 Things To Consider Before You Start A New Skincare Routine

With the abundance of new products streaming into the market on a daily basis, it is easy to be enticed by all the latest and greatest. I know that my overwhelming curiosity with new skincare certainly has compelled me to make a number of purchases in the past. Unfortunately, constantly switching up your products can lead you to lose track of what is and what is not working. While it might be tempting to entirely replicate someone else’s routine based on how their skin looks, I would not necessarily advise it. I always advocate for tailoring your routine to your own personal needs. And even gauging based on how your skin feels on any given day. In this post I give you a guideline on all the things you should consider before you start a new skincare routine.

1. Have you been consistent with your current skincare routine?

More than ever, people are drawn to the promise of instant gratification. With technology perpetually at our fingertips, we are growing more and more impatient. From the click of a button, we can have food delivered to our house. One day shipping enables our entire shopping cart to arrive within a 24-hour window. It is easy to be seduced by the promise of instant results. So, you would not be entirely remiss to overlook the fact that the human body does not give the instantaneous response of a machine.

You can easily fall into the trap of deciding to abandon a product if, after only a couple of days or weeks, you see little visible results. Trust me, I’ve been there too. The truth we may not always want to hear is that certain skincare ingredients can take up to 2-3 months to see visible results from. Yes, months. You can use 5-minute sheet masks as much as you like for that instant gratification factor. But the truth is, the results you obtain from a one-off treatment will never compare to the long term results from a consistent daily routine.

Although I will say, if you have the luxury of time for sheet masks, this Asian brand brightening sheet mask is absolutely adorable. Beauty Bay ships it worldwide so we all have access to this cute product and it isn’t exclusive to Asia anymore. The packaging is pink and has a Panda on it – what more could a girl ask for?! Oh, and it does produce pretty satisfying instant “glass skin” results too. 

Ask yourself whether you have truthfully been consistent with your routine. Have you allowed enough time to actually see visible results? Or have you kept with it ‘for the most part’. That is, aside from the couple of times a week you have gone to bed without removing your makeup. Perhaps travelling has interrupted your ability to carry out your normal routine. Again, I’ve been there. But before you rush start a new skincare routine, consider how consistent you are. And remember, patience will reap the greatest results.

2. How much time are you willing to devote to your skincare routine?

K-beauty and Asian multiple step routines are hot right now. And you might feel you want to jump on the trend of including many skincare steps. I have an entire post dedicated to Korean Skincare Products; I love asian skincare. However, if your routine consists of many redundant steps with no aim, you may be wasting time and not reaping real benefits. It would be much more beneficial to narrow down your routine to a designated few products that you know make a difference. As opposed to fluffing it up with as many products as possible.

While some relish their skincare ritual with many products, it may turn others off completely. While the thought of an elaborate twelve-step routine may appear intriguing to some, it is not always more beneficial. Nor is it always the most practical. There is no reason that an effective routine has to have an extensive number of steps. The best kind of skincare routine is the one you will stick to. There is no point purchasing twenty different products when the thought of committing to using them all is overwhelming.

You may enjoy dedicating the time to an elaborate multi-step skincare routine every day. If you enjoy it, go for it. But if you prefer to only use the most effective products and take the shortest amount of time, there is no shame in that. Apply your skincare and move on with your other tasks. Decide how much time you are willing to spend on your skincare application before you establish a new skincare routine.

3. What is your primary skin concern?

You are aware that you should be taking care of your skin. But are you simply using products without really having a proper plan of attack? Are you just using skincare for the sake of using it without really knowing what you are trying to do for your skin? Before you start a new skincare routine, think about how well your current routine is serving you. You can then gauge what mode of action to change.

You might be thinking “but I want to fix everything”. Trying to start a new skincare routine might seem like the ideal fix. This may even lead you to overdoing it on the advanced anti-ageing treatments, acne treatments and harsh peels. We want to go in guns blazing and fix everything at once.

You have to understand that if you are trying to target everything, you will not be effective at targeting anything. Rather than aimlessly purchasing a number of products, get clear on your main pain points. Look for the key products that target your main skin concerns. Then, once you have that area under control, zero in on something else.

When it comes to your skin, there is usually a specific zone you pay particular attention to over others. You may struggle with acne breakouts or have significant areas of hyperpigmentation. Perhaps you have a skin condition like psoriasis or eczema. Or maybe you just want to target the general signs of ageing. Get clear on that before overhauling to start a new skincare routine.

4. How much money are your willing to spend on a new skincare routine?

It is critical to consider the budget you are willing to allocate to your skincare. Before being influenced into purchasing your favourite celebrity’s entire skincare routine from a magazine article, consider this. How sustainable would it be for you to maintain that skincare routine, after you have run out of the products? It is all well and good to fall in love with a set of products. However, if you will not be able to potentially re-purchase these items again in the future, you might not be able to maintain your results.

You may have the luxury of being able to invest in the best high-end skincare. You may enjoy the experience of luxury brands. But if you are on a budget like most people are, it is important to keep in mind how sustainable your new routine will be. You do not want to be selling your first-born child or going in debt to maintain a routine you cannot afford.

Decide which areas you would like to splurge on and where you would like to save in your skincare routine. You may find it more worthwhile to spend on cleansing tools such as a Foreo cleansing device and opt for affordable cleansers. Designate a budget to your beauty routine and work from there.

5. Do you have any known ingredient intolerances?

Before purchasing a new set of products, keep an eye out for ingredients that may cause irritation. This may involve some trial and error to see what your triggers are, but you want to make sure that the products you are using are not making the situation worse. Some people cannot tolerate certain active ingredients like retinol or certain acids. Search for alternatives and do not force your skin to use an ingredient if it does not tolerate it. Speaking of which, if you do find you are intolerant to retinol, I have an entire blog post about a natural retinol alternative that does not cause irritation but still works wonders. 

Ingredients that have caused me a great deal of irritation and contact dermatitis in the past have been menthol in certain acne products, and essential oils in all-natural products. Many people swear by all-natural skincare. However, my skin is extremely sensitised to the fragrant essential oils often used in such products. Certain preservatives like methylisothiazolinone have also caused me intense swelling and reactions.

A particular skincare product that tends to cause me issues is face cleanser. For a long time I thought that, because cleanser is only on the skin for a couple of minutes, I would not have to be so careful. However, I find that using the correct cleanser in my routine makes the biggest difference to how red and irritated my skin gets. When my skin is acting up, I tend to pare back my routine and opt for gentle, cream based cleanser. I am loving this gentle cleanser at the moment.

As I have mentioned before, I have very sensitive skin and am very acne-prone and suffer from eczema, so it is likely I experience more irritation than the average individual. Find out what triggers you and tailor your product needs around that. You do not want to start a new skincare routine only to have it not agree with your skin.

6. What is your skin type?

Knowing your own unique skin type is a vital part of constructing a proper skincare routine. You want to choose products that work with your particular skin type, and not against it. If you are prone to breakouts it is probably not a good idea to be using a lot of comedogenic products. If you have very dry skin, you will want to take it easy of astringent toners and the like. For very oily skin, you do not need to be skipping moisturiser all together, but you also don’t want to be excessively oiling up your skin.

If you aren’t sure of your skin type, pay attention to how it feels completely free of product. A simply rule of thumb is to wash your face, dry it and do not apply any additional products. After thirty minutes, examine your skin. If your skin feels tight and parched, you likely have dry skin. Oily skin will have areas of shine on the forehead, nose and cheeks. If you have some oil through the T zone and are not uncomfortably dry, you may have combination skin.

7. How happy are you with the current condition of your skin?

Some may have no significant issues with their skin’s current state. In this situation you might want to assess how your skin will react to an entirely new routine. It might seem exciting to start a new skincare routine, but you might not actually need it. You don’t have to fix what isn’t broken.

I liken it to a person who is already in good shape, unnecessarily going on a fad diet. Or leaving a great relationship to explore what is out there. Just make sure you are not walking out on something that is already good. If what you are doing is working for you, you might want to consider sticking with it and not being mesmerised by the new best thing.

You may be sticking out a certain routine but are still not happy with your skin. If you have been consistent in your application for months already, and are seeing zero changes, it might be worth looking to alternative treatments. For those with bad skin, it can be daunting to start a new skincare routine. You might fear that it will cause your skin to get even worse.

Bombarding your skin with a myriad of products, even if they are tried and tested efficacious formulations, might be doing you a disservice. It may be better to actually dial down your skincare for a while and see how your skin acclimates. Then slowly reintroduce new products if the thought of a complete overhaul is too daunting for you.

8. What does your lifestyle look like?

If you are unhappy with the condition of your skin, it may not be a matter of the skincare products you use. You may be purchasing streams of all the very best product formulas and applying them diligently. You may start a new skincare routine every couple of months. Yet still no results. In this case, it may be better to assess your lifestyle before deciding to commit to a brand-new skincare routine. You might need to address certain lifestyle factors that are interfering with the potential results you could be experiencing from your skincare.

A person who has been chain smoking for decades will likely find it extremely difficult to combat dullness and lines. They will not be able to achieve plump and glowing skin. Regardless of the amount of money they invest in skincare products and treatments.

If you have a chronically low intake of vitamin C, it is likely you will experience collagen loss. I suggest you read this article for more on vitamin C. Likewise, chronic yo-yo dieting also depletes collagen over time and leads to premature ageing. If you are not getting adequate quality protein on a daily basis, you will not have the amino acid foundations of healthy skin, nails or hair. Being extremely sedentary will also play into it.

If you do lead a relatively healthy lifestyle by most standards but still experience skin issues, you may even have an underlying problem. Everyone is different and our bodies all need different amounts of exercise and nutrients. Your DNA and microbiome are completely distinct from anyone you know. You might want to do further investigation if even after adjusting all these factors, you experience no improvement.

9. Do you have realistic expectations?

You must remember that there is only so much skincare can do. Marketing campaigns and advertisements may lead you to believe otherwise, but skincare is not intended to work miracles. There is no such thing as a permanent face lift in a jar. If you are spending exorbitant amounts of money on products, you might want to reassess your expectations of skincare. Rather than jumping to a new routine, determine how much you really expect.

We can sometimes be influenced into believing that products with such high costs must be effective. The expectation is that, with such a high price tag, it must be able to live up to its claims. And also raise our children in the process. Although certain ingredients certainly do play a role in tackling the appearance of skin, there is only so much ‘lifting’ and ‘firming’ it will do for you. You may be better saving the money you are spending on extravagant skincare promising the world. Invest it in an actual face lift if that is the result you are looking for. It is important to manage your expectations. Not so you avoid disappointment, but to understand that while skincare will do a lot for you, it cannot do everything.

And lastly, don’t be so hard on yourself. We can fall into the trap of wanting to fix this flaw and that flaw and never truly appreciating who we are in the moment or how far we have come. Spending time obsessing over every individual flaw is a waste of energy that could be more beneficially spent growing you as a person and helping you thrive in other areas of your life.

Set your skin up for success

Now that the seasons are beginning to change, we are all considering switching up our routine. By taking these factors into account before you start a new skincare routine, you are that much closer to a successful regimen. This guide for how to layer skincare will tell you everything you need to know about how to devise your routine once you have decided on products. Remember to Subscribe to the Blog for so much more upcoming content about all things Skin Care. 

Until then, check out these blog posts for more skin care advice:

Top Korean Skincare Products You Need to Try

How to Transition Your Skincare Routine From Summer to Fall

How to Properly Layer Skincare for Maximum Results

The Natural Retinol Alternative That Actually Works

The Top 10 Essential Skin Tips You Need to Know For Travel

What new products are you excited to try? How often do you switch up your skincare routine? 

Wishing you boundless love, endless light and life without limit,

Shannon xo

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

The post New Skincare Routine? 9 Things You Must Consider. appeared first on Shannon Feetham.

Vitamin C Skin Care Benefits

We have known about the benefits of vitamin C since its discovery in the 1930’s. Vitamin C really hit the big time when it was discovered that its presence in citrus fruits could prevent sailors from getting scurvy. As a child it may have seemed like your mother would preach vitamin C as a cure for everything from the common cold to a sprained ankle. And today, supplement companies are not the only ones utilising vitamin C. Many skincare brands are popping out their vitamin C products and serums like it’s a brand new innovation. The ingredient is becoming more mainstream with increasing demand. So, should you be using it? And what vitamin C skin care benefits are there?

The role of vitamin C in the body

Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble nutrient that cannot be synthesised naturally by the human body. It must therefore be consumed through diet. It is abundant in citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, and all those good fruits and veggies. And now, the vitamin C excuse given by our parents to eat our fruits and veggies has ascended once more in relevance.

But instead of just being told to consume it through diet, we are being told to apply it topically to our skin as well. In recent years it seems that vitamin C has become more and more of a prevalent fixture, not only in medical-grade skincare but in every self-respecting skincare brand’s repertoire of products. Indeed, with proper use it can help reveal a brighter, more youthful complexion. After learning about all the vitamin C skin care benefits, you too will be on the hunt for the perfect vitamin C. 

Oftentimes ‘vitamin C’ may not appear outright on a skincare product label. It may be listed as ascorbic acid, or one of its other variations. The chemically active form of vitamin C is known as L-ascorbic acid. It has a similar structure to glucose and is weakly acidic. L-ascorbic acid is the gold standard for vitamin C in skincare, however various other forms of vitamin C are also growing in use. In an upcoming blog post about I will cover all the derivatives of vitamin C, to help you decide which best fits your needs.

Protects skin from sun damage

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. If you read my post about antioxidants, you’ll be well informed about the crucial role they play in protecting skin from oxidative damage. Vitamin C neutralises free radicals via electron transfer or donation and removes oxidants such as those from environmental pollutants or UV exposure. By mitigating the harm from oxidative stress, its antioxidant activity is a measure against photoaging.

UV exposure decreases vitamin C content of skin so topical application of vitamin C will help to increase vitamin C concentrations in the skin. This provides a level of photoprotection and limits the effects of DNA damage from UV exposure. Additionally, vitamin E in conjunction with vitamin C has a further protective effect. Read my previous post for more on why UV protection is a great vitamin C skin care benefit. 

Collagen building

It is no secret that skincare freaks are obsessed with collagen. If anti-ageing is your priority, you might even see this as one of the most important vitamin C skin care benefits. Collagen is a protein found in our connective tissues and cells. Vitamin C encourages the synthesis of collagen in the skin. It acts as a cofactor in the hydroxylation of proline and lysine, a process that prevents the weakening and damage of collagen in the body.

Without adequate vitamin C, collagen formation is impaired. This explains the symptoms of illnesses like scurvy, where there has been an evident deterioration of collagen due to lack of vitamin C. This also explains why smokers tend to age prematurely; smoking depletes vitamin C levels and thus impedes collagen formation.

So, if you’re dying for an extra collagen boost, perhaps just skip all the fancy collagen drinks and the extravagant collagen facial treatments you’ve been considering trading your first-born child for. Simply opt to increase your intake of plain old vitamin C instead.  For extra benefits, apply it to your skin as well as consuming it in your diet.

As always, I’d advocate getting your nutrients from old fashion food sources. Just go ahead and eat the food instead of trying to look for some miracle broth or spending the money on supplements. Especially when it comes to vitamin C, which is not that troublesome to get into your diet. And who’s complaining about adding a vitamin C-packed fruit smoothie into their routine?

Wrinkles and sagging

Topical applications of vitamin C have been shown to decrease the appearance of skin wrinkling. As skin ages it is subject to changes in the dermal layer, and the deterioration of elastin and collagen. This leads to wrinkles. Additionally, the thinning of skin and loss of muscle tone can result in skin sagging. Vitamin C reduces oxidative stress in skin and improve skin structure.

The effect of a lack of vitamin C in the skin is evident by simply observing individuals who are vitamin C deficient. As we have already discussed, the antioxidant protection and collagen building vitamin C skin benefits will lessen skin ageing.

Skin Brightening

Vitamin C has brightening effects on skin. This can be particularly helpful for individuals who struggle with hyperpigmentation and dark spots as a result of chronic UV exposure. As you may recall from the blog post about sun damaged skin, prolonged UV exposure triggers the production of melanin in the skin. This leads to skin darkening and eventually brown spots, uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation.

Vitamin C inhibits the action of tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for melanin formation, to prevent this overproduction of pigment. It can therefore improve skin evenness and diminish the look of dark marks. Although, its effects may not be as marked as stronger ingredients like hydroquinone.

Speeds up healing

Vitamin C levels impact wound healing. Due to its collagen-building, anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin C can reinforce a compromised skin barrier and speed up wound healing. Its anti-inflammatory effects also mean that it may be helpful in the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. 

Don’t go pouring lemon juice on a wound anytime soon though, as the acidity from the citrus can be highly irritating to the skin. I guarantee the stinging you’ll get as a result won’t make you feel any better or have any improvement on your condition.

Drawbacks of vitamin C

There are some drawbacks of vitamin C that are worth noting. L-ascorbic acid is hydrophilic and unstable. Vitamin C degrades on exposure to air, light and heat, so stability of topical vitamin C is a concern. Your expensive bottle of vitamin C serum may be degrading by the day. Research suggests a vitamin C concentration between 10 to 20 percent is optimal for vitamin C skin care benefits. There are OTC products that go as high as 30%.

The decreasing concentration means that even if a product claims to contain this level of vitamin C, it is losing efficacy from the moment you begin using it. You can tell a vitamin C product has gone bad because the serum will turn a brown colour. There is concern that using spoiled vitamin C products may actually increase free radical exposure in skin.

Due to the stability issue, many skincare products are increasingly using various vitamin C esters rather than ascorbic acid in their formulations. Depending on the ester, they can be gentler on the skin and absorb more slowly. These vitamin C derivatives however, are often less potent than vitamin C. Their vitamin C skin care benefits have not been as comprehensively studied as ascorbic acid. 

High concentrations of vitamin C cause skin sensitivity and irritation. The pH of the product is also of great importance. For maximum benefits, L-ascorbic acid should have a pH of below 3.5. Such acidic low pH levels have the potential to make the products highly irritating.

Acne

There have been anecdotal concerns about vitamin C products triggering acne. I have not encountered substantial research to support this. However, I have personally experienced an increase in acne after using specific vitamin C esters in my routine. That being said, I have extremely intolerant and irritation-prone skin. This reaction may just be due to the base of the vitamin C serum and not directly caused by the vitamin C itself.

It is also possible that specific vitamin C esters penetrate faster than your skin can tolerate. It does not mean your skin will break out with every vitamin C product. The acidic nature of the ingredient could also have an exfoliating-like effect, triggering unsurfaced blemishes to emerge more quickly. Again, this has not been proven and is merely my two cents. I encourage you to do your own research and consult a medical professional if you are having issues.

Dietary vitamin C is proven to be helpful among individuals with acne, when paired with zinc and other nutrients. There are a few studies that suggest vitamin C derivative sodium ascorbyl phosphate has a positive effect on acne lesions. However, it is not as readily absorbed by skin as ascorbic acid. As I frequently reiterate, it is important to experiment and test out different products to see which best suits your individual needs.

Best practices for maximum vitamin C skin care benefits

In order to retain the vitamin C skin care benefits, a product’s packaging should be air tight. Unless the product comes in individually sealed sachets, you want to make sure to use it up within a couple of months to avoid issues. Incorporating it into your morning skincare routine can make sure you are getting antioxidant protection throughout the day. Make sure to read my step by step guide to properly layering morning skincare.

Best vitamin C products

Here are a couple of ascorbic acid products I love, so you too can get the vitamin C skin care benefits.

Gold Standard Vitamin C

Skinceuticals CE Ferulic – The ultimate holy grail of vitamin C serums. Not only does this serum include vitamin C, it also offers vitamin E and ferulic acid which have both been shown to increase the efficacy of formula. In fact the incredibly effective formula is patented and has been widely considered the gold standard in skincare antioxidants. 

Spot treatment 

Although many people will appreciate the vitamin C skin care benefits, you may only have a few trouble spots. If your main skin concerns are specific dark spots, perhaps from acne or as a result of sun damage, you may wish to consider a spot treatment. This Vitamin C Spot Treatment contains a hefty 25% concentration of vitamin C to target hyper-pigmentation. If you prefer a trail size before committing to a full size, check this one out: Vitamin C Spot Treatment Trial Size.

Vitamin C that stays fresh

This Fresh Pressed Daily Booster comes in individual packaging so as to minimise the chance of the product degrading over too long a time. It contains 10% vitamin C and can easily be mixed into your other products. 

Collagen booster

The Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen is another pricey but very effective serum. It is packed with a number of antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (which I looooove) as well as amino acids. This serum is brimming with vitamin C skin care benefits. It not only contains ascorbic acid but another vitamin C derivative tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. Again, watch out for that upcoming blog post. 

Natural option

Vitamin C Serum from Andalou Naturals is a lovely underrated serum. It is organic and natural, gluten free, free of GMOs and relatively affordable. If you find your skin cannot tolerate ascorbic acid, this serum contains a vitamin C derivative magnesium ascorbic phosphate. It also includes a whole host of antioxidants.

Final thoughts

As usual I could go on all day about skincare but I will leave it here before I get too carried away. In a future post I will be breaking down all the best skincare on the market that will provide you all the vitamin C skin care benefits. If you would like to see a review on a specific product, feel free to let me know. And tell me: do you use vitamin C in your routine? Let me know your favourite recommendations, I love hearing the products other people swear by.

If you found value in this information, please share it so that we can be of help to others. Subscribe to the blog for more skin care posts like this. A great deal of thought and care are put into each and every post, so your support, likes and shares are appreciated beyond words. 

Wishing you boundless love, endless light, and life without limit,

Shannon xo

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

References:

Wang, K., Jiang, H., Li, W., Qiang, M., Dong, T. and Li, H. (2018). Role of Vitamin C in Skin Diseases. Frontiers in Physiology, 9.

Raschke, T., Koop, U., Düsing, H., Filbry, A., Sauermann, K., Jaspers, S., Wenck, H. and Wittern, K. (2004). Topical Activity of Ascorbic Acid: From in vitro Optimization to in vivo Efficacy. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 17(4), pp.200-206.

Woolery-Lloyd, H., Baumann, L. and Ikeno, H. (2010). Sodium L-ascorbyl-2-phosphate 5% lotion for the treatment of acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 9(1), pp.22-27.

The post Vitamin C Skin Care Benefits: Brighter, Firmer Skin appeared first on Shannon Feetham.

Guide to Salicylic Acid Skincare

Whether you deal with recurring acne, unsightly zits, or even the occasional stubborn blemish, it is likely you have been on the pursuit of a solution to your skincare woes at one point or another. You have searched for a particular product or ingredient to help you deal with your blemishes. In your quest for a solution, the ingredient salicylic acid may have been brought to your attention a number of times. Indeed, it is a rather ubiquitous ingredient in the acne-fighting sphere. You may have seen it often enough by now, that the mere sight of a new spot triggers a signal to reach for your salicylic acid skincare products. But, the question remains: what is salicylic acid skincare exactly? And more importantly, what is it doing in our skincare products?

In this article I am going to be giving you the complete guide to everything you need to know about salicylic acid skincare and the function of this ingredient in our skin.

What is salicylic acid?

Salicylic acid is an organic compound also known as a beta hydroxy acid (or BHA) in the skincare realm.

No, organic in this case does not mean that it has been grown without pesticides by a yogi/farmer hybrid, using animal excrements for fertiliser. In the case of organic chemical compounds, organic simply means it contains carbon.

Salicylic acid is used in various industries, from pharmaceuticals and medicine to food preservatives, dyes, pesticides and perfumes. For the purpose of this post we will be focusing on salicylic acid skincare application.

Here’s where the science part comes in, so stay with me. This is the chemical structure of salicylic acid:

As you can see above, there is a carboxyl and a hydroxyl group directly attached to an aromatic benzene ring (the ring with the OH). This makes it not only a beta hydroxy acid but also a phenolic aromatic acid. It is the structure of salicylic acid that makes it so effective at tackling spots.

What is a BHA?

BHAs contain a carboxylic acid functional group and a hydroxyl functional group, separated by two carbon atoms. This is what differs it from an alpha hydroxy acid, which is separated by only one carbon atom.

Have I lost you yet? Stay with me because we’re on to something.

The extra carbon atom makes beta hydroxy acids oil soluble. This readiness to dissolve in oil makes salicylic acid adept at penetrating the pore lining and effectively de-clogging pores. BHAs are thus able to penetrate deeper than AHAs. If you are interested in how BHAs differ from AHAs, read this article about Salicylic Acid vs. Glycolic Acid. 

What is a common denominator when it comes to many people facing acne? Excess oil in the skin and pore. Salicylic acid is miscible with the oils and lipids in the sebaceous glands, which is why we so frequently tout it as an acne saviour.

Are you starting to see the connection?

Salicylic Acid Skincare is Anti-inflammatory

Naturally derived from sources such as willow bark, sweet birch and various other plants, salicylic acid can also be synthetically produced. Salicylic acid is a precursor to the synthesis of aspirin, a pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory analgesic. It is likely that we have all taken an aspirin or some other form of NSAIDs for pain relief at some point in our life, so I am sure you are familiar with the drug.

It is by no coincidence that salicylic acid shares the anti-inflammatory properties of aspirin. As an anti-inflammatory agent, it aids in calming the inflammation that comes along with breakouts. Soothing inflamed skin is vital in the battle against acne.

As well as being anti-inflammatory, salicylic acid exhibits antibacterial activity. Acne can be brought about by the proliferation of P.acnes bacteria in the skin. Salicylic acid skincare products therefore aid in combatting this bacteria.

Exfoliating Action of Salicylic Acid Skincare

Salicylic acid is a keratolytic and comedolytic agent. This simply means that it can soften keratin in skin, loosen skin cells and cause them to shed. It will prohibit the formation of comedones and blemishes and prevent the build-up of dead skin cells in follicles. This action makes it an efficacious chemical exfoliant.

Unlike a face scrub or physical exfoliant that sloughs away dead skin cells by manual abrasion, chemical exfoliants encourage cell turnover by use of certain chemical “active ingredients”. If you purchase salicylic acid skincare products in the USA, you will see the ingredient under the “active ingredients” section of the label. The label will also indicate the percentage of the ingredient used. This is because in larger dosages, it can be classified as a drug.

As well as excess oiliness, the abnormal sticking together of skin cells is a cause of acne. This results in clogged pores and the formation of blackheads, cysts, nodules, the works. As a desmolytic agent, salicylic acid loosens the cohesion between epidermal skin cells, leading to the sloughing away of dead skin cells. The dissolving of this “glue” between skin cells helps to prevent blockages within the follicle.

Can it help clear cystic acne?

It is worth noting that although salicylic acid skincare can help to prevent the formation of acne cysts due to its pore-clearing benefits, it is not so effective at actually getting rid of cystic acne once formed. Rather, it is better for dealing with blackheads and whiteheads. If you want to know exactly how to deal with blackheads, read this post on how to get rid of blackheads.

To a certain extent, salicylic acid skincare can help calm the inflammation brought about by the blemish. However, those struggling with cystic acne or severe cases of acne would need alternative means of solving their skin issues. Take it from someone who knows: plain old salicylic acid skincare products won’t cut it.

And let’s not forget, salicylic acid is also an acid. Something is classed as acidic when it has a pH below 7. Which means it needs a low pH to be effective at exfoliation.

Bonus tip: because it encourages skin cell turnover, salicylic acid is also used in the treatment of conditions like dandruff and psoriasis.

Can salicylic acid help with anti-ageing?

Although AHAs like glycolic acid are more so renowned for their anti-ageing benefits, salicylic acid skincare products can also helpful in revealing younger, more radiant skin. This is due to its ability to remove the skin cells of the epidermis to uncover the younger skin beneath. The exfoliation process helps to diminish the look of fine lines and pigmentation.

Some will regard salicylic acid as collagen stimulating, and you could say that it is anti-ageing in this respect. There is however, an emerging school of thought that although acid exfoliants give an instant gratification effect, the overuse of such acids can have an unfavourable effect in the long term. The instant plumping and radiance of your skin is instead thought to be an increase in swelling of the epidermis. It is your skin’s response to a “wound”, rather than the promotion of new collagen. This may invariably lead to accelerated ageing, which is what we were trying to avoid in the first place.

In my previous article about travel skin care, I made the point about not exfoliating or overusing active ingredients before travel so as not to weaken the skin barrier. I do believe that the overuse of acids in skincare actually has the potential to impair skin barrier function. Removing this superficial protective layer could potentially overexpose skin to environmental aggressors and free radical damage. Click here for more information about free radical damage.

Some signs of over exfoliation include skin dehydration, redness and irritation, dry patches, skin tautness, increased sensitivity and acne flare ups.

Can everyone use salicylic acid?

If you are new to salicylic acid, I would recommend starting a couple of times per week. You can then build up your tolerance to more regular use. For those with extremely sensitive skin, you can always do a patch test first on your arm to see how your skin reacts.

There are varying percentages available on the market. If you have never used a product containing salicylic acid, you may wish to start at a lower dose. As your skin becomes acclimated to the ingredient, you may start increasing the percentage.

As I explain in this article about glycolic acid, salicylic acid has not been shown to induce the same level of sensitivity to the sun as glycolic acid. Read this post for more sun damage information and how to prevent sun damaged skin.

Because of its close relation to aspirin, salicylic acid is not an ingredient you want to be using during pregnancy. Use of aspirin during pregnancy has been linked to birth defects, miscarriage and other complications. So, to my pregnant ladies, put your acid exfoliants on hold for 9 months or so while you’re growing your little bubba.

How often should you use salicylic acid?

The frequency of use depends on a number of factors. How tolerant is your skin to the ingredient? How much do you feel you need to exfoliate? What is the state of your skin and prevalence of blackheads and blemishes? What is your skin type?

Some people are able to use 4% salicylic acid products twice a day with no issue while others limit their use to once a week. Some people may prefer a higher percentage, more potent leave-on exfoliant. Others may find that leave-on acids are too harsh on their skin and prefer a rinse-off formula.

During the period of time in which I had severe cystic acne lesions, I was desperately bombarding my skin with every anti-acne ingredient I could find. I did not understand why the condition of my acne was becoming worse and worse. It turns out, I am someone who benefits more from occasional use of salicylic acid rather than daily use. However, when I find my skin is more congested, I do like to ramp up my usage.

Is salicylic acid safe?

Salicylic acid is perfectly safe to use in OTC products. Applying excessive amounts of salicylic acid to the body can result in salicylate poisoning. I wouldn’t say this is something you really have to be concerned about under regular circumstances as toxicity from salicylic acid is extremely rare. Just as I have reiterated time and time again in my articles, the dose makes the poison. So as long as you’re not dousing yourself in the stuff and overdoing it, you should be fine.

I would also like to point out that because salicylic acid is closely related to aspirin, you will want to steer clear of this ingredient if you have an allergy to aspirin. 

As I always say, we are all individual. Everyone has their own specific dose that will suit them. There is no cookie cutter approach to anything. Whether it is diet, skin care, exercise, we all have individual needs. It is therefore critical to get to know your skin and your triggers and tailor your routine to your own needs.

What are the best salicylic acid products?

I typically use leave-on salicylic acid products with a 2% concentration. Salicylic acid is available in leave-on and rinse-off formulas. It can be used in place of, or after a toner as an “acid toning” step. You can get salicylic acid lotions, face mists, face washes, in spot treatments, moisturiser, and high strength peels.

In an upcoming article I will be doing a complete rundown of all the very best salicylic acid products on the market, for every skin type and need. You already know I have your back and I am working on that post. 😉 So keep your eyes peeled for that article because you don’t want to miss it.

Salicylic Acid Products I Am Loving

Clinique Clarifying Lotion – This is a classic leave-on exfoliant. I have used this for years and found it does not aggravate my skin and is gentle enough for daily use. Swipe on after cleanser and before moisturiser and you are good to go. You can also find the Clinique Clarifying Lotion on Amazon.

COSRX BHA Power Liquid – If you read my previous K-beauty skincare article, I introduced you to this line of skincare. The concentration of BHA in this product is 4% so it is a little more for the BHA aficionado. 

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo – This hero product from La Roche Posay will keep blackheads and spots at bay. Other ingredients like zinc and niacinamide also help maintain a clear complexion. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo on Amazon.

Paulas Choice 2% BHA Liquid – You cannot go wrong with this leave-on exfoliant. Swipe it on after your toner. It does not irritate skin and is gentle enough to be used daily. It contains no sensitising ingredients and has the optimal pH for maximum effectiveness. Highly recommend. 

Final Thoughts

Salicylic acid is a prominent skincare ingredient for good reason. It will help clarify sebaceous glands, keep blemishes at bay, encourage skin cell turnover and resolve enlarged pores.

I hope that this guide to salicylic acid skincare was informative and that it answered all the questions you had. If you have any other questions you would like answered, feel free to leave a comment below and I will be happy to get back to you. I may even just write a future article dedicated to your query.

Please share this information so that we can get the facts out about salicylic acid skincare. Feel free to follow my Pinterest boards for where I share more skin tips and some of my favourite articles from around the web. You can also pin this article so that you can refer back to it in the future. And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and updates from the blog!

For more Skin Science Articles:

Complete Guide To Glycolic Acid for Glowing Skin

Everything You Need To Know About Vitamin C To Achieve Younger Skin

The Everything Guide to Hyaluronic Acid In Skincare

What does UV radiation actually do to your skin and why use SPF?

Do you use salicylic acid skincare on a regular basis? What is your favourite salicylic acid skincare product to use?

Wishing you boundless love, endless light, and life without limit,

Shannon xo

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

References:

Arif, T. (2015). Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive review. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, p.455.

Kornhauser, A., Wei, R., Yamaguchi, Y., Coelho, S., Kaidbey, K., Barton, C., Takahashi, K., Beer, J., Miller, S. and Hearing, V. (2009). The effects of topically applied glycolic acid and salicylic acid on ultraviolet radiation-induced erythema, DNA damage and sunburn cell formation in human skin. Journal of Dermatological Science, 55(1), pp.10-17.

The post Salicylic Acid Skincare: The Complete Guide appeared first on Shannon Feetham.

How does the Sun damage your skin?

You might have heard by now the importance of sun protection for your skin in the prevention of sun damage and skin cancers. Despite this, many of us do not always make sun protection a priority. As someone born and raised in the Mediterranean, I am accustomed to sunny weather. I do not burn easily and am not aware of the Sun’s immediate effects. It is therefore not natural behaviour for me to be pedantic about sun protection. After all, can it really be that damaging?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Oftentimes in the face of a skin issue like sun damage, we want to be told the solution lies in latest and greatest innovation in skincare formulations. Or the newest technological advances in laser therapy, the strongest acid peels. Not that we should be wearing sunscreen. We want to be in on this big high-tech secret that solves all our problems and even raises our children in the process. The idea that one magic pill or potion could erase years of misbehaviour is just more appealing. The truth is years of sun damage can easily be averted, provided we take some small steps of prevention. But we must first understand how it occurs so we can identify how to prevent it. 

The lowdown

So, we are aware of sun damage. But what exactly are the implications of prolonged sun exposure and why does sun damage even happen? We often wait until we see the visible signs of an issue to take action. However, the small steps we take each day will make the greatest impact. And this applies to our skin and preventing sun damage. Instead of waiting for the visible signs of sun damage to surface, we should be actively working to mitigate the effects.

If you’re a science nerd like me, sometimes it is only the factual information that is able to persuade me to act on something. Simply being told that I should do something without being given the facts is not enough. Partly because I don’t like being told what to do – period. And partly because I don’t ever trust only one source of information. I like to look at the mechanisms behind a problem and conduct my own investigations from multiple sources. So, here is the stripped back essence of what UV radiation does to skin.

UV radiation

Ultraviolet (UV) is part of the electromagnetic spectrum of radiation falling between visible light and X-rays. The sun emits this UV radiation, but unlike light rays or infrared, it cannot be seen or felt. UV radiation has been classed as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning it has strong cancer-causing potential.

There are a few different types of UV radiation: UVA, UVB and UVC. UV radiation is classified as a carcinogen due its tumour promoting and tumour initiating effect. When we are exposed to the sun, UV radiation contributes to the depletion of stem cells, causes stem cell DNA damage and eventually leads to photoinduced ageing of skin.

Saving the ozone layer will not only save the environment, but it will save our skin too!

The ozone layer acts as a protective barrier to absorb a lot of UV radiation from the sun. UVC is completely filtered out by the ozone layer but UVA and UVB are still able to reach the earth’s surface. The continual depletion of ozone, as a result of certain compounds and pollutants being released into the atmosphere, poses a risk in aggravating the health effects caused by these harmful rays.

In this post, I am going to focus on ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B as they relate to sun damage of the skin and aging.

The difference between UVA and UVB

What are UVA rays?

UVA rays account for most of the sunlight reaching the earth and penetrate more deeply than UVB. This means that they can penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin at the dermis. These rays are responsible for the adaptive melanisation (or tanning) of our skin. Melanocyte cells respond to UVA rays by triggering melanin to darken the skin in an attempt to protect it. The darkening of the skin from a tan is in fact the skin’s response to the damage of DNA.

Silent killer

You do not physically feel the effects of the damage on your skin in the sense that unlike sunburn, solely tanning is not unpleasant and does not cause discomfort. However, this is bad news for those of us who thought that if we simply tan and are not prone to sunburn, we are at less risk than those who burn. Just because our body does not show the immediate adverse effects of the sun does not mean sun damage is not occurring. 

Repetitive UVA exposure ages skin cells, damages DNA, precipitates the formation of wrinkles and is responsible for the majority of skin cancers. As long as the sun is out, UVA rays are present. They penetrate glass so that even when you are indoors, if you are in a building with windows, you are being exposed to UVA rays.

What are UVB rays?

UVB rays are slightly higher in energy than UVA rays. They are especially prevalent at high altitudes and on reflective surfaces (explaining that bad sunburn you got on your ski holiday) but do not penetrate glass significantly in the way UVA rays do. UVB is chiefly responsible for the reddening of skin and erythema (sunburn) and plays a role in skin cancer. Its inflammatory effect kills keratinocytes and voila, you have sunburn.

This type of UV radiation affects the more superficial epidermal layers of skin but also contribute to tanning and photo-ageing. It induces skin pigmentation by increasing melanin synthesis. The oxidative stress induced by UV exposure increases the production of reactive oxygen species, leading to the proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes. These accumulate and increase epidermal thickness so that the surface layer is dull, dense and crepey.

B is for burn

UVB is more efficient in inducing immediate erythema (or sunburn) but does trigger melanin synthesis and will eventually lead to delayed tanning. The overproduction of melanin skin cells can form clusters of darker skin. Cue hyper pigmentation, dark spots and dullness. With age, the outer layer of skin becomes dense, dry and dull. Think that leathery skin texture with dark patches that you see on people who lay on the beach without protection for years.

Vitamin D

UVB however, also plays a vital role in generating vitamin D, which is a steroid hormone that regulates over 1000 biochemical processes in the body. It is important to keep vitamin D levels in check while also being smart about sun protection. It is a myth that tanning booths are a good source of vitamin D since UVA rays are the type mainly used in tanning, and not UVB (so don’t buy into the lie that indoor tanning booths are a good source of vitamin D, folks).

Keeping your skin protected from the Sun

Some simple steps you can take to keep your skin protected from the sun:

• Liberally apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to the exposed areas of your skin
• Reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating as it can wash off
• Wear sunglasses to shield your eye area
• Stay in the shade during peak hours of sun
• Wear hats to protect your scalp and face
• Avoid skincare ingredients that may induce photosensitivity
• Do not allow your skin to burn
• Avoid tanning booths and use self-tanners instead. Or go au naturale. 

Certain ingredients make you more sun sensitive

There are a number of skincare ingredients that can increase the skin’s sensitivity to the Sun. Such ingredients include various fragrant plant oils, glycolic or lactic acids, and benzoyl peroxide. This means that, if your skincare routine contains any of these ingredients, there is even greater reason to use an SPF daily.

Various ingredients also help to lessen the effects of excess sun exposure. I wrote an entire article about vitamin C skincare benefits – spoiler, it also helps with photo-protection. Ingredients such as hyaluronic acid can help to strengthen the skin barrier. Read this article for what HA does for skin. And read this article for why antioxidants help protect skin alongside SPF. 

What does SPF do?

The SPF rating on sunscreens refers to the protection from UVB rays. It essentially lets you know how long you can stay in direct contact with the sun before your skin begins to burn. For instance, if your skin begins to burn after 20 minutes in the sun, applying an SPF 30 means it will take 30 times longer before you burn.

Because of the lack of liberal sunscreen application, it is best to apply an SPF 30 or greater so that you can be sure you are getting adequate sun protection. An SPF beyond 50 can be misleading. It is probably more beneficial to frequently reapply an SPF 30, than to assume an SPF 100 will protect you 100 times more effectively. Many countries ban a rating over SPF 50 due to the false sense of security it gives.

In terms of percentage of UVB radiation that SPF will block out, SPF 15 sunscreens will filter about 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 sunscreens filter out about 97%, SPF 50 sunscreens about 98%, and SPF 100 about 99%. As the SPF rating increases, the difference between consecutive ratings becomes smaller. It should be noted that no sunscreen will block out 100% of all UV rays.

What to look for in a sunscreen

Because SPF relates only to protection from UVB, opt for a “broad spectrum” sunscreen. This means it will shield you from both the UVA and UVB rays and will safeguard you from the visible surface level effects of sun damage as well as the deeper level damage to skin.

In an upcoming article, I will be giving a complete overview of all the very best SPF products with the best textures, best ingredients and best under makeup. As a teaser, I will mention this Murad SPF 50 is a game changer. And this non toxic sunscreen is the best “natural” option I have tried yet. You will also want to check out this mineral sunscreen review as a great option for under makeup wear. I will explain everything you want to know in the upcoming post. Let me know in the meantime: do you have a favourite sunscreen?

Stay vigilant

At times it might feel a little wasteful or redundant to slap on sunscreen just to pop outside for five minutes, or during a cloudy day. I must admit I am still having to acclimate to the practice of daily sunscreen use. Keep in mind that although you cannot feel or see the UV rays, they are still present at all times – apart from at night when the sun is no longer in the sky. As long as you can see outside, sun damage is able to occur, and the damage is cumulative. 

It is never too late to begin to take adequate protection of your skin and prevent further harm. The fact is, this isn’t even an aesthetic matter. Being mindful of UV exposure is simply ensuring that you are taking care of your health. Your skin is your largest organ; it’s a living organism. Take care of it and it will take care of you. 

If you found value in this blog post, please share this article so we can spread the message. Follow the blog for more skincare posts. 

Wishing you boundless love, endless light, and life without limit,

Shannon xo

This post is not sponsored. All opinions belong to the author.

Sources:
Panich, U., Sittithumcharee, G., Rathviboon, N. and Jirawatnotai, S. (2016). Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Skin Aging: The Role of DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress in Epidermal Stem Cell Damage Mediated Skin Aging. Stem Cells International, 2016, pp.1-14.

D’Orazio, J., Jarrett, S., Amaro-Ortiz, A. and Scott, T. (2013). UV Radiation and the Skin. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 14(6), pp.12222-12248.

Fda.gov. (2018). Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation. [online] Available at: https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emittingproducts/radiationemittingproductsandprocedures/tanning/ucm116425.htm

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The post Sun Damage: The Effects of UV Radiation On Skin appeared first on Shannon Feetham.

Hyaluronic acid in the body

Hyaluronic acid has become a big beauty buzzword over the years. Marketers seem to have capitalised on the ingredient to no end, with the molecule being endorsed in every product from moisturisers to foundations to lipstick. With the constant reiteration of a term we may know so much as it is somehow beneficial and improves the look of skin. However, beyond simply being told that I should use an ingredient, I do like to look deeper into the science behind it so that I can make my own informed choice. So for those who, like me, hunger for even more information, here is everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid in skin care. 

Hyaluronic acid (or hyaluronan) belongs to a group of polysaccharides (a long chain carbohydrate) known as glycosaminoglycans. It is a key component of the extracellular matrix, forming part of the tissue that surrounds collagen and elastin fibres. Basically, it is a vital substance that occurs naturally in the body. It lubricates the eyes, joints and connective tissue, and works to bind and hold water molecules in the skin. Approximately 50% of hyaluronan found in the body is found in the skin.

Typically, when we think of acids in relation to skincare, we might think of chemical peels and chemical exfoliants. However, hyaluronic acid is not an acid exfoliant in the way that acids such as glycolic acid or salicylic acid are, but rather a humectant whose function is to attract and retain moisture. In fact, hyaluronic acid is able to hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. Think of the plump, bouncy, hydrated skin of a baby; it is chock-full of hyaluronic acid.

Decreased hyaluronic acid levels lead to visible ageing

The hyaluronic acid levels in our skin decrease with age, which explains why our skin with every passing decade gets further and further from that pillowy, supple, smooth baby skin. Due to the loss of this water-binding molecule in the skin, skin’s moisture levels also decrease with age. This leads to visible lines, dryness and loss of volume. The lip-plumping, cheeking-filling, face-volumising properties of HA make it a popular choice for injectable fillers such as Juvederm.

As a humectant, hyaluronic acid draws moisture from the environment to the skin, keeping it supple and replenished without the need of heavy or occlusive moisturisers. This makes it an ideal choice for hot and humid weather conditions and works for all skin types from oily to dry. A great way to hydrate during the current hot summer weather is incorporating a HA with pantothenic acid. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is known for its moisturising and soothing properties so works nicely with HA to regenerate dehydrated skin.

Some great examples of this are:

Roche Posay Hyalu B5 Anti-wrinkle Serum – Fabulous for keeping skin hydrated during the hot weather. It contains two types of pure HA as well as B5 protect your skin barrier and moisturise. It is a very elegant texture, not heavy, great for summer time. And it’s currently on sale through this beauty site!

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 is an affordable hyaluronic acid and B5 serum. It contains HA of varying molecular weights for increased skin penetration. Again, very lightweight and great for hot and humid weather.  If you are already in love with the serums you are using and do not want to have to add another substantial layer or serum, try a HA essence.

This lotion from a great Japanese brand is brimming with hyaluronic acid and goes on light and liquid. Simply pat on your face before you apply your usual serums and you are good to go. One thing is for sure: the Japanese certainly know what they are doing when it comes to skin.

Does HA work for everyone?

There has been concern that, due to its ability to pull moisture from the environment, hyaluronic acid may not be ideal for use in extremely dry arid desert conditions. The lack of moisture in the air may potentially result in the pulling of moisture from the deeper levels of your own skin. While there isn’t substantial research to support this, you should always pay attention to your skin’s needs and your current environment.

If you feel that this ingredient does not work for your current needs, there are plenty of alternative ways to provide your skin with moisture. If you’d still like to incorporate hyaluronic acid into your routine, try layering emollient and occlusive moisturisers over your hyaluronic acid product to prevent the evaporation of water from your skin. Read this for the best emollient face oils.

All the benefits

Hyaluronic acid has additional benefits that go beyond attracting moisture to skin.

• It provides potent antioxidant activity and reduces oxidative damage from free radicals. Read this for why your skin needs antioxidants and more on free radicals.
• Ageing caused by intrinsic and extrinsic factors result in the breakdown of collagen protein. Hyaluronic acid helps to slow down this process of collagen loss.
• It is a not a commonly allergenic ingredient so works well even on sensitive skin.
• Strengthens the skin barrier so skin is more resilient and protected.
• Increases skin ceramide production.
• Improves skin elasticity.
• It has anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is the number one cause of ageing. This means we want to mitigate its effects on the body as much as possible.
• Beneficial for use on sunburned, UV-damaged skin, wounds and other inflammatory skin issues. Read this post on how UV rays damage skin.

Molecular size matters

Hyaluronic acid forms a film over the skin to reduce trans epidermal water loss. Incorporating a well formulated hyaluronic acid product can help to diminish the effects of the skin’s natural loss of hyaluronan over time. One caveat of the topical application of hyaluronic acid is that it is a larger molecule so does not easily penetrate into the skin’s deeper layers.

Lower molecular weight alternatives can be used to enhance the ingredient’s penetration. Sodium hyaluronate is a salt of hyaluronic acid with a smaller size molecule. It can therefore be more easily absorbed into skin rather than sit on the surface as a larger molecule would. Other ingredients you may come across on an INCI list include hydrolysed hyaluronic acid and sodium acetylated hyaluronate.

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What about supplements?

I am a big fan of improving yourself from the inside out. I maintain that the best way to get any nutrient is by nutrition first of all. And I do question how mandatory certain supplements are, or whether they truly have an effect. However, as it would turn out, hyaluronan supplements may actually have some benefit. According to a randomised double blind, placebo controlled study (aka the best type of study) published in a 2017 paper, oral hyaluronan was shown to improve the look of wrinkles and overall skin condition.

I have looked at other studies using different molecular weight HA and, whether it was 2k, 300k or 800k molecular weight HA, there were notable skin improvements. The higher molecular weight of 300k did show sooner significant improvements than 2k however. This has been repeated in various other studies and the results look promising. There will be a notable improvement around 8 to 12 weeks, so it might be a supplement worth experimenting with.

You might want to try

Hyaluronic Acid 300mg 90 capsules by Nu U Nutrition – This supplement is vegetarian/vegan friendly. It is free of wheat, lactose, gluten and GMO. I have family members who are both lactose and gluten intolerant, so I like to take that into consideration when opting for a supplement. I hope it will be helpful for those of you who also struggle with intolerances. It does contain soy for its source of HA though, for those who are sensitive to soy.

Hyaluronic Acid 300mg Triple Strength Hyaluronic Acid – A hyaluronic acid is derived from fermentable bacteria and not soy. The dose of HA given in the studies was 120mg daily, which means there may not be a spectacular improvement below this. Both supplements I have listed contain a good 300mg dose of HA for a noticeable difference. They also contain a 3 month supply which is in line with the study conducted over 12 weeks.

We all have different gut flora, enzymes, genetic dispositions, DNA, and our cellular processes all run differently. Therefore I can’t guarantee these will be a good fit for everyone. But I do hope some of you find benefit from taking HA orally. Please keep me updated if you try it!

Best hyaluronic acid products

Some underrated stars 

Pestle and Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum – This serum is one of my new favourite finds. The ingredients are quite minimal with nothing overly harsh or fragrant. There are a few additional soothing ingredients and vitamin E. It is incredibly lightweight and works well under makeup. A few drops is all you need and it leaves your face feeling deeply hydrated. 

Dermadoctor Hyaluronic Serum – Dermadoctor is an excellent, under the radar brand. I’m not sure why because their products are very well formulated. This particular serum contains various size HA and sodium hyaluronate along with antioxidants. The one thing that irks me about dropper bottles, as used in many of the HA products I will mention, is their tendency to be easily knocked over. Just make sure when you are spending money on a good product, you are careful with the packaging as I have knocked mine over time and time again. 

Hyaluronic Marine Hydration Booster – Dr Dennis Gross’ line is a fantastic option in general. If you want to treat yourself to a great HA product Dr Dennis Gross is great for more sophisticated formulations. This serum is non greasy and weightless. Not only does it contain HA in the form of sodium hyaluronate but does also offer additional free radical protection from antioxidant extracts. Read this post for more on why we need free radical protection. 

Classic Favourites

Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Serum – This is a classic staple of mine. Fragrance free, oil free, gentle and soothing. Does not cause breakouts or irritation. Perfect and lightweight for summer. Not as pricey as Dennis Gross but still quite moderately-high priced for Clinique. Although I will say you do tend to save a significant amount of money (over 20%) on this through the Everything Store (aka Amazon) than regular beauty retailers (seeing as I already buy everything from toothpaste to electronics from there).

Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster  – A well formulated HA from Paula’s Choice with an elegant texture. This is intended to go alongside your regular products for that extra ‘boost’ of hydration. You could also use it alone as a little goes a long way. It also includes ceramides, an ingredient I will be going in depth with in a future article, so stay tuned. *Spoiler* you want to be incorporating ceramides into your routine.

If you want to get really fancy

Of course the brands I have listed are moderately priced in comparison to a number of luxe brands. In fact, in my research I found a number of hyaluronic acid products listed in the hundreds of dollars territory! Dr Barbara Sturm has a hyaluronic acid serum priced at a cool £230! I have obviously not tried this particular product as I have all other recommendations  due to the fact that unfortunately I am not currently in possession of a spare £230 to spend on a mere 30ml of product. The product does contain probiotics which are proving more and more an interesting ingredient though. But I still cannot say I feel the hefty price tag is justified. 

Omorovicza carries a product they call Blue Diamond Concentrate, which is essentially Sodium Hyaluronate and some fragrance for £295. Okay, it throws in a few other ingredients too and I’m sure there’s someone out there who swears by it, so no judgement. It may be of interest to a few princesses of the world who happen to have a spare few hundred pounds lying around. I don’t personally believe more expensive equates to being better, but if you enjoy splurging and have the means to do so, that’s awesome too! For those who do have a budget, please don’t feel you need to spend an exorbitant amount of money on hyaluronic acid by any means. You can get great results with something affordable. 

If you just want pure HA

Hyaluronic Acid Serum 100% Pure  – This serum from Timeless Skincare is a natural, gentle formula of purely hyaluronic acid. Great for those who want to add the ingredient to boost your current routine. One container holds a generous amount product. 

100% Pure-Highest Quality, Anti-Aging Serum Intense Hydration + Moisture, Non-greasy, Paraben-free – Straight up pure HA. Fabulous to mix with other serums and feel like your own cosmetic chemist. Very thin texture. It won’t irritate your skin and will last a long while. 

If you want to hydrate and still beat the heat

Roche Posay Hyalu B5 Serum – You’re going to want to add this to your summer skincare routine. Keeps your skin radiant and hydrated without the heaviness.

Affordable but just as great

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel – Absorbs quickly while still providing excellent moisture that lasts. Oil free and non comedogenic, so dry skin can still benefit from the hydration without worrying it will clog pores.  

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5  – Don’t let the price of this affordable serum fool you; it is still extremely effective. The Ordinary’s sister brand NIOD has a great hyaluronic acid product too, if you want a formula that is a little more sophisticated.

I hope you found this post helpful and informative. Do you have a favourite hyaluronic acid product? What is your can’t-live-without HA skincare?

Remember to share this article, and Subscribe to the Blog for more for more daily blog posts covering all things skincare and wellness-related. 

Check out more great blog posts about Skin Science:

The Complete Guide to Salicylic Acid: Demystifying BHAs

All About Antioxidants and Free Radicals

Unravelling All Things UV Radiation and SPF 

Everything You Need To Know About Vitamin C For Brighter Skin

Wishing you boundless love, endless light, and life without limit,

Shannon xo

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are strictly my own.

Sources: Oe, M., Sakai, S., Yoshida, H., Okado, N., Kaneda, H., Masuda, Y. and Urushibata, O. (2018). Oral hyaluronan relieves wrinkles: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study over a 12-week period.

Kawada, C., Yoshida, T., Yoshida, H., Sakamoto, W., Odanaka, W., Sato, T., Yamasaki, T., Kanemitsu, T., Masuda, Y. and Urushibata, O. (2018). Ingestion of hyaluronans (molecular weights 800 k and 300 k) improves dry skin conditions: a randomized, double blind, controlled study.

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