Let's be real: the million-plus strong r/SkincareAddiction subreddit is an absolute gold mine of skin care tips and advice. One Reddit-approved ingredient that's been grabbing our attention lately? Azelaic acid.
The thing about skin care is that it's extremely relative. For example, a miracle serum your best friend swears by might make you break out, or a product that everyone touts on Insta might just be meh in your experience. That said, there are some consistencies when it comes to the skin care ingredients we ought to avoid. So we asked skin care experts to share the ingredients that are particularly problematic... and what signs to look for regarding an allergic reaction.
Does your face redden or break out easily? And, no, not because you're embarrassed that you just ran into your crush dressed like a frazzled third grade teacher from the mid 90s... in this case, we're talking about sensitive skin and all the stipulations that come with it.
Does the term "beta hydroxy acid" (or BHA) have you scratching your head? How about salicylic acid — it's one of the most popular BHAs out there. (Has the lightbulb gone on yet?)
Look: No one likes maskne. Unfortunately, face masks are something of a necessity these days. Usually, when skin is acting up, the best course of action starts with eliminating the cause of irritation... but in COVID-19 times that's not always realistic.
The importance of getting our daily vitamins has been drilled into us since childhood — and we shouldn't exclude skin from that. In the case of vitamins in skin care products, panthenol — aka the provitamin of vitamin B5 — is something of an unsung hero, especially when compared to the buzzier vitamin A and vitamin C. But it's every bit as important.
Sure, taking care of your skin often requires handing over a bit of cash in exchange for products such as sunscreen, cleansers, and moisturizers. But there are other ways you can improve the health and quality of your dermis... without having to spend a single cent. We asked dermatologists and aestheticians to share some of their best tips.
With over 2 million Instagram followers and a long career in fashion that includes walking runways for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Dior and just about every other major brand you can think of, it would be safe to assume Brazillian supermodel Lais Ribeiro is a pretty face. But she's also so much more.
In this era of working from home, you might find yourself wearing less makeup. After all, it's not like you've got team meetings or catch-ups at the coffee machine to contend with...
You probably know Rebecca Louise from Instagram, where the fitness coach and wellness influencer has nearly 550,000 followers... but she actually first made a name for herself on YouTube. The fitness pro is constantly adding free videos to her online arsenal (think washboard ab tutorials) as well as on her fitness and nutrition app, BURN!.
The high-performing toners of today are nothing like the harsh, stripping astringents of yesteryear. And the latest batch of hybrid toners out of Korea (and more recently this side of the world), continue to grow leaps and bounds in the name of glowing, hydrated (yes) skin.
Eyeshadow palettes are made for experimenting and face masks are made for trialling; we don't make the rules. With almost any other type of skin care product, consistency is essential — whereas a face mask treatment produces near-instant gratification. And that just makes new mask launches even more exciting.
Some skin care pairings go together as well as bread and butter, pie and ice cream, avocados and brunch. (You get the idea.) Then, there are some ingredients that definitely should not be mixed.
Maybe it's because toners haven't been able to shake their bad reputation as astringents that dry skin. Or perhaps it's because they've long been viewed as an optional skin care step that's just a precursor to nutrient-rich serums. But whatever the case, even in a landscape in which we carefully assemble 16-step skin care routines, it's admittedly hard to get excited about swiping our faces with what's essentially zhuzhed up water...
You've heard the rumors: Silk pillowcases are magic! They whisk away your wrinkles, clear up your acne, smooth your frizz and prevent split ends! If you don't already have one, you're crazy!!
Though spas and derm offices have started to open their doors again, the rise of COVID-19 cases in many states is enough to make us rethink taking a spa (or medi-spa) day. But just because some appointments may feel, well, non-essential doesn't mean that we don't miss them — or that we can't do our best to DIY that pro-assisted glow at home.
Our skin can become dehydrated for a number of reasons. The most obvious, perhaps, is that we're not moisturizing as regularly as we ought to. Not-so-obvious contributors to dehydrated skin include: using really hot water to wash your face, not exfoliating regularly, free radical damage caused by UV rays and pollution, and — you guessed it — not drinking enough water.
In case you need the refresher: wearing a cloth face mask is one of the best ways (alongside frequent hand washing and social distancing) to control the spread of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Have you jumped on the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask hype train yet? What with the recent launch of its latest flavor (Gummy Bear!!), now's the perfect time to hop on the bandwagon. With that in mind, we're celebrating the new flavor by recommending some of the most delicious lip balms, treatments and masks we've ever tried.
